There is increased concern that if post-Covid education plans are not implemented and executed as soon as it is safe to do so, the future of our children and their education looks bleak.
“We need an educational route map out of the coronavirus.”
inews have recently published an article which highlights the startling statistics in relation to the widening attainment gap within our students (including before the pandemic):
- 2019 data (Pre-Covid): Disadvantaged pupils in England were 18 months behind their peers by the time they finished their GCSEs.
- September 2020 data: Certain year groups were as much as 22 months behind where they may otherwise have been.
- Currently, almost a fifth of all children leave school without the basic qualifications.
- February/March: 2021 ???
3 main objectives of the educational route map:
- School staff need to be made a priority for vaccinations, after the four most vulnerable groups have been vaccinated. Not only may schools open sooner, but they could remain open.
- We must rocket-boost the welcome £1bn catch-up fund and redouble our efforts with the National Tutoring Programme to have any impact on the increasing attainment gaps.
- The Department for Education and Ofsted should partner with schools to help provide quality remote education for all pupils.
Schools catch-up funding needs a rocket boost and needs to include wrap-around support
An urgent overhaul of the help given to disadvantaged children is required to prevent a “devastating impact for a generation”.
School children will have been set back again during this second lockdown period. But also beyond that, a cohort of children will have had extensive trauma during lockdown.
Anne Longfield, Children’s Commissioner for England warned that the £1 billion catch up funding needs an urgent review, and will need to last much longer, be broader and needs to be boosted in terms of the scale and the funding behind it.
Experts have warned that only a £350m fund for tutoring from this programme is aimed specifically at disadvantaged children.
Anne Longfield also called for a mental health counsellor to be placed in every school, an increase in the number of youth workers and an extension of the troubled families programme, as she warned of the wider health impacts from the pandemic on children.
Whilst teachers are not yet in the position to establish the exact impact the latest lockdown has had on individual learning development, many are acutely aware that when schools do go back to full operation, the need for support will be at its greatest.
If you wish to discuss our Catch-Up Support Services or SEMH Specialist Support with any of our Consultants then please contact your local branch- individual office details can be found here.
Throughout the entire lockdown period, however long that may be, our teams are working hard to ensure that we are there for you when you need us the most.
Our on-call service will also be available from 6am to 10pm Monday to Fridays and we are around to take your urgent calls on a weekend.
