Schools North East News

The government has announced a £1.4 billion ‘recovery’ plan for schools following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding, announced on Wednesday, is primarily to be used to support the existing National Tuition Programme, the development of “local tutoring provision”, and teacher training.  This works out at approx £50 extra per pupil over the next three years.  Following the announcement, Sir Kevan Collins is standing down as Education Recovery Commissioner as the government’s announcement falls a long way short of what he had recommended.

Schools North East Director, Chris Zarraga, appeared on a panel which discussed bold leadership at an event hosted by Big Education in collaboration with Schools North East. The discussion was based around the need for reform within the education sector to build a fairer system for all children.

Following this week’s inquest which saw Boris Johnson’s former special advisor Dominic Cummings give evidence, it became clear that the government as a whole did not have a robust plan in place pre the Covid-19 pandemic.  Coupled with this, the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons published a report on the 26th May providing evidence that the DfE also had no plans in place in the event of a national emergency like the pandemic.

According to TES, solicitors have already had conversations with parents who are in need of legal support as they are worried about the Summer 21 exam grading system being ‘unfair’.