Reports highlights how DfE support for children’s education in response to COVID-19 can significantly improve 

A report issued from the House of Commons committee of Public Accounts entitled ‘Covid-19: Support for children’s education’ has detailed the discussion held with representatives from the Department of Education and written evidence submitted by a number of educational professionals and professional bodies around the DfE’s plans in response to the pandemic and the current plans for catch-up learning.

The report was critical of the planning both during and after the pandemic and comes up with the following 6 recommendations:

1. The Department should carry out a systematic lessons-learned exercise, to evaluate its response to the pandemic and identify departmental-specific lessons. It should then write to us, setting out its main findings.
2. The Department should work with the Association of Directors of Children’s Services to understand why the number of referrals to children’s social care services remains below expected levels and take action in light of the findings to make sure children are being effectively safeguarded.
3. The Department should work with the Department of Health and Social Care to identify the specific actions needed to help children with SEND recover from the damage caused during the pandemic.
4. Access to IT equipment is vital for pupils, both in normal times and in times of disrupted schooling. The Department should set out a plan for how it will ensure that all vulnerable and disadvantaged children have access to IT equipment to support their learning at home. The plan should make clear the roles of the Department, local authorities and schools, and set out what funding will be available to maintain and replace equipment.
5. Alongside its Treasury Minute response, the Department should write to us, setting out clear metrics that it will use to monitor the catch-up learning programme, and what level of performance would represent success.
6. The Department should set out how it intends to gain assurance on the quantity and quality of tutoring and mentoring provided under the National Tutoring Programme. Its response should cover in particular how it intends to ensure there is adequate tutoring and mentoring provision in areas of the country where educational attainment is lower.

Implementations of these recommendations would undoubtedly enhance support for children and young people. It is hoped that the written responses the committee has requested will outline positive next steps towards this.