Commenting on the findings in the COVID Social Mobility &
Opportunities Study that 80% of 16/17 year-olds feel their
academic progress suffered as a result of the pandemic, Geoff
Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, said:
“This study is a much-needed reminder that the educational impact
of the pandemic is still being felt by young people across the
country.
“The education recovery money provided by the government has been
nowhere near enough to mitigate against the major disruption
experienced over the last two years.
“Children from disadvantaged backgrounds, particularly those
without access to digital devices for online learning or suitable
spaces in which to work, have been severely impacted and it is
likely that there will be further disruption this winter because
of probable spikes in Covid infections.
“The National Tutoring Programme is only partially subsidised by
the government with schools expected to find the reminder of the
money out of strained budgets. Schools and colleges are facing
large inflationary costs without enough funding from the
government to meet these costs. They are likely to have to cut
educational provision in general, never mind running tutoring
programmes.
“It is clear that the government must urgently improve the level
of investment in our schools and colleges.”
