BBC will broadcast primary and secondary school lessons on TV during lockdown

Lessons will be broadcasted by the BBC to help children keep up with their education in lockdown.

As part of the latest lockdown schools have been forced to close leaving many parents concerned about their education. The BBC has now confirmed they will show curriculum-based programmes on TV from Monday, January 11th. 

In the first lockdown last year, the BBC provided lessons via iPlayer, the red button and online but not on regular TV. 

This time around, there will be three hours of primary school programming every weekday on CBBC, plus two hours for secondary school pupils on BBC Two. 

The move comes after concerns were raised for those in low-income families, who may struggle to afford data packages so children can take part in online learning.

BBC Director-General Tim Davie explained education is ‘absolutely vital’, adding: “The BBC is here to play its part and I’m delighted that we have been able to bring this to audiences so swiftly.”

Boris Johnson praised the BBC’s ‘fantastic’ plans, which will feature primary programmes from 9am every day, including BBC Live Lessons and BBC Bitesize Daily, as well as Our School, Celebrity Supply Teacher, Horrible Histories and Operation Ouch.

For secondary students, BBC Two will be showing content that supports the GCSE curriculum such as adaptations of Shakespeare plays alongside science, history and factual titles.

Episodes of Bitesize Daily for both primary and secondary will air every day as well as being available on demand on iPlayer, as well as on the red button. 

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said the BBC ‘has helped the nation through some of the toughest moments of the last century’.