Halfon questions Phillipson about her stance on Sir Kevan Collins' proposal for a longer school day, to which Phillipson does not explicitly commit but emphasises the need for funded extracurricular activities and tutoring programmes.

As Members can see, the screens say that there is a three-minute limit, but for Alison McGovern and Robert Halfon the limit will be four minutes. It will then revert to three for the duration of the debate.

[INTERVENTION] Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker.

Asked why the Government does not think Sir Kevan’s recommendations need funding, and inquired about the impact of not taking such actions, despite recognising the importance of confidentiality.

Agreed that schools should remain open for children's well-being and education. Criticised those who called for school closures last year for doing a disservice to the country and its children, suggesting they owe an apology.

I am very pleased to participate in this debate, which is extraordinarily important. I disagree with almost everything the Minister said except for his tribute to teachers and children during the pandemic. I raise three crucial points: sport, employment, and mental health support. The primary PE and sport premium grant uncertainty frustrates me; schools need certainty about funding for sports. Employment rates are higher among young people than adults, and the Government's kickstart job creation is not meeting targets. Mental health issues among children have risen due to the pandemic.

Welcoming the debate on education funding, Robert Halfon acknowledges the £3 billion investment in catch-up funding but criticises the lack of a long-term plan. He highlights that disadvantaged pupils are 18 months behind their peers by GCSE age and proposes reforms to Ofsted's rating system to ensure schools attract poorer children. He also suggests micro-targeting the pupil premium for more effective use.

Angered by the watered-down recommendations and Sir Kevan’s resignation, Barry Sheerman criticises the lack of leadership in the Department for Education. He calls for a national volunteer scheme involving retired teachers and sportspeople to support children's education during the crisis.

Emphasised that levelling up is about education and social mobility of young people. Appreciated the Tutor Trust's efforts and invited the Minister to collaborate for future improvements. Acknowledged the £1 billion committed by the Government towards a national tutoring programme, targeting key subjects for disadvantaged students. Criticised Labour's performance during their last term in office.

Called for an extensive children’s recovery plan including investment in opportunities for play, learn, and develop. Criticised the insufficient Government funding compared to recommendations by Sir Kevan Collins, suggesting a £15 billion investment over three years. Highlighted issues with physical health, mental health support, and sports activities during lockdowns.

Paid tribute to the educational efforts made in her constituency during the pandemic. Emphasised the importance of education due to personal experiences influenced by World War II evacuations. Supported Government actions on tutoring programmes and extended school day, praising their evidence-based approach.

The pandemic has only worsened educational inequalities, with the Government’s catch-up funding falling short at £1.4 billion compared to Sir Kevan Collins's recommendation of £15 billion. The most disadvantaged pupils are set to suffer as a result, particularly in northern constituencies where schools could lose up to £7.26 million from changes in pupil premium funding. Pupils and teachers deserve better support such as breakfast clubs, extracurricular activities, mental health services, manageable class sizes, and ensuring no child goes hungry during the school day.

It is curious that this debate repeats last week’s topic. While I acknowledge teachers’ efforts during the pandemic and support the Government's £3 billion investment in catch-up funding, Labour Members lack detail on their own plan despite claiming to endorse Sir Kevan Collins’s proposal. The Government’s initiatives include additional money for mental health, tutoring, and teacher training, whereas Labour’s proposals are vague about funding sources and evaluation criteria. Furthermore, they demand private correspondence from Ministers which undermines the confidentiality of advice.

The resignation of Sir Kevan Collins highlights the inadequacy of the Government's catch-up plan. More than 200,000 pupils will transition to secondary school this autumn without proper reading skills, a situation worsened by underfunding and lack of support for disadvantaged children. The long-term economic cost is estimated at £100 billion. Stories like that of Abi, who worked hard in challenging conditions to secure entry into Tiffin Girls' School, demonstrate the need for comprehensive support including extended school days, breakfast clubs, tutoring, and bridging the digital divide.

