£200m national summer programme fund boosts seven schools in Boston and Skegness

Seven schools in Boston and Skegness are among hundreds across the country benefitting from a £200 million summer programme fund.
Skegness Grammar School.Skegness Grammar School.
Skegness Grammar School.

542,710 pupils are expected to attend a face-to-face summer school this year, with around three quarters of eligible mainstream secondary schools taking part.

The programme will play a key role in helping pupils catch up on their learning as part of the Conservative Government’s £3 billion education recovery plan.

Matt Warman has welcomed the announcement seven local schools will be amongst the 2,820 qualifying, including Boston High School, Haven High Academy, Skegness Grammar School, The Boston Grammar School , The Giles Academy, Thomas Middlecott Academy, and William Lovell Church of England Academy .

Boston High School.Boston High School.
Boston High School.

The summer schools will provide a range of extra-curricular and academic catch-up activities to boost children’s opportunities to catch-up.

Pupils will benefit from learning essential maths and English skills while getting involved in sports, drama, and music – as well as the option of theatre trips, workshops with authors, cooking classes, theatre trips, and sports sessions.

The summer schools will help pupils establish and build friendships before the start of the next school year, improving their confidence and improving mental wellbeing – particularly for Year 7s making the transition up to secondary school.

High quality online resources are also being provided for all pupils and teachers for throughout the summer holidays by Oak National Academy, to give pupils the confidence they are ready to start their next school year.

Evidence from the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) shows that pupils who benefitfrom summer school programmes can make two months additional progress in comparison to pupils who don’t attend, and up to four months’ extra progress if the summer schools involve small group tuition.

They also provide a range of benefits to families and communities by providing support for vulnerable young people.

Since June 2020 £1.5 billion has been invested in national tutoring, £400 million for training and professional development, and now £200 million for summer schools this summer. This is on top of a £650 million universal catch up cash boost for secondary schools this year and a £302 million recovery boost for next year.

Commenting, Matt Warman said: “The pandemic has had a huge impact on the last school year for pupils – and I am committed to helping everyone affected catch up on lost learning and missed experiences before the start of the next academic year.

“The extra £200 million the Conservative Government are investing will help these seven schools put on summer schools and provide vital learning opportunities for pupils – boosting pupils’ learning and their confidence with extra lessons and extra-curricular activities likesports, music and drama.

“This will help set pupils in Boston and Skegness up for the future, giving them the best opportunity to reach their full potential and get the world class education they deserve.”

Commenting, Schools Minister Nick Gibb said: “It is very good to see that so many children will now have the opportunity to enjoy clubs and activities, building friendships and supporting their mental and physical health, alongside their educational progress.

“We have announced £3 billion so far to support education recovery, and are focusing now on helping children catch up ahead of the next academic year. Summer schools are an integral part of the overall effort to recover from the disruption caused by the pandemic”.