Foundation supports Catch-Up Academy to help children whose education has been disproportionately affected by Covid-19
The young people that the Aldridge Foundation supports are living in some of the most economically and socially deprived places in the UK. 46% of the children we support are eligible for free school meals.
These inequalities have been brought into even sharper focus these past few months as schools have had to close, classes have continued to be disrupted, isolation and fear have seen an increase in mental illness and families have struggled to provide adequate home learning resources.
The Aldridge Foundation responded to the Covid-19 crisis earlier this year by providing emergency funds to help the young people we support and their families with their most immediate needs – mental health support, internet access and laptops, and food provision.
Our priority now is to support the recovery of these children and young people and, most crucially, to help them catch up on their studies before important exam years. Unless we act now to offer extra support to children who are already playing ‘catchup’, there will be a measurable, negative impact on educational attainment by the most disadvantaged. This impact on these young people’s life prospects could be immense and lasting.
That’s why we are supporting the launch of the Catch-Up Academy – a virtual tutoring programme for children whose education has been disproportionately affected by Covid-19. The academy will offer weekly, tailored, high-quality tuition for around 300 pupils starting in January 2021 and lasting right up until exams in June.
But we don’t think that goes far enough. We need to urgently support at least 1,000 pupils this year alone if we are to have a chance of reaching every young person who needs our help in the communities we support. To do this, we need your help to raise £250,000 to extend the virtual academy.
Every £50,000 we raise will help us to support around another 100 young people. If you are in a position to support us please donate what you can via the Donate link below. Every donation is greatly appreciated and will help us to support more disadvantaged children.
At the Aldridge Foundation, we believe that where you come from should not dictate where you are going. We want to give disadvantaged young people enriching experiences and support that will help level the playing field when it comes to confidence, life skills and opportunities. Helping them realise their potential at school and beyond.