Civitas runs after-school classes and Saturday schools in London, and now the north east of England, providing very low-cost English and maths lessons to children who will benefit from extra educational support, but who do not have access to expensive private tuition. Located in the heart of communities with dedicated teachers, excellent resources, and small class sizes, children’s learning thrives in a Civitas Schools environment.
The ethos of Civitas Schools is that all children deserve a first-class education; that any child can learn with the right support; and that no child who is behind at school needs to remain so. Since the project was established in 2005, we have demonstrated that with dedicated teachers any child who can learn and – given support and encouragement, even for just an hour or two a week – most will excel.
In 2017, 39 per cent of children finishing primary school failed to achieve the government’s expected standards in reading, writing and maths. This potentially leaves many children struggling at this early stage, negatively affecting their later schooling.
We help some of these children who, for a multitude of reasons, have fallen behind at school. We set high expectations of what each child we teach might achieve, helping them develop the habit of learning and endeavouring to remove barriers that inhibit their intellectual development.
Failure to address the needs of children working below expected academic levels for their age disadvantages them from the start. They may struggle not just with future exams, but also with later life choices and we believe an impoverished education limits their access to wider cultural experiences.