David Jaffa, CEO of SAM Learning will be hosting a Virtual Education Roundtable on Tuesday 21st July at 2 pm discussing:

“How do we help disadvantaged students catch up and ensure social mobility following their return to school after COVID-19?”

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted clear benefits of e-learning for pupils. As lockdown restrictions are lifted, there continues to be a role for online learning. But how will schools, assisted by new government funding, ensure that disadvantaged students get the additional support needed to close the gap of educational attainment and enhance their future prospects and aid social mobility at post-16?

The webinar is hosted by SAM Learning. Open to educationalists at all levels, it will be an opportunity to discuss potential solutions. We will be joined by the following panellists:

• David Johnston OBE MP – Education Select Committee Member & Former CEO of the Social Mobility Foundation
• Naomi Eisenstadt CB – Inaugural Director of the DfE’s Sure Start Unit, Independent Advisor to the First Minister of Scotland, Trustee at Education Endowment Foundation, Fellow of the University of Oxford and the LSE.
• John Murphy – Chief Executive, Oasis Community Learning

A new independent report, commissioned by the Education Endowment Foundation, was published in June 2020, showing improved attainment of pupils using SAM Learning’s e-learning service for ten hours or more during Year 11, compared to those who did not use it. The report found:

• Stronger and significant positive outcomes for disadvantaged pupils (those eligible for free school meals) who use SAM Learning for 10 hours or more during Year 11*. (*This effect was between a fifth and more than half a grade improvement in attainment per subject.)
• Significant positive outcomes for all pupils who used SAM Learning for ten hours or more during Year 11, with an increase of up to a third of a grade per subject.
• FSM pupils were less likely to have 10 hours usage than non-FSM pupils, so more work needs to be done to introduce disadvantaged students to platforms like SAM Learning.

We would be delighted if you were able to attend the roundtable, for what will be a vital and compelling discussion.

Please RSVP to h.patterson@connectpa.co.uk, or call 07913303139.

Joining instructions, including Zoom details, will be sent closer to the time.