About 21st Century
The Company
Our mission is to bring the very best teachers to every student at an
affordable cost through delivery of our innovative teaching app.
​
21st Century Digital Teaching is making significant progress in
re-defining the way students learn in the digital age. Through extensive consultation with stakeholders (our partners, teachers and students), as we have evolved this state-of-the-art platform for learning, the level of interest has been very high as we journey through this topical venture; the key stakeholders are as follows:
Our Stakeholders
1. Students
Students are in dire need of regular and high-quality maths education which is a key element in the GCSE syllabus, students are continually faced with teacher shortages, lack of one-to-one teaching and regular tuition for one of the two key subjects in the GCSE syllabus - Maths. Students need high quality maths tuition in the expanding world of technology, data and the sciences. Successful learning needs to engage with teachers who are not only proficient but also can engage and communicate effectively with pupils. At a time when it seems difficult to focus pupils’ attention for more than 10 minutes at any one time, 21st Century’s technology will introduce the 7/10-minute teaching module as part of its digital video course, utilizing a games format to encourage pupil concentration, curiosity and continued interest.
2. Head Teachers
Head Teachers are mandated to provide excellent teaching but are increasingly being dragged into more administration, class planning and the recruitment of teachers. The recruitment of maths teachers in state schools and in a very difficult environment is challenging as there is a fundamental shortage of teaching capacity. Covid has provided a reason for more teachers to retire; Brexit has also created a fundamental shortage of skills and expertise as numerous teachers have left the country, retired or moved away into other professions.
3. Maths Teachers & Leading Educational Partners
Maths Teachers and our leading educational partners in their quest for a better education for students have developed, with 21st Century, a virtual teaching model to enable schoolteachers and head teachers to deliver a first-class course for the GCSE maths syllabus within a class environment which is segmented into 7-10 minute modules.
21st Century aims to fill in the gaps by supporting schoolteachers and improving the technique of teaching the maths curriculum, allowing students to also learn at their own pace. This unique digital course will be taught by some of the best maths teachers in the UK – selected by the company in partnership with the leading educational partners and databases.
4. Technology partnerships
Our technology partnerships with leading educational developers in South East Asia are critical to the success of the virtual classroom developed by 21st Century. The relationships shorten the development period of the software and the construction of the algorithm as our technology partner has already completed most of the technical and educational requirements previously for their international clients. 21st Century and its partners will work closely to customize their teaching platform to the GCSE syllabus thereby avoiding much of the UK development work and costs previously envisaged.
​
21st Century has licensed the basic platform from its technology partner and has paid for the customised software at a negotiated cost. In consideration of the lower cost, 21st Century will partner with them in licensing the course into international markets. Additionally, the completed platform will also be suitable for the physics course and thereby reduce the overall costs of launching the Physics module later in 2024/5.
5. Executive Management of the 21st Century
The executive team is now focused on delivering the educational technology to market. During the last six months, the company has been able to address and resolve numerous questions from potential investors, parents and teachers. As a result, the Maths course is being continually refined and adapted to suit the students and teachers.
​
In the continual assessment of this venture by the Directors and its advisors, valuable feedback has emerged from personal meetings with teachers and students. Parents have also been involved in providing their constructive comments through their own children’s experiences.
6. History of Education & the
need for transformation
Education formally started in the UK in 1870 and over the years the UK has been empowering education through the industrial revolutions, the latest being the movement into the digital world. Business and human life are in a period of fundamental change and the transformation of teaching must go with it into the 21st Century.
Facts & Figures
From the Educational Policy Institute (March 2020)
-
Pupil numbers in secondary schools in 2019 were the same as in 2007 but teacher numbers fell by 7%.
-
30% of students are failing to achieve the recognised national minimum standards of GCSE grades.
-
A pupil population bulge is hitting secondary schools, with numbers expected to rise by as much as 10% between 2019 and 2023.
-
Teachers are more likely to exit during the first few years of teaching-one in five leave after 2 years while 4 in 10 leave after 5 years.
-
Teacher exit rates are far more severe in shortage subjects such as Maths, Sciences and Languages with 50% leaving after 5 years.
-
A growing proportion of exits from the profession are due to career moves to non-teacher jobs as teacher salaries in maths and sciences are uncompetitive.
Challenges
-
Disadvantaged Schools: teacher vacancies in the prosperous areas are 22% rising to 29% outside London and even 46% in the disadvantaged areas of central London.
-
Sickness of teachers in disadvantaged schools are 50% higher in London than in affluent schools, taking an extra 100 days in sick leave. Problems are particularly pronounced in Maths, Languages and Sciences.
-
Higher pay for graduates in roles outside of teaching particularly for maths and sciences.
-
Average pay is around £1500 lower in disadvantaged schools than in affluent schools, this is entirely explained by the fact that disadvantaged schools employ a much larger share of less experienced teachers. London schools are more successful in securing teachers in shortage subjects.
