Covid-19: Impact on Attendance in Education Settings Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Covid-19: Impact on Attendance in Education Settings

Neil Hudson Excerpts
Wednesday 30th June 2021

(2 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
- Parliament Live - Hansard - - - Excerpts

The investment that we made in IT equipment is there to help pupils. Although those laptops are the property of the schools, we very much want the schools to prioritise using them to help children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds. I will certainly take up the hon. Gentleman’s point and look in more detail at whether we can give more guidance and a stronger steer to schools to really emphasise that point.

Neil Hudson Portrait Dr Neil Hudson (Penrith and The Border) (Con) [V]
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We all know that the pandemic has caused many young people to miss out on vital learning experiences and I welcome the Government’s recovery strategy to help them catch up. In Cumbria, we have unique outdoor education centres, such as the Blencathra Centre and the Outward Bound centres, that offer life-affirming educational experiences both as day and residential activities, giving young people a chance to benefit from some of the vital opportunities they have missed out on. Does my right hon. Friend agree that these centres can be a key part of the solution, and will he look into his Department directly supporting and utilising these assets to achieve the educational recovery?

Gavin Williamson Portrait Gavin Williamson
- Parliament Live - Hansard - - - Excerpts

As part of step 3 of the road map, we lifted restrictions so that people could do overnight residential. My hon. Friend is absolutely right to highlight the benefits of outdoor education centres and the real value they bring to many young people. We will certainly continue to work with the sector on how we can promote that, especially as schools have more and more freedoms in the future.