Projects to Fund
Businesses can fund a number of key projects in early years settings and primary schools, such as libraries, playgrounds, extra-curricular activities, transportation, breakfast clubs, and holiday clubs.
School Library
School libraries change lives, empower and educate children, and help with social mobility. With most public libraries closed, school libraries are needed more than ever.
Research by Robert Gordon University on ‘The impact of school libraries on learning’ showed impact on higher exam scores equating to academic attainment, successful learning outcomes, information literacy, and positive attitudes towards learning.
Research by the Great School Libraries campaign found that schools serving poorer areas are twice as likely not to have a designated library space.
Of schools in England with 25 to 49 per cent of pupils on free meals, 19 per cent did not have a library, while 91% of schools with only 9 per cent or less of the pupils on free school meals had a designated library area.
Playgrounds and Equipment
Play is an essential part of every child’s life and is vital for the enjoyment of childhood as well as social, emotional, intellectual and physical development.
Research continues to show that outdoor play makes children healthier, more independent, willing to take on challenge, develop resilience, and improve social skills.
A National School Grounds survey found that 65% of schools believed school ground improvements encouraged learning and 73% found behaviour improved.
•Play areas in disadvantaged early years settings and primary schools are three times as likely to be smaller and poorly equipped than in advantaged areas.
Learning Resources
Adequate and up to date teaching resources helps improve classroom learning, add support, engage students, fosters creativity, collaboration and meaningful learning.
Early years and primary schools in disadvantaged areas are twice as likely to have inadequate learning resources than in advantaged schools.
Extra Curricular Activities
The breadth of extra curricular activities, spanning the musical, artistic, social and sporting domains are widely considered valuable life experiences and a great way for children to develop their character, confidence and vital skills for the future.
Research by the University of Bath found that children who participate in extra-curricular activities gain confidence and build up their social skills which is much sought after by employers. They are also more likely to aspire to go on to higher or further education.
However, opportunities to take part in extra curricular activities are unequal and children from the poorest households are much less likely to take part in any activity.
The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) research ‘An unequal Playing Field’ found children from the poorest families are 3 times less likely to not participate in any extra curricular activities compared to those from wealthier families.
Transportation
The Social Mobility Commission (SMC) research ‘An unequal Playing Field’ found one of the key barriers to children taking up extra curricular activities is access difficulties when the activities are not held on school grounds.
Breakfast Clubs
Research by the Department for Education (DfE) on ‘Evaluation of Breakfast Clubs in Schools with High Levels of Deprivation’ found breakfast clubs helped in reducing hunger, improved concentration, behaviour and punctuality, and had a positive impact on social development and confidence.
he UK government has initiated a National School Breakfast Programme to support children in disadvantaged areas over the next two years, but more is needed.
Holiday Clubs
During school holidays, children in the UK are at greater risk of hunger and food insecurity. The loss of free school meals during the holidays costs a poor family £30-40 per week.
For children in poorer areas, spelling skills decline or stagnate over the summer holidays, taking weeks to make up the learning loss.
Holiday clubs provide food and enriching activities – such as cooking, arts, crafts, and sport, which helps alleviate drops and stagnation in educational performance, combat social isolation, and physical activity.
In this way they can help safeguard social mobility by ensuring all children are prepared for their return to school.
Pre School Playgroup Classes
Research continues to show the vital importance of a sound early years in helping kids develop and improve their metacognitive and self-regulatory abilities, which underpin academic achievement, creativity and problem-solving.
Play is essential for children’s development, building their confidence as they learn to explore, to think about problems, and relate to others.
Research shows that families with decent incomes are more likely to access full time early years education (EYE),such as a nursery or childminder.
Poorer families are unlikely to be able to access experiences (both pre and within EYE) in forms likely to guarantee that their children are made appropriately ‘school ready’.
