Invicta Academy comes to Surrey as almost 1000 lessons booked up in the first 24 hours!
The Kent Academy has been up and running since 27 July and has taught 5948 children in the first week.
TUESDAY 4 AUGUST 2020
Pop-up Invicta Summer Academy offers daily online tutorials in English and Maths delivered by qualified teachers. A weekly ‘aim high’ session, the first of which in Surrey is led by the BBC Young Reporter team running a virtual workshop on how to get your stories heard.
The organisers of the Invicta Summer Academy say they are “bowled over” by the huge response from parents and teachers to their programme of free summer holiday online tutorials in English and Maths.
Lessons begin in Surrey on Monday 10 August and parents can choose as many or as few as they like, with no ongoing obligation. The initiative has gained the backing of Surrey MPs including Michael Gove and the Secretary of State for Education, the Rt Hon Gavin Williamson CBE.
Gavin Williamson says: “Activities which support the education and well-being of children will no doubt be beneficial ahead of their return to school in September. The pop-up online school, Invicta Summer Academy in Kent, is a great example of the community coming together to provide support for local children.
This summer, schools can use their catch-up premium funding, part of our £1billion package, to set up summer schools. The Government’s Holiday Activities and Food programme is also running in 17 local authority areas and holiday clubs are able to open their doors to all children from the end of term.”
The Academy is the brainchild of former academy Governor and Sevenoaks District Councillor Anna Firth, and Folkestone primary school teacher Stephen James. The pair have recruited a team of willing volunteers.
The lessons aim to consolidate the children's learning by reminding them of what they already know so they can rebuild their confidence in their learning and are raring to go in September. It also aims to bring together teachers from the private sector to work alongside teachers from the state sector to upskill their echnical knowledge as education moves forward in these uncertain times.
In Surrey, school governor Emma Ware saw the interest the Kent initiative was creating was inspired by how the Kent community had come together to help their children. Emma contacted Anna and Stephen to see how this could be rolled out for the children of Surrey.
Emma and her team have recruited teachers working in partnership with Surrey schools and will be ready to deliver top quality lessons from August 10th.
Emma Ware says: “The unavoidable lack of education and routine has had a significant impact on the mental health and confidence of many children in Surrey and by providing a timetable of high-quality catch up lessons we can help them rebuild their confidence and get them back on track for September.”
Anna, Stephen and their team are helping spin-off Invicta academies open around the country with further satellites in Oxfordshire, Lancashire and London. It’s now widely recognised that many children will need a helping hand to get ready to restart school in September.
Surrey Heath Conservatives agree: “ Surrey children have missed so much schooling that this initiative will help them to catch up before school begins again in September. We regard this as a very worthwhile project and wish it every success .”
Sporting the motto ‘Veni Didici Vici’ – Latin for ‘We Came, We Learnt, We Conquered’ – the Surrey Academy will provide three weeks of lessons for Key Stages 1 – 4, beginning on Monday 10 August, and finishing on Friday 28 August.
Rt Hon Robert Halfon MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee says: "The people behind this don't just talk about catch up or helping left-behind students, they are doers, both innovative and committed. I congratulate and thank all those involved. The pupils who enrol will be given a chance to climb the education ladder of opportunity, once again."
Cllr Anna Firth explains: “We are all concerned about the effect of the necessary school closures on the education of our children and I feel passionately that we have to come together and offer children an opportunity to get on the front foot for September”.
Stephen James adds: “Teachers and schools have done an amazing job during lockdown, often working extended hours through their holidays and the complete redesign of schools for social distancing has been nothing short of extraordinary. Teachers and school leaders need a break, which is why we’ve set up the Pop Up Summer Academy.”
Weekly “aim high” sessions will be delivered by successful people from the worlds of sport, media, business, and the arts to talk about their personal journeys and inspire children to stick with learning and return to school with confidence. All lessons will run to a timetable through which parents and guardians can sign up their children on the website. “It’s all hands to the pump” says Invicta Academy’s safeguarding lead, Caroline Platt, “we have had so many offers of help from educators keen to give their time to help our local boys and girls get back up to speed before September.”
For more information please visit us at www.invictaacademysurrey.com or to speak to someone from the Pop Up Invicta Academy, please call: Emma Ware on 07779590830 or Anna Firth on 07807 857230 or Stephen James on 07545 862810 or email surrey@invictaacademy.com