Disadvantaged pupils targeted in government’s £700m school catch up plans

The plans for supporting schools and nurseries as lockdown restrictions ease include a one off "recovery premium" for primary and secondary schools, which builds on the pupil premium already distributed to schools to support disadvantaged students.

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One-to-one and small group tutoring programmes is another focus of the government's efforts to help schools and colleges recover, with children and young people set to return to face-to-face education from 8 March.

Nurseries have already been supporting children on their premises during lockdown and the government has pledged to support the development of disadvantaged children in early years settings through £18m catch up funding.

The one-off recovery premium is worth £302m. The average primary school will receive around £6,000 extra while the average secondary school around £22,000 more. The government expects schools to use this premium money to boost summer provision, such as additional clubs and activities.

Schools will also be expected to use “evidence based approaches to supporting disadvantaged pupils from September”, according to the Department for Education.

Of the remaining £400m, half will be used to boost tutoring in schools  and language development in early years settings.

The other half is for schools to develop face-to-face summer schools. The government expects these to initially target incoming year 7 pupils.

“When schools re-open and face to face education resumes on 8 March, our next priority will be ensuring no child is left behind as a result of the learning they have lost over the past year,” said Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

“This extensive programme of catch-up funding will equip teachers with the tools and resources they need to support their pupils and give children the opportunities they deserve to learn and fulfil their potential.”

Education secretary Gavin Williamson added: “Our package of measures will deliver vital support to the children and young people who need it most, making sure everyone has the same opportunity to fulfil their potential no matter their background.”

Gathering the views of teachers, educational charities, schools and colleges around the plans is the remit of Education Recovery Commissioner Sir Kevan Collins.

“This is just the beginning and I’ll be engaging with the sector, educational charities as well as families, to ensure this support is delivered in a way that works for both young people and the sector and to understand what more is needed to help recover students’ lost learning over the course of this parliament,” said Collins.

The plan’s focus on tutoring has been welcomed by Professor Becky Francis, chief executive of the Education Endowment Foundation.

“School closures, as a result of the pandemic, have had a devastating impact on the poorest children and the youngest in society, said Francis.

“The evidence shows how tutoring can play a significant part in the education recovery, so it is great the government has committed to funding tutoring.”

However, the Education Policy Institute (EPI)’s chief executive Natalie Perera said that the money pledged “is not enough to support pupils to catch up on their learning and to provide wellbeing activities for pupils of all ages”.

She added: “The new Recovery Premium is a step in the right direction, but £6,000 for the average primary school and £22,000 for the average secondary is much too modest to make a serious difference.”

“The Prime Minister has acknowledged that a much more ambitious and long-term education recovery plan is needed. When this emerges, it must be bold enough to tackle the scale of lost learning."

Our comments on today's pupil catch up package: https://t.co/NjPQDOeCKf

— Education Policy Institute (@EduPolicyInst) February 24, 2021

Earlier this month the EPI raised concerns about insufficient support in the education catch-up plans for all four UK nations for pupils, particularly those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

National Education Union joint general secretary Mary Bousted said that the £200m investing in tutoring “won’t be anywhere near big enough to meet the learning and social needs” of children.

She added that the union and the Sutton Trust have recommended that £750m is needed to shore up the pupil premium, more than double the amount pledged by ministers in their recovery plan.

“This will not get support to all of the 1.3 million students eligible for free school meals,” she said.

“The number of children and families in poverty is also rising, so more students will need immediate support via schools and colleges. This challenge is too significant to be met with half measures.”

Responding to the announcement for funding for early years providers, Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of National Day Nurseries Association, said: “We are extremely concerned about children’s early development and this must be addressed before we have a major crisis on our hands.

“Throughout this pandemic, we have seen low attendance in early years settings particularly the most vulnerable children. The majority of providers have been open throughout the pandemic and know there are much wider challenges for providers, practitioners and families including language development.

“A mere £18 million for children under five out of a pot of £300 million is just a drop in the ocean. It is not clear if any of this investment is intended for private, voluntary and independent settings to be able to support children and families who desperately need continued support with the emotional and physical development of their children.

“The early years sector was not consulted on this recovery fund but we could have given a clear direction as to what the priorities are for very young children and their families.”