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If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that enabling learning for primary children through digital technology is hard without preparation. Schools that had invested in pedagogy, technology and partnerships have ridden the storms of lockdowns better and with less disruption. 

Primary teachers have been amazingly adaptable and creative in their solutions. So much is normally built into the physical spaces and human interactions on top of the formal curriculum, that moving to online resources to deliver the curriculum while maintaining relationships with the children was a big ask.  

As we find a way out of lockdown and the 21/22 academic year comes into view this is a good time to explore how to make digital provision a more natural part of school life by integrating the best aspects of our lockdown experiences.  

In late 2020, a flurry of electrifying poems swept in to be judged for Pearson’s poetry competition on the subject of ‘Belonging’. Inspired by Imtiaz Dharker’s whirlwind exploration of confused identity, In Wales, Wanting To Be Italian (PDF, 211KB), and influenced by pieces from Pearson’s GCSE collection Belonging, British students from Years 9, 10 and 11 submitted a broad selection of brilliant verse.

Research demonstrates that small-group tuition can boost pupils’ progress by several months and that small groups can really benefit from collaborative learning. What’s more, ‘learning together’ encourages pupils to form a supportive bond that can continue long after a tutoring session. The learning that happens in small groups can be hugely rewarding, both for students and their tutors.