£1.4bn COVID education catch-up fund

Today the Government announced a £1.4bn funding package which aims to help young people catch-up with their education through tutoring sessions.

Lisa Capper, Director of Education & Skills at Nacro, said:

“Today’s education catch-up funding is a start in dealing with the huge impact that the pandemic has had on young people across the country – but this must be the beginning, not the finished package. The figure of £1.4bn does not go nearly far enough in providing the support needed for the most disadvantaged and hardest-to-reach learners.

“We must see more focus on closing the clear and significant attainment gap among 16-19-year-olds, an often-overlooked group. It is also vital that no matter where you learn, all 16-19 year olds see the benefit of this funding, including those who learn with charitable and independent providers. These students are often those most in need of support to catch up, and who benefit from the wrap around support these centres provide.”