Schools urged to ensure disadvantaged children benefit from £200m summer activities plan
Joe Lepper
Wednesday, March 31, 2021
Support for children and young people who have been hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic needs to be the priority for £200m funding for summer school initiatives, according to latest government guidance.
Funding for schools should be spent on initiatives such as supporting pupils’ mental health as well as offering a blend of academic and sporting options.
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The funding was announced in February and in fresh guidance published this week the government has stressed that activities involved should be aimed at those who have experienced the most disruption.
The guidance covers advice on providing academic support, offering mental health and wellbeing advice as well as running sports and other physical activities.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson said the aim of the guidance is to provide “clarity” to councils, parents, carers and schools to plan activities and support this summer. However, the DfE has also stressed that schools will retain “the flexibility to target the funding to whoever they think could benefit most”.
Suggested groups to support include incoming year 7 pupils, to help them tackle the transition between primary and secondary school.
“A two-week summer school can give pupils the opportunity to kick start any education recovery before they start a new school, as well as supporting their wellbeing through sports and activities,” said the DfE.
Williamson added: “I am confident this summer of enrichment and engagement in academic work will be a great success, tailored to local circumstances by their local authorities and also the wonderful heads and teachers who best understand the needs of their students.”
Schools are to be asked to sign up to run summer schools by the end of April and confirm their plans by June.
In addition, the DfE has published further guidance for schools and councils on how to use pupil premium funding for disadvantaged pupils.
From September schools will be asked to show how their pupil premium spending is backed by evidence. Schools will also need to publish an annual pupil premium strategy “to make sure funding is targeted towards the most disadvantaged pupils”, said the DfE.
