Education Recovery

Baroness Prashar Excerpts

Tuesday 8th June 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Berridge (Con)]

We will have to beg to differ on international comparisons; I believe I have comprehensively explained our view of those comparisons. As I said, there will be a review of the extension to the school day. In the forthcoming spending review, we will look at the ongoing need for recovery during this Parliament. We have been clear that recovery is for the length of this Parliament, and this will not be the last word on recovery, I am sure.

I turn to provision for 16 to 19 year-olds. Some 75% of colleges are reporting that their students are between one and five months behind. The tuition fund has been bolstered by a further £222 million, in addition to increased revenue funding, bringing the total over those three years to £324 million to enable these students to catch up. We have also made clear that, where appropriate, students in year 13 or the equivalent can repeat the school year, but that is up to school leaders to fund. Importantly, there has been an additional £8 million for vulnerable students who are transitioning to 16 to 19 from alternative provision, to make sure that they get to the right post-16 destination. We had very strong feedback from stakeholders that the first tranche of transition money was useful in being able to secure the correct 16 to 19 provision for those vulnerable young people.

[Baroness Prashar (CB) [V]]

Can the Minister assure the House that early years recovery will be a specific focus and that the amount of pupil premium will be increased in the early years sector to reflect more accurately the influence on children’s lives during this critical stage? Furthermore, will the focus on learning through play, communication skills, literacy and numeracy, and the retention and professional development of early years teachers, be prioritised? Does the Minister also agree that early learning and valuing early education teachers is a much needed, necessary long-term investment and should not be seen as a short-term catch-up?

[Baroness Berridge]

The noble Baroness is correct. There is evidence of loss, particularly for reception and year 1 and in the early years before that. Within the teaching section of this education recovery package, there is £153 million of funding to provide the opportunity of professional development for early years practitioners. That is investment in the workforce. Previously, in the first recovery tranche, £18 million was invested in initiatives such as the Nuffield Early Language Intervention, colloquially known as NELI. We have seen other initiatives, including considerable use of Hungry Little Minds, the department’s campaign to help raise communication skills in that part of our population. There is also BBC Bitesize and other facilities for the early years. Those early years pupils in reception classes within the school system have been part of the main recovery package.