Schools across Darlington have been praised for their efforts during the pandemic. The Government’s £3 billion education catch-up programme aims to support disadvantaged students through high-quality tutoring. Per pupil funding is increasing, with secondary schools receiving an average of £5,726 and primary schools £4,454 by 2022-23. These investments are crucial for educational recovery and long-term benefits in Darlington.

I share my colleagues’ frustration at this Government’s haphazard approach to helping children catch up on their education. Many constituents in Coventry suggest how best we can help those left behind, emphasising the need for tutoring, mental health support, and nutritious meals. The Government's proposed funding is inadequate; it barely covers 10% of what experts say is needed. This will widen the attainment gap and harm social mobility. Ministers must do the right thing: introduce a bold children’s recovery plan that includes extra training for staff, small group tutoring for all who need help, breakfast clubs, sports, after-school activities, fully funded free school meals, and mental health support.

I would like to thank fantastic teachers, support staff, parents, and pupils. I look forward to rallying students across my constituency to pass their message on to the Minister. Labour was silent when the NEU said that teachers should not teach a full timetable or routinely mark. They ignored JCVI’s advice and over £500,000 from its general funds to play party politics. Kevin Courtney and Dr Mary Bousted are a shambles; they should resign. This Government have provided over £14 billion for education recovery.

The north-east has the highest proportion of long-term disadvantaged children, and that needs to be tackled if levelling up is ever to become a reality. The £1.4 billion package amounts to less than 10% of what Sir Kevan Collins, the Government’s education recovery chief who recently resigned, called for. Trust headteachers to tailor funding to their schools' needs. Schools need flexibility to access the funding that works best for them. Funding must recognise the need for mental health support and social enrichment on which many children have missed out. The Government's plan is inadequate; they must change course and invest in our children now.

Coyle lists multiple instances where he claims the Government has let down children, including delayed school closures, U-turns on free school meals, exam grade controversies, underperformance of the kickstart scheme, and cuts to pupil premiums. He criticises the Government for offering a derisory £50 per child compared to other countries' investments in education recovery.

Webb thanks teaching staff across her constituency and reiterates that children's education is the Government’s priority. She highlights various forms of support provided, such as £3 billion in catch-up support, summer schools, mental health funding, food vouchers, and equipment for online learning. Webb criticises Labour for equivocating on whether schools should open and questions the realism of their proposed funding plan.

Smyth pays tribute to school leaders in Bristol South and discusses the importance of education recovery. She criticises the Government for ignoring evidence-based plans and underfunding them, leading to resignation of the education recovery commissioner. Smyth also highlights issues with multi-academy trusts and lack of accountability across south Bristol's educational system.

He argues that the debate should not solely focus on money, highlighting other factors for success. He disputes claims about the UK's death rate being the worst in Europe, presenting statistics showing six European countries with worse rates. He also criticises the motion as it could hinder candid advice by requesting all information and debate behind the scenes to be made public. Hollinrake emphasises that 6 million tuition packages are a significant investment and questions the guaranteed £100 billion payback from a proposed £15 billion investment. He concludes with an example of local schools in North Yorkshire finding solutions without excessive government funding.

Yasin criticises the Government for failing to support children's education during and after the pandemic, stating that despite hiring Sir Kevan Collins to oversee recovery, they did not allocate sufficient funds. He mentions wasted billions on a failed test, trace and isolation programme and highlights that just £50 per pupil was provided annually as catch-up funding. Yasin emphasises the need for significant support beyond what the Government has offered thus far.

Longhi argues against Labour's focus on money, stating it overlooks real outcomes and criticises Labour's inability to finance their grand plans while in power. He highlights his experience as a school governor and supports the Government’s targeted investment to improve school buildings and increase funding for special educational needs. Longhi questions Labour's consistency during the pandemic regarding schools' operation and teachers' roles.

