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COVID-19 Catch-Up Funding

The DfE has allocated £650 million to be spent on ensuring all students have the chance to catch up and supporting schools to enable them to do so. Whilst headteachers will decide how the money is spent, the Education Endowment Foundation has published guidance on effective interventions to support schools. There is also an allocation of £350 million for a National Tutoring Programme, intended to deliver proven and successful tuition to the most disadvantaged and vulnerable young people.

The DfE has also set out the following Curriculum Expectations, to ensure that all students – particularly disadvantaged, SEND and vulnerable students – are given the catch-up support needed to make substantial progress by the end of the academic year.

• Education is not optional
• All students receive a high-quality education that promotes their development and prepares them for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of later life.
• The curriculum remains broad and ambitious
• All students continue to be taught a wide range of subjects, maintaining their choices for further study and employment.

Supporting our students through the pandemic

We are implementing a comprehensive programme focused on helping all our students tackle the challenges posed by the pandemic and ensuring we prevent longer-lasting damage to their future opportunities and development. Our work falls into three areas, which can also be seen in more detail in documentation below:

• High quality teaching, effective remote learning and professional development for teachers and support staff
• Targeted academic support, including one-to-one and small group tuition for students
• Wider strategies, to support social, emotional and behavioural needs for students, and communication with families

The pandemic has exposed problems that already existed in education – the digital divide, the academic attainment gap and the importance of a stable and secure home learning environment. The challenges over the coming months will continue to be significant, and we will do all we can to provide the best educational opportunities to all students, whatever their background.

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