We’re shut in
Don’t let the poorest children get shut out
The problem
The country’s poorest children have always had to work harder to keep up at school. COVID-19 makes it much worse.
Many will struggle to learn at home – no internet, no printers, no laptops. Their families are likely to fall even deeper into hardship. The result? The gap between rich and poor will widen even more, risking children's futures – and our society’s.
At Teach First we've always trained and supported great teachers and leaders to help schools thrive against the greatest challenges. Now they're facing their biggest challenge of all.
We’re in awe of the work teachers and schools are already doing to protect some of the country’s most vulnerable children. But they need your support. Together, we can stop these pupils from being shut out – now, and for the rest of their lives.
Here's what we're doing about it
Catch-up support
Most children will be taken care of in loving and protective homes. But not every child will.
Some families will be able to afford tutors, online courses and laptops. But those that can’t will fall even further behind.
We’re helping the poorest children to keep learning, helping them catch up on the valuable support they miss.
Helping schools rebound
Months of missed school, and families thrown into unemployment, will hit the poorest hardest.
We’re launching a new package of support to help schools facing the biggest challenges brought about by COVID-19's impact on learning.
We’ll train school leaders to solve complex problems that will be vital for recovery, helping them support their pupils to catch up.
Pushing for action from business and government
We’re standing with our schools to call on internet providers to give the poorest families internet access. We’re also urging technology companies to donate devices so children have the best chance to continue their learning at home.
And we’re urgently seeking assurances that children entitled to free school meals don’t go without.
Read our letter to the Secretary of State and share on Twitter.
We’ve gone digital
Teachers and schools will be at the heart of our country's efforts to recover. That’s why we’re more determined than ever to back them.
We’ve rapidly updated all our programmes so we can continue to train and support teachers during this crisis.
Get involved
Join the discussion
We're hosting a series of online panels exploring how schools can rebound from the COVID-19 crisis.
Teach on
We’ve compiled support and resources to help teachers through this challenging time. Access them via our COVID-19 schools resource hub.
Fund the future
The gaps between poor and wealthier pupils are widening drastically due to COVID-19. We urgently need to raise an extra £5 million to fund new programmes. Can you help?
Turn up the pressure
Spread the word to ensure the poorest pupils aren’t shut out. Read our letter to the Secretary of State and share on Twitter.