I am grateful to the shadow Treasury and Education teams for bringing this important debate to the House. Undoubtedly, one of the biggest challenges that our nation faces is supporting the millions of children and young adults studying across the country following the devastating impact of the past year, so I am hugely disappointed that once again the Government have ignored the experts and offered less than 10% of what the Government’s own education recovery commissioner, Sir Kevan Collins, called for. Frankly, it is insulting to the teachers, parents, school staff and early years providers who have ensured that children in Slough and beyond could access education throughout one of the most disruptive periods they have ever seen. Without their tenacity, determination and commitment in wanting the very best for future generations, our children would not have received the care, support and education that they needed over the past year. They achieved that all after a decade of Government neglect, which delivered the largest cuts to school funding in 40 years. Just last year, Slough headteachers wrote to me to say that they had 'become increasingly disillusioned by a persistent lack of effective and credible leadership emanating from the Department for Education.' Sadly, with the so-called catch-up plan the DFE has continued that trend, with funding that covers less than £1 per day that children were out of school and a tutoring programme that reaches just 1% of pupils. It seems that the Prime Minister and Chancellor have blocked the much-needed funds that were initially asked for, letting down an entire generation. Do they think that it makes economic sense to not invest in our children? Labour’s fully costed plan would deliver exactly what parents and teachers have been calling for: a well-rounded catch-up plan including mental health support, drama, sports, book clubs, continued development for teachers and an extension of free school meals over the holidays. That provision would be targeted with an education recovery premium to ensure that those who faced the greatest disruption are given additional support.

I have not yet had an opportunity to pay full tribute to the teachers in schools in South Ribble, who did such a stunning job during the pandemic, including inspirational educational leaders such as the guys at the multi-academy Endeavour Learning Trust. In her opening remarks, the shadow Minister questioned the decisions made about massive sums of money, national changes and big-ticket items. Was the idea that such big decisions would be made quickly, with no evidence on what works? Personally, I support the idea of a longer school day, which has huge advantages, but I would not like to see it implemented nationally without evidence of its effectiveness. Without such evidence, Government Members do not support commitments to spending billions. In her opening remarks, the shadow Minister described wanting to ensure that vast sums of money are spent effectively as misguided dogma. No, not really. She asked to see the working-out. Let me step back a little in history to show what Labour’s version of working-out looks like in the education space. As an IT coder, I was part of a programme that resulted in millions of pounds going out the door in fraud. That is not what we are doing here. We all care about children; it is hugely important. The Opposition are proud of 'Education, education, education', but that should not be at any cost, not at unlimited and uncontrolled cost and not producing ineffective outcomes that have not been evaluated.

For many children, especially in my constituency of Easington, home learning has been very difficult. I point out that 36.9% of children in my constituency were classed as living in poverty in 2019-20. The effects of the pandemic have not been felt evenly, with disadvantaged children in the poorest areas hit hardest. Despite existing inequalities and challenges, and our schools in many areas being at breaking point, Ministers seem to have found new ways to cut school funding, and that is something I take the opportunity to highlight. The north-east could lose up to £7 million due to administrative changes to how pupil premium funding is calculated and allocated, with the Government switching from using the January schools census to using the October census. Using the October census date rather than the January date is significant because many children were not at school then, so it was not such a priority for parents to register. In my constituency of Easington, 20 out of 28 primary schools will be affected. The average loss will be about £9,400. When we are talking about the additional sums—I heard the Minister’s opening statement—I believe it is about £6,000 for the average primary school. The average loss will be £9,400 in my constituency, but the worst-affected schools will lose nearly £30,000. The total loss to schools in my constituency is £180,000. It is absolutely reprehensible to remove resources from schools at any time, but to do so after the biggest public health crisis for a generation, when more funding is urgently required, is unconscionable.

