Five key points Gavin Williamson told the education select committee
Fiona Simpson
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has faced questions from the education select committee on the impact of Covid-19 on the education sector and disadvantaged children.
The cross-party group of MPs quizzed Williamson on topics including when and how schools will reopen, if the closure of schools will widen the attainment gap and issues surrounding early years funding.
Here are five key issues discussed by the committee:
Schools reopening
Williamson said there is not yet a date set on which schools will reopen but announced pupils would return in a “phased manner”.
He told the education select committee the date for opening would depend on scientific advice – but schools would get "as much notice as possible".
The education secretary suggested different year groups could return separately in a bid to maintain social distancing rules.
He added that the reopening of nurseries, childcare settings, colleges and universities were all being discussed as part a single “cross-party” strategy.
Early years funding
Fleur Anderson, Labour MP for Putney, asked Williamson to clarify how many settings could close due to lack of funding to which he replied: “Measures have been put in place to protect early years settings through free funding grants and the furlough scheme”.
“DfE is working closely with the sector to identify key weaknesses,” he added.
However, Williamson dismissed claims of a government "U-turn" on guidance for furlough funding, reiterating official guidance that states settings can only claim furlough funding to cover the percentage of income made up of parent-funded fees.
“You can't get a government grant and additional money for staff,” Williamson said. “We can't be in a situation to pay for two things twice.”
Roll-out of laptops for disadvantaged children
Williamson said the majority 200,000 laptops promised to disadvantaged children, including looked-after children and care leavers, would not be delivered until June with roll-out beginning in late May.
He added that schools had been advised to make decisions on which children would most benefit from the investment.
Pressed on whether children eligible for free school meals would be among those to benefit from the £100m digital package, Williamson said: “If a child is eligible for free school meals but has access to a computer they may not be the best choice.”
Free school meals
Williamson was grilled by MPs about delays in schools being able to access free school meals vouchers with head teachers facing “hours-long” waits to access provider Edenred’s website.
“I readily acknowledge that the level of demand for this has been exceptionally high and we’ve had some big challenges in terms of being able to provide schools with the level of service that we would have really wanted them to see,” said Williamson.
He said there had been a “slow turnaround in terms of people getting the vouchers out” during the first few weeks of the scheme but insisted progress had “increased substantially”.
“We still have some challenges in terms of schools being able to access as rapidly, being able to place those orders, and we’re actually doing a lot more work with Edenred to speed that up,” he added.
Changes to SEND guidance
Williamson suggested emergency changes to services for children with special education needs and disabilities (SEND), including the way SEND tribunals are run, could be made permanent once lockdown measures are lifted.
Asked what “lessons” the DfE would be taking from challenges faced during the pandemic, he said: “By moving them [EHC plans and tribunals] online we’re actually getting through the backlog of tribunal appeals much more rapidly by being online than actually being there in person.”
He also told the committee that although work on the upcoming SEND review was ongoing, it has been “inevitably” delayed due to the pandemic.