A turning tide

Released 22/12/2011

COMMENT Tutoring expert Manda Barnes considers how Michael Gove's recent comments on ICT adoption could impact how schools and local authorities allocate the pupil premium fund

The new pupil premium fund has left schools and local authorities with the challenge of investing it so it positively affects the attainment of the pupils it's designed to benefit, in a relatively short space of time. Schools will be required to publish what they've spent the funding on from September 2012, so need to quickly decide how to allocate it.

Michael Gove's recent speech at the Schools Network's annual conference in Birmingham suggests that a progressive approach to ICT will be encouraged in order to facilitate learning. However, when considering how to spend the £488 (soon to be £600 in 2012/13) per pupil eligible for free school meals (FSM), how does increased ICT adoption compare to more traditional methods of raising attainment?

Traditionally if pupils require extra tuition, headteachers have sanctioned overtime for teachers to run afterschool or lunchtime classes or engaged teaching agencies to provide additional staff which are then assigned to particular classes, or pupils that require extra help.

However these options are inflexible, impractical and cost prohibitive. Quality teachers already spend significant amounts of time planning and delivering lessons on a daily basis. Asking them to then prepare and run extra classes afterschool or at lunchtimes will potentially impact on their ability to maintain the same high standards of lesson planning and teaching in their everyday work. Teaching agencies can be commissioned to provide the extra support, but they are often very expensive, and ever tighter school budgets prohibit how often they are used.

A natural avenue of enquiry for schools and headteachers could therefore be in tune with Mr. Gove's recent comments on technology. How can ICT assist pupils that require extra help and benefit those eligible for pupil premium payments? Unfortunately the latest gadgets and gizmos don't hold the answers on their own, and new technology in schools often requires additional training for the staff expected to use it as a learning aid. Without this they cannot be expected to exploit it to its full potential and therefore the pupils won't gain the maximum benefit from its use.

In light of this, budgetary decision-makers in schools and local authorities are beginning to look at how they can leverage the maximum benefit from the technology they already have. And an increasingly popular and effective way of doing this is to consider the potential of online tuition.

Learning using the internet is not a new development and there are numerous resources in existence ranging from BBC Bitesize, to YouTube videos offering advice on a diverse range of subjects. However as an ex-teacher myself, I understand there is limited value in sitting a child in front of a computer connected to the internet and expecting them to remain focused and to learn without qualified engagement - especially in a limited time frame. New online learning platforms have anticipated this and moved beyond a basic question and answer format. Headteachers looking towards these tuition aids for additional support should lookout for the following features:

First class teaching: In order to keep children engaged a level of interactivity needs to exist. Innovative online learning programmes are now using fully qualified, UK-based teachers to connect with the children and guide them through exercises. Teachers are by their very nature, experts at teaching - effective software will therefore allow a high degree of interactivity, ensuring the participant remains engaged and gets the maximum benefit from the online session.

Cost effectiveness: While teaching agencies can often be cost prohibitive and inflexible, an online platform allows the teachers engaging with the pupils to work from anywhere with an internet connection, therefore instantly reducing the cost to the school. Fees around the £15 per hour, per pupil mark can be expected, allowing schools to stretch their decreasing budgets as far as possible.

Relevant focus: Innovative online platforms can and should be regularly updated to reflect the latest national curriculum. Some will offer initial assessment tests to identify areas of focus for the pupils using them. Combining this assessment with regular feedback and communication with the teaching staff in the school allows funds like the pupil premium to be deployed for optimal effectiveness, as bespoke learning programmes can be created, tailored to each individual student's needs.

High security: When the primary audience is children, security must remain top of the agenda. The requirements for teachers interacting with pupils via online learning platforms must be no different to those working within the school itself; CRB checks must be undertaken as standard. In addition to that, online tuition providers should be able to show that they have the ability to monitor lessons, for the benefit and security of both parties. Most will also deploy mystery shoppers on a regular basis to ensure the quality and appropriateness of the tuition.

Mr. Gove is right; technology has a big part to play in the 21^st century education of Britain's school children. The key is in how it's used. While schools debate whether to invest in the latest iPad for every child in class 6C, it may be wise to start closer to home, and use funds like the pupil premium to offer tailored tuition, from qualified teachers, to those who most need it.

Manda Barnes is the director of curriculum at online tuition specialist TLC Education Group

See more news stories like this