ATLP joins together with Oak National Academy to support teachers across the country

NATIONAL ONLINE CLASSROOM TO PROVIDE 180 FREE LESSONS A WEEK 

The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership is supporting a national online classroom and resource hub that will provide a plan of daily lessons and resources to assist teachers, as they continue to support pupils until schools re-open.

Oak National Academy will open its virtual doors on Monday 20^th April, the day term re-starts after the Easter holidays.

Created by a group of primary and secondary school teachers – including those from ATLP secondary schools – in under two weeks, Oak National Academy will provide a sequenced plan of video lessons and curricular resources for teachers to use as they wish, to complement their existing teaching and planning.

A recent poll by Teacher Tapp ​found that almost two-thirds of teachers want a free online curriculum resource hub to aid them and their pupils.

A direct response to the coronavirus situation, Oak will provide over 180 lessons a week, the equivalent of three hours a day for primary school students and four hours a day for secondary. The online classroom has the support of various education organisations including the Sutton Trust, Teach First, the Teaching Schools Council and the Confederation of School Trusts and is being backed by the Department for Education.

Structured and planned online lessons and resources will cover core subjects from maths to art to languages. They’ll be taught by 40 teachers from some of the country’s top-performing groups of schools. The content will extend from mainstream early years reception (ages 4/5) to year 10 (ages 14/15). Over the next few days, we’ll be working with expert teachers to create resources specifically for special educational needs pupils.

Lessons will be an hour long and include a quiz, a video explanation from the teacher and a worksheet. Teachers can choose to signpost their students to all, any or none of these resources. Every lesson will be free to use for any teacher.

Matt Hood, Principal of Oak National Academy, said: 

“Nothing can replace the full experience and opportunities of school. But over the past month teachers have put in a phenomenal amount of work to make education at home the best it can be. If we can, we want to help those teachers. 

“Oak National Academy is a collective response from 40 teachers who want to help their colleagues in these challenging times. They are making online lessons and resources available that teachers can choose to draw on, to support the hard work they’re already doing, so that their pupils get high-quality, structured learning. 

“We hope Oak National Academy will be useful for schools up and down the country, and play a small part in the collective effort to make sure that every child continues to learn.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: 

“To see teachers and schools come together to support each other and families across the country, is remarkable. Oak National Academy will bring the national curriculum to life and play a crucial role – alongside the BBC and, most importantly, schools themselves – in making sure every young person in the country can continue to learn and grow during this challenging time and into the future. 

“This extraordinary initiative builds on what many schools are already providing and is testament to the dedication and commitment of all teachers, heads and the wider sector.” 

Richard Gill, CEO of the ATLP and Chair of the National Teaching Schools Council, said:

The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership is delighted to have been chosen to be part of the National Oak Academy initiative. It is a privilege to be able to use our collective knowledge and experience to support other schools during this time of national crisis. I am proud of how all education professionals have joined together and I am humbled and inspired by their hard work, dedication and care. By joining together and sharing our resources and expertise, we can ensure that all schools will benefit and that children and young people everywhere can access continuous, high quality learning opportunities.”

-ENDS- 

Matt Hood, Principal of Oak National Academy, will be available for pre-recorded interviews on Sunday and live interviews throughout Monday.

Media resources, including an FAQ and sample video lessons can be found here.

NOTES TO EDITORS 

1) The Oak National Academy will launch on Monday 20^th April at:

http://www.thenational.academy

2) The following organisations are all supporting Oak National Academy:

• Ambition Institute
• Ark
• Arthur Terry Learning Partnership
• Charles Dickens Primary School
• Church of England
• Confederation of School Trusts
• Dixons Academies Trust
• Eden Academy Trust
• Future Academies
• Harris Federation
• Inspiration Trust
• Oasis Community Learning
• Outwood Grange Academies
• Reach Academy Feltham
• Star Academies
• The Sutton Trust
• Teach First
• Teaching Schools Council
• United Learning

2 Oak National Academy

3) Matt Hood is the Principal at Oak National Academy. He’s an economics teacher by training and was a founder at Ambition Institute. He is Chair of Governors at Bay Leadership Academy in Morecambe, a Trustee at The Brilliant Club and an independent government adviser