Commenting on a new report by the Education Policy Institute (EPI) released today (Tuesday 20 April 2021) showing that a funding package of £10-15 billion is needed from government to meet their education recovery pledge, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“We need to be honest and recognise that recovery is not going to be a quick or easy job. Children are returning to school needing not just academic help, but a wide range of pastoral, mental health and wellbeing support too.

“Unfortunately a simple return to ‘normal’ isn’t going to solve things. It will take a considerable long-term investment of time, money, energy and resources, which the government must recognise and provide.

“High-quality of teaching is the most important driver of educational progress, and the best contribution the government could make is to value and invest in the teaching profession.

“And while education recovery can and must be led by education experts, the impact of Covid on children and families reaches far beyond the school gates, throughout the communities that schools serve.

“Poverty and disadvantage, poor wellbeing, SEND, discrimination and inequality are the fundamental issues harming children. These must be addressed by government if we are to make a real difference in the future.

“This will require the support of well-integrated and well-funded services across the whole of a child’s life. Sadly, these services have been seriously damaged by more than a decade of austerity.

“The government must commit to a school funding package that matches their education recovery pledge in ambition. But schools cannot pick up the pieces alone. Government must also invest in all the services needed to support a child’s whole life.

Mr Whiteman called on government to commit to make the required funding available, saying:

"Other countries have signalled heavy investment in young people and the services they require. Here schools have had very little help to defray the costs associated with the pandemic, while technical changes to the way the pupil premium is calculated has resulted in schools losing funding for those pupils that need most support. The nation’s children deserve better.”

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Steven George
NAHT Head of Press and Media
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07970 907730

Rose Tremlett 
Senior Press Officer 
07545 354363

Email : press.office@naht.org.uk