Responding to new figures showing the proportion of schools participating in the National Tutoring Programme fell from 76% in 2002/23 to 58% this year, Paul Whiteman, general secretary at school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Many schools are facing severe financial pressures, so it is not surprising that fewer schools were able to run the National Tutoring Programme after the last government cut its subsidy.

“While the National Tutoring Programme has not been perfect, it undoubtedly provided many schools with funding which made a real difference to pupils whose learning was harmed by the pandemic.

“What is critical is that with the subsidy for the programme ending entirely from September, the funding attached to the programme is not lost to the system – especially after a decade in which the attainment gap between the most and least disadvantaged children has widened.”