Today Liberal Democrat Leader has announced a new flagship Education policy on the
third day of the party's conference - Catch-Up Vouchers.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a £15 billion package of
education catch-up funding, as recommended by the Government’s
former Education Recovery Commissioner, Sir .
As part of this, the party is calling for a £5 billion programme
of Catch-Up Vouchers for every school child, putting the money
directly into parents’ hands to spend on whatever their children
need most: tutoring in reading, writing or maths; music lessons;
swimming classes or other physical education.
This idea of a three-year programme of education Catch-Up
Vouchers would become the world’s biggest ever parent-listening
exercise.
These Catch-Up Vouchers would be doubled and in some cases
tripled, for children in care, for disadvantaged children, and
for those with special educational needs.
Commenting on the new policy ahead of his speech Liberal Democrat
Leader MP said:
“Covid should mark a watershed in how we educate our children and
young people. It is clearer than ever that we need a massive
education catch-up fund. And this catch-up fund - which our
schools desperately need - should also give parents a radical new
role in their children's education.
“If we are to repair and reverse the lost learning our children
have suffered, we need this Government to implement what their
own catch-up expert recommended, to fire up a fresh direction for
education.
“Schools should be free to spend their Covid cash as they see
best, and parents should have a catch-up fund that goes directly
to them in the most radical empowering of parents ever.
“The Liberal Democrats are the party of empowering people, and
supporting parents and children is our top priority in the new
fair deal we offer. We empowered children and schools with the
Pupil Premium, and our Catch-Up Vouchers would empower the most
disadvantaged children now.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Policy details:
Catch-Up Vouchers worth £200 a year for 3 years, given directly
to parents for all 8.3 million children in state-funded schools.
Double vouchers (worth £400/yr) for disadvantaged children (those
eligible for the Pupil Premium) and those with special
educational needs.
Triple vouchers (worth £600/yr) for:
For parents to spend on approved tutors or classes however they
choose – through the school or outside of it. Any vouchers not
spent over the year go to the child’s school for their benefit.
Schools would be encouraged to offer extra catch-up tutoring and
classes, funded through vouchers, and teachers encouraged to
discuss with parents what would most benefit their children.
