Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Julian Sturdy and Gavin Williamson

Monday 1st March 2021 Commons Chamber

[Jack Brereton (Stoke-on-Trent South) (Con)]

What support his Department is providing to help children catch up on learning lost during the covid-19 outbreak.

[The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson)]

Helping pupils make up learning is vital, which is why the Government have invested £1.7 billion in helping education settings boost pupils’ learning, including additional funding for tutoring, early language support and summer schools. We have appointed an education recovery commissioner to advise on this work.

[Julian Sturdy [V]]

Sadly, the impact of school closures over the past 12 months will be felt for a long time to come, with a gaping educational divide opening up as a result. I therefore very much welcome the Government’s intention to provide a catch-up programme over the summer, but will my right hon. Friend clarify how he proposes to target support to reach students who have fallen behind most over the past year—those who have been really affected by this lockdown?

[Gavin Williamson]

My hon. Friend raises an important point. The spectrum and range of children who are perhaps needing that extra support is broad and wide. That is why it has been so important to give schools the flexibility to target the funding at the children who are most in need of that support, regardless of their background. Showing confidence in teachers to be able to target that support is very important.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Julian Sturdy and Gavin Williamson

Tuesday 5th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[The Secretary of State for Education (Gavin Williamson)]

I am determined to help learning continue in these challenging times. We have committed over £100 million to provide devices and internet access to vulnerable children and published a list of high-quality online educational resources, and we continue to support parents and teachers in supporting children at home.

[Julian Sturdy [V]]

Headteachers in York have told me of their frustration that they will have to wait at least another month until they can provide students with laptops under the Government’s scheme. What assurances can my right hon. Friend give me that support will be available to schools in the meantime to help their most disadvantaged students learn from home?

[Gavin Williamson]

As I am sure my hon. Friend will understand, £100 million for computers and other support for schools is a major investment, and it takes a while for these resources to arrive at schools. We have already notified multi-academy trusts and local authorities of what resources they will be getting, and we continue to work to provide resources, with the BBC providing resources in the homes of children right across the country.