Lost or missed learning refers to aspects of the curriculum that may not have been covered, or covered in the usual depth, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lost or missed learning does not mean that learning is irretrievably gone. It just means that it has not yet taken place.

This strategy outlines how East Sussex College will help learners affected by the pandemic to catch up, fill in any knowledge and skill gaps, and make progress through the curriculum.

Learning loss will affect the following groups:

• New learners progressing from Year 11
• Current learners progressing from one year to the next or one course to another
• Learners who are progressing to employment, an apprenticeship or further/higher education elsewhere.

The extent of lost or missed learning varies as different learners have been affected in different ways. There is evidence to suggest that disadvantaged learners, and learners who have high needs, have been most affected.

Time away from education will have impacted each subject differently. Where subjects are ‘linear’, the omission of early content is likely to have a significant impact on a learners’ ability to learn later content. Where subjects are horizontal, it may be easier to make up lost ground as core concepts can be taught in the context of whichever topic is being studied.

The College will use the 16-19 Tuition Fund to provide targeted small group tuition in English, Maths and other subjects where learning has been disrupted because of the pandemic.

Find out more about how we are supporting our students to catch up on their learning after Covid in our Education Recovery Plan.