Preventing learning loss over the summer holidays

Research* shows that children can lose key academic skills and knowledge in holiday breaks, especially the summer period. Studies indicate that as many as one in three children can fall behind as a result of a seven-week break away from the classroom.

There have been many proposals for combating this learning loss, the most prominent being to overhaul the long summer break to a shorter four week period*. However, we still seem to be a long way off this top down solution being realised in all UK schools, so for now we thought we’d share with you how EducationCity.com can help you prevent your pupils losing their hard-earned knowledge and skills this summer.

 

Did you know that EducationCity.com can be accessed by pupils at home at any time? Mother and daughter

With our Homework module, pupils have access to fun learning anytime, anywhere – it’s perfect to keep your pupils’ minds ticking over the summer. What’s more, the Homework module helps:

  • engage parents with their children’s learning
  • improve pupils’ access to learning materials over the holidays
  • you to track holiday learning progress

It’s so flexible, you can allow pupils the freedom to explore the resource and work through activities of their own choice at their own pace or set challenges or a specific path to follow.

 

How to use EducationCity.com's home access this summer

  1. Set up a Play Live challenge – Challenge pupils to a weekly maths competition

  2. Set summer Homework and/or a myCity – Create a bank of suggested activities that children can work through

  3. Mind Map Tool – Use as a template to plan/create their own summer story

  4. Use our summer-themed activities & tool ideas (Coming soon)

Don’t forget by setting a test a revision pathway is made, so this can be used throughout the summer, the test redone and the revision pathway refreshed automatically!

To subscribe to EducationCity.com’s Homework module please call 0844 225 3060. It costs just £2 per pupil per year.

 

References

Entwisle, D., Alexander, K., & Olson, L. 2000. “Summer Learning and Home Environment.” In R. Kahlenberg Ed., A Notion at Risk: Preserving Public Education as an Engine for Social Mobility pp. 9-30. New York: Century Foundation Press.

Asthana,A., 2008. Schools' summer break under threat, The Observer, [Online] 25th May.

Terrey,C., 2009. Tackling ‘summer learning loss’ at Grays School, Achievement: The SIMS in Education Newsletter, [Online]. Available at: http://www.smis.org.uk/web/public/contact_us/publicity_docs/Primary%20Ac… [Accessed on 5th July 2011].