Today’s debate cuts to a central issue with this Government. Although there is much talk of levelling up, the reality is that the Chancellor holding the purse strings has no interest in investing in vital public services. The Government’s announcement means just one hour-long session of tutoring every fortnight; funding for this is only £1 per child a week. There is nothing for children’s mental health, wellbeing or socialisation. Importantly, there will be no dedicated support for disabled children. Those are financial decisions with a real human impact. The Disabled Children’s Partnership makes it clear that the difference between current and pre-pandemic levels of support for disabled children is vast: 70% of disabled children have been unable to access services such as occupational therapy or speech and language therapy, and 60% of their families are still experiencing delays and challenges in accessing the health appointments they need. The lack of access to multiple education and health services has been detrimental to the health of parent carers, with their disabled children and wider families also persistently isolated. All that, sadly, now brings the threat of children developing additional long-term health problems. In response to that, the Government have offered nothing. They have offered no funding to help crucial services such as speech and language therapy to step up their delivery to make up for lost time. They have offered no funding to allow unpaid carers to take the respite breaks they need after the extra caring workload they shouldered during the pandemic.

The Government’s proposed recovery plan is woefully inadequate, completely underestimates the scale of the recovery required and provides nothing to boost children’s mental health, wellbeing or social development. Kevan Collins's resignation indicates a 'half-hearted approach' that risks failing hundreds of thousands of pupils. The Labour party’s children’s recovery plan will match young people’s ambition for their own futures, giving schools resources to transform extracurricular and enrichment opportunities available to every child.

Thanking teachers and those involved in supporting children during the pandemic. Criticising the opposition for complaining about support not being sufficient after previously pushing back against reopening schools, highlighting irony in their stance.

Expresses frustration at the lack of investment from the Government despite pupils’ education having been displaced and disrupted during the pandemic. Advocates for a Labour recovery plan prioritising small-group tutoring, extracurricular activities, breakfast clubs and mental health support to match young people’s ambition.

Highlights the Government's role in ensuring schools remained open despite opposition and the provision of laptops for online learning. Stresses the need for targeted recovery efforts focusing on high-quality tutoring and teacher training, with £1 billion allocated to a national tutoring programme.

I argue that the Government must step up and support children in deprived areas. During the pandemic, poorer families lost out on digital learning and school heads struggled with limited resources and guidance. The Chancellor's decision to provide less than £1 a day per child for missed school days is insufficient. Education gaps are widening, affecting children from disadvantaged backgrounds, those with disabilities, refugees, asylum seekers, and black Caribbean boys in particular. I highlight the challenges faced by families living in poverty in my constituency and criticise the Government's refusal to act on their education recovery commissioner’s recommendations.

I pay tribute to all staff who worked hard during the pandemic. The Government's proposal of £50 per pupil for catch-up funding is insufficient and a betrayal of working-class children. Children from disadvantaged backgrounds have suffered most due to lost learning, with expected gaps widening by 10-24%. In Liverpool Riverside, one in three children live in poverty, and black children are more likely to be excluded or fail to gain qualifications. The Government must increase funding to avoid a 'lost generation.' I question the Minister's ability to sleep at night given the cuts to pupil premiums and funding for disadvantaged children.

I praise the Government’s decision to keep schools open despite opposition from Labour. Peterborough schools coped well during the pandemic, but need support in recovery. More money into tutoring, teacher training, and mental health is welcome. I criticise Labour for opposing school reopening and planning to abolish academies, Ofsted, and league tables if elected. Finally, I argue that extending the school day would improve academic attainment, physical fitness, social skills, and be welcomed by parents.

Critiques the Government's £1.4 billion catch-up funding as insufficient and inadequate for addressing educational disparities exacerbated by the pandemic. Emphasises the need for a comprehensive world-class catch-up programme, including small group tutoring, mental health support in schools, breakfast clubs, enrichment activities, continuity development for teachers, and an education recovery premium to ensure all children reach their full potential. Also highlights the failure of current tutoring programmes that only reach 1% of pupils. Calls for extending free school meals over holidays, particularly during summer breaks.

Labour proposed a £15 billion plan for children's recovery. The Government lacks significant action despite the severe impact of the pandemic on educational attainment, particularly in narrowing the attainment gap and addressing regional disparities. Labour criticises the current plans as inadequate, with only 10% of what is needed according to Sir Kevan Collins. There is no provision for disabled children or early years investment, and the national tutoring programme reaches fewer than 2% of children.

Praised Wellfield School in Wingate for its academy proposals.

Spoke of Buxton Primary School and its interest in the environment.