Help with accessing and buying resources for remote education
Information for schools and school buying professionals on sourcing resources to help deliver remote education.
Applies to England
The Department for Education (DfE) has collated a list of resources and initiatives to support schools to plan and deliver remote education. This includes a range of DfE-funded curriculum support as well as a list of DfE-approved frameworks, which schools may find helpful.
Teaching resources
Free online education platforms
You can use the following free online educational resources:
- Oak National Academy provides video lessons for reception up to year 11 to support remote education
- BBC Bitesize provides primary and secondary resources for teachers and pupils
Educational suppliers and publisher directories
Publishers and suppliers can help schools make informed decisions about investing in digital or printed resources to support education. Teachers should also talk to their existing providers to determine what further services might be available. You can read further guidance on buying for schools, including how to save money and make the most of suppliers’ services.
The following suppliers provide a wide range of support and resources:
- British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA) supplier directory ranges from curriculum content and publishing suppliers to equipment and training suppliers
- EdTech Impact helps schools find the best education technology (EdTech) for their needs
- LendED helps schools search for and compare EdTech resources from trusted suppliers
- Publishers Association (PA) represents publishing companies – their publishing directory includes profiles of all their members and associate members
Subject associations
The Council for Subject Associations (CfSA) provides an inventory of each subject association’s offering.
Curriculum support
The following list of subjects highlights the DfE-funded curriculum resources and initiatives which can support remote education.
Primary schools
English
English Hubs offer support (resources and training) to eligible, local schools, including local authority maintained schools, academies and free schools. This is to improve teaching of phonics, early language and reading in reception and year 1.
Secondary schools
Citizenship
The Deliberative Classroom is a project to support teachers to lead knowledge-based discussions and debates with students on topical issues relating to fundamental British values, citizenship and equality.
Modern foreign languages
The National Centre for Excellence for Language Pedagogy (NCELP) works in partnership with university researchers, teacher educators, expert practitioners, and 18 specialist teachers in 9 leading schools across the country. These form language hubs to improve language curriculum design and pedagogy. Support includes professional development tools, teaching resources and workshops.
Science
Isaac Physics is an online platform that offers support and physics problem solving activities to students transitioning from GCSE to sixth-form college, and progressing to university. It also helps to reduce teacher workload.
Institute of Physics provides free, bespoke support for teachers of physics to increase the take-up of A level physics, particularly by girls.
Science Learning Partnerships improve science teaching, including facilitating continuous professional development and providing support for schools to increase the take-up of GCSE triple science.
All key stages
Computing
Teach Computing helps you discover training, resources and guidance to support you in teaching computing with confidence. Computing hubs offer local, tailored support to schools and colleges to improve the teaching of computing and increase participation in computer science.
Maths
Advanced Mathematics Support Programme aims to increase participation and improve teaching in level 3 maths qualifications.
The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics provides materials and guidance to help schools adapt maths teaching for pupils being educated both remotely and in the classroom.
Maths Hubs bring together maths professionals in a collaborative national network of 40 hubs, each led locally by an outstanding school or college, to develop excellent practice.
Music
Music Education Hubs bring together local authorities, schools and art, community or voluntary organisations to make sure all pupils have access to music education.
Relationships, sex, and health education
Support and training materials for schools to help train teachers on relationships, sex, and health education.
Using a framework
A procurement framework is an agreement between suppliers and buying organisations (for example, government departments or local authorities) to supply goods or services without having to run lengthy tendering exercises. These deals are made available to schools.
School buying professionals can use frameworks to save significant time and money as they are pre-awarded contracts with pre-agreed terms and conditions.
You can find quality-assured suppliers of goods and services for your school through the Find a framework service.
Frameworks and suppliers
Recommended frameworks
There are a wide range of DfE-recommended frameworks covering the majority of school spend areas. The following frameworks are particularly useful for supporting the delivery of remote education:
Classroom and library resources
- Library resources includes: books, e-books, journals and periodicals, e-journals, audiobooks, audio summary, library discovery and associated services split into 4 lots with 12 suppliers – curriculum books are also available through this deal
ICT software and hardware
- Education technology is a single route for schools to buy ICT hardware and audio-visual equipment
- Everything ICT is a single route for schools to buy a full range of ICT hardware, software and connectivity solutions
- G-Cloud 12 G-Cloud computing services covering hosting, software and cloud support
- Software licenses and associated services is a solution for buying a range of computer software licences
Find a framework has details of all recommended frameworks and supporting guidance.
Framework providers
DfE-recommended frameworks provide schools with access to lists of quality-assured suppliers which can be used by any school, in any region. Framework providers include:
- Crescent Purchasing Consortium (CPC)
- Crown Commercial Service (CCS)
- Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO)
- Kent County Supplies (KCS)
- North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO)
- Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation (YPO)
There are other framework providers available.
Regional Schools’ Buying Hubs
Schools’ Buying Hubs is an initiative designed to help schools with buying activities. DfE currently funds 2 regional buying hubs offering advice and guidance to school buyers in the south-west and north-west regions: