Commenting after today’s (June 9) House of Commons Opposition Day debate on investing in children and young people, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the school leaders’ union, NAHT, said:

“It is hard to overstate the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on school communities. However, school leaders and their teams have worked constantly over the past year and a half to keep children fed and safe, effectively reimagining the very concept of ‘school’.

“A truly ambitious educational recovery plan for this country will require a significant, multi-year investment that at least matches the scale of investment already seen in other parts of the world on a per-pupil basis. Crucially, any funding must be in addition to the designated schools grant. Recovery funding should not be used to mask or offset inadequacies in the funding schools currently receive.

“What we have seen from the government so far is well below par, in terms of its speed of response, the scope of its ambition and the depth of its pockets. Education recovery cannot be done on the cheap, but as things stand, that is exactly what the government is proposing.

“NAHT’s Recovery Blueprint offers seven key steps that the government should take to make sure that education emerges from the pandemic stronger and fairer than it went in. We strongly urge the government to take on board our recommendations.”

 

Press and Media contacts:

Steven George
NAHT Head of Press and Media
01444 472886
07970 907730

Rose Tremlett 
Senior Press Officer 
07545 354363

Email : press.office@naht.org.uk