Liberal Democrat Leader is demanding an “emergency Budget for children,” with a
total of £15 billion of funding for catch-up classes.
The Liberal Democrats are warning that parents and children are
being “short-changed,” and that with the “Covid clouds
gathering”, children risk paying the biggest price if
restrictions are introduced again this winter.
It comes after research by the Liberal Democrats reveals teachers
have been off for over 267,000 days due to Covid since the return
of school in September. It means children have lost out on the
equivalent of 1.5 million teaching hours because of the
government's failure to keep the virus in schools under
control.
Separate research by the Education Policy Institute last week
warned that children could lose earnings of up to £46,000 each
over their lifetimes unless the government steps in to provide
more catch-up funding. The current £3 billion being provided is
the equivalent of just 67p of catch up funding for every £100 of
lost earnings children could face over their lives.
The Liberal Democrats are calling for a total of £15 billion of
catch-up funding, in line with the amount recommended by former
Education Recovery Commissioner Sir . The party is proposing that
£5 billion of this should be provided in £200 catch-up vouchers
for every child, or double that amount for disadvantaged pupils,
putting money into the hands of parents to spend on what their
children need most.
Leader of the Liberal Democrats said:
“Children have already been forced to bear the brunt of the
pandemic, losing millions of days of learning. With the Covid
clouds gathering again, we need an emergency children’s budget.
“The paltry funding being offered by the Conservatives for
catch-up schooling is a shadow of what’s needed. The Chancellor
is short-changing children and their parents, and risks creating
a lost generation unless he changes course.
“The Liberal Democrats will stand up for children whose life
chances are being permanently damaged by the actions of this
Conservative government. We are demanding a fair deal for
children and parents through an extra £12 billion of catch up
funding, including £200 vouchers for every child.
“Empowering parents and investing in our children’s future is not
just the right thing to do, it’s the best way to help our economy
recover from the pandemic in the long term.”
ENDS
Notes to Editor
A report by the Education
Policy Institute found children are likely to lose earnings of up
to £46,000 each over their lifetimes unless the Government
intervenes, or a total hit to the economy of up to £463 billion.
The government is currently providing just £3.1 billion of
catch-up funding, or the equivalent of just £310 per pupil. This
is the equivalent of just 67p of catch up funding for every £100
of lost earnings children could face over their lives.
Total absence rate for teachers, school leaders and teaching
assistants due to Coronavirus.
Analysis from the Liberal Democrats show:
-
Total number of days lost since return to school in September
to the end of the month: 267,902 days
-
Total number of hours of lost teaching in school since return
to school in September to the end of the month: 1,507,640
hours
Data taken from Department of Education: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/4ace136f-91c8-4ee0-9fb1-b263a34f2443
Policy details:
Catch-Up Vouchers worth £200 a year would be provided for 3
years, given directly to parents for all 8.3 million children in
state-funded schools.
Double vouchers (worth £400/yr) would be provided to
disadvantaged children (those eligible for the Pupil Premium) and
those with special educational needs.
Triple vouchers (worth £600/yr) would be provided 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.
