Also featuring over 200 teachers, the new 14-week programme covers curriculums for ages 5-14
The BBC opens the doors to its biggest ever education offer, Bitesize Daily, today (Monday 20th April), promising lessons from some of the nation’s most famous faces.
Collaborating with teachers and education specialists, the impressive roster has been compiled in just four weeks and will offer 14 weeks of curriculum based learning for kids across the UK.
Renowned physicist Professor Brian Cox will bring science lessons to life as only he can as he covers topics including the solar system, force and gravity.
Sergio Agüero, Manchester City’s star striker, famed for his precision and skill on the pitch, turns his attention to numbers as he sets about getting kids across the country counting in Spanish. And former MP, Ed Balls continues the number theme as he goes back to his political roots in economics to deliver a KS3 maths class.
Parents! Need an easy way to find the right #HomeSchooling lessons for your child?
1️⃣ Go to @BBCiPlayer 👉 https://t.co/zZOO8l1o53, pick their age group and watch a 20-minute show.
2️⃣ Then go to https://t.co/eemHEmfOUu, select their school year and your lessons will appear! 😃 pic.twitter.com/ab1mpnatV5
— BBC Bitesize (@bbcbitesize) April 20, 2020
Danny Dyer, EastEnders actor and direct descendant of King Edward III, delivers the facts on another historic king - Henry VIII - as he brings history to KS1 pupils, whilst Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker will also be dropping into Bitesize Daily lessons.
Sir David Attenborough, known the world over for his natural history documentaries, will also be involved; helping youngsters to learn about the oceans, mapping the world and why animals look the way they do.
Meanwhile, reading and music come together as Liam Payne, Mabel and a host of musical stars take part in a week long Musical Big Read – an extension to a weekly Book Club that will run throughout the 14-week term and see stars including Anita Rani and Oti Mabuse read books aimed at both primary and secondary aged kids.
Both in front of and behind the camera, over 200 teachers have come together to help the nation’s kids keep learning whilst schools are closed.
Week one will see students meet Mr Burton (Educating Yorkshire), Ms Webb (primary), Mr Brown (secondary), Ms Armit (secondary), Mr Mycock (secondary) and Mr McPartlin of Britain’s Got Talent fame. They will all front daily lessons available from 9am each week day on BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button.
A host of familiar faces are also signed up to keep students motivated and on track with inspirational messages of support and tips on how to stay focused.
The BBC is delivering the biggest education offering in its history to ensure that children across the UK have access to curriculum-supported learning for the summer term. All elements of Bitesize Daily have been developed with teaching professionals.
Alice Webb, director of BBC Children’s & Education, said: “We’re proud that the BBC can bring together so many people to offer such a wide-ranging package of support to help children and parents right across the UK at such a challenging time. We said the BBC would be there for people through this crisis, and we meant it. It’s vital that every child is able to continue learning – and the lessons we’re putting on will make sure they have fun at the same time.”
BBC Bitesize Daily will deliver a tailored day of learning across BBC iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Bitesize website and app, BBC Four and BBC Sounds, with curriculum relevant offers across the UK. Together, this comprehensive package is aimed at minimising disruption to children’s education and providing rhythm and routine in these challenging times.
BBC Bitesize Daily launches on Monday 20th April across BBC iPlayer, Red Button and online at bbc.co.uk/bitesize
The BBC’s education offer
BBC Bitesize Daily
Every day, 6 x 20 min programmes of Bitesize Daily will air on BBC iPlayer and BBC Red Button, targeting six age groups from 5 to 14. Teachers, experts and famous faces will cover what that age group should be learning that day. Each programme will be available on BBC iPlayer as well as having its own regular slot on BBC Red Button aiding routine and daily structure.
From Bitesize Daily, parents and children will be directed online to BBC Bitesize for an age-appropriate ‘daily drop’ of curated videos, quizzes, podcasts and worksheets to bring to life core curriculum subjects such as maths, English and science. Suggestions on how to extend learning around the home will also be offered.
These shows are aimed at all children across the UK and split into age groups 5-7 years, 7-9 years, 9-11 years, 11- 12 years, 12-13 years and 13-14 years.
Bitesize Daily Online
Bitesize Daily Online will deliver a newly-created maths and English lesson every day, for each year group from 1-10. Resources from BBC Bitesize, other parts of the BBC and trusted education providers are being brought together to create these easy-to-follow daily lessons in the core subjects.
Parents and children will also find resources for other subjects such as history, geography and art. The online content will also complement the daily broadcast with video, quizzes, infographics and articles that help children build on the learning from each broadcast. The website will also house guides offering help to parents about how to teach their child, advice for effective home schooling, and guides for pupils with SEN (special education needs).
On social media, parents will be able to access further advice about teaching via BBC Bitesize Facebook and Twitter, which will be updated regularly with helpful guides.
BBC iPlayer BBC iPlayer will serve up specially curated content to showcase the very best curriculum-related videos and programmes. Organised by year group and subject, it will be easy for children to find and navigate further support for their learning.
BBC Sounds
Two brand new daily education podcasts will be available on BBC Sounds, aimed at parents of primary and secondary pupils. Each episode lasts around ten minutes and will be a guide to help families who are home schooling find content on the BBC that supports their education and wellbeing. Both podcasts - BBC Bitesize Primary Planner and BBC Bitesize Secondary Planner - will be available on voice devices too.
BBC Four
BBC Four is devoting a block of programming each weekday evening to shows that support GCSE and A-Level curriculums, bringing back premium factual programmes presented by some of Britain’s most authoritative voices on science and history.
For students studying science, programmes of interest include Pain, Pus & Poison; Chemistry: A Volatile History; Blood & Guts: A History of Surgery; and Shock & Awe: The Story of Electricity. Highlights for history students include Mary Beard’s Meet the Romans; Michael Wood’s Story of England; Andrew Marr’s History of Modern Britain; and Tunes For Tyrants.
These factual programmes are in addition to the previously announced Shakespeare plays, which will see BBC Four broadcast theatre versions of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, The Merchant of Venice, Much Ado about Nothing, Othello and Hamlet.
Other classic drama adaptations on the current exam syllabus that will be shown on BBC TV includes King Lear starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson, directed by Sir Richard Eyre; Russell T Davies’ adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Tess Of The D’Urbevilles starring Gemma Arterton; Pride and Prejudice; Great Expectations starring Gillian Anderson and Ray Winstone; Jane Austen’s Emma and JB Priestley’s An Inspector Calls.
