He expresses appreciation for increased funding and investments in education infrastructure but raises concerns about inconsistent remote learning practices. He calls for clearer guidelines from Ofsted, questions the lack of analysis on school closures' impact, and highlights the importance of supporting early years and post-16 education sectors. Wakeford also emphasises the role of apprenticeships and the need for a long-term plan to address educational disparities.

We go immediately into a time limit of four minutes.

I echo many of the things that have been said by the hon. Member for Bury South (Christian Wakeford), but the school funding crisis is not new; it has only been exacerbated by covid-19. Urgent action is needed to stop the widening disadvantage gap before it becomes a big gulf. The Government have failed to agree on a comprehensive plan with education stakeholders, and their free school meals scheme remains deeply flawed. Children's access to nutritious food and learning devices is critical; families in Bath report issues with voucher schemes. Councils are concerned about children lacking internet access for online learning. Sixth-form funding inadequacies persist, despite discussions in the previous Parliament.

I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Harlow and my hon. Friend the Member for Bury South on their speeches. The Department for Education aims to raise attainment and narrow gaps between rich and poor, which is acutely important now due to inequalities exacerbated by school closures. Reinstating physical schooling requires building public confidence in the bubble approach, particularly in secondary schools where transport issues are a challenge. I welcome the £1 billion package for catch-up support and additional provisions for children with EHC plans or those in care. Extracurricular activities play vital roles in children’s development; thus, flexibility and maximising opportunities must be prioritised.

Teachers are heroes for their efforts during the pandemic. Headteachers face uncertainty regarding school reopening due to lack of clarity on virus transmission risks among young children. Schools have seen an increase in the gap between those with opportunities and those without, exacerbated by inequalities in access to technology and support at home. Concerns over funding cuts, teacher layoffs, and assessments for GCSE and A-level grades hampering progress for disadvantaged students are raised. More revenue funding is needed for teachers and teaching assistants; special educational needs funding should be provided centrally. Ofsted inspections should not add stress but assist schools in helping struggling children reach their potential.

Commends Ministers for progress in making school funding more transparent through the national funding formula. Expresses concern about children in alternative provision, those with complex special educational needs and disabilities, those in unlawfully run schools, and others who may not receive adequate support. Highlights a significant surplus of funds in English schools and suggests that local forums should ensure these funds reach vulnerable children. Calls for stronger representation of early years, alternative provision, and SEND schools in decision-making processes.

Urges David Simmonds to elaborate on the benefits of early targeted intervention before exclusion. Highlights that such interventions can lead to cost savings and better long-term outcomes for at-risk children.

Acknowledges the importance of early intervention as highlighted by Jonathan Gullis. Discusses the government's plans to distribute catch-up premium funding and other resources more effectively. Stresses the need for a system that supports vulnerable children comprehensively beyond just institutional interests. Advocates for local authorities taking responsibility to ensure vulnerable children receive necessary support, especially regarding special educational needs and disabilities.

Endorses David Simmonds' arguments about supporting the most vulnerable children. Highlights the challenges faced by young people leaving school this year and argues for additional support during a difficult time. Supports the funding boost and catch-up fund to help students recover from missed education due to coronavirus. Advocates for targeted tuition and flexible use of funds, urging schools to bring in external providers and collaborate with local authorities. Emphasises the importance of regular sport and activity for mental and physical health alongside academic support.

Suggests that school buildings could be better utilized by bringing in third sector providers to support educational programmes. Encourages schools to open facilities for wider community use during summer and after-school hours.

Supports the Government’s plans to provide funding boosts to schools, welcoming the £1 billion covid catch-up package. Highlights the importance of supporting teachers and addressing social mobility through investment in disadvantaged children.

Pays tribute to local schools for their efforts during the pandemic, supports the £1 billion catch-up fund. Emphasises the need for targeted investment and equal opportunities for all children regardless of background or location.

Pays tribute to teachers in Wantage and Didcot who worked throughout lockdowns, discusses the educational gap between poor children and non-poor children which has widened due to lockdowns. Welcomes additional funding but criticises unions' stance on school closures and teacher workload. Highlights issues faced by university students and calls for a focus on outcomes and mental health in schools.

Thanks teachers and support staff in Stoke-on-Trent, praises government's improvements to education. Acknowledges £14 billion additional funding over three years for secondary and primary schools, and additional funds for catch-up programmes, school rebuilding, further education and apprenticeships. Highlights the importance of further education and retraining for social mobility and economic recovery.

Emphasises the importance of a good start in life through quality education, praises teachers and staff in Keighley and Ilkley for their dedication during lockdowns. Discusses challenges such as internet access and adult involvement in home learning, supports government's drive to get children back to school.

Highlights the gap in support for 16 to 19-year-olds, discusses per student funding increases and the lack of access to covid catch-up funds. Raises concerns about students moving from secondary schools to colleges with a lot of catching up to do.

The debate highlights the significant challenge facing disadvantaged children due to the covid crisis. The Department for Education has a special responsibility to provide opportunities, especially now with most children out of school since March, potentially widening the attainment gap by up to 75%. Statistics show that only 57% of children eligible for free school meals achieve a good level of school readiness compared to 74% of their peers. The speaker emphasises the correlation between poverty and educational outcomes, noting a rise in child poverty from 3.5 million to 4.2 million over the past decade. She also criticises the government's lack of concrete measures to address these issues, such as vague apprenticeship guarantees and insufficient traineeships. Furthermore, she discusses funding challenges for post-16 education, early years funding gaps, and the impact of the pandemic on nurseries, urging a life course approach to tackle the attainment gap from early years onwards.

I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Member for Harlow, the Committee Chair, and my hon. Friend the Member for Bury South on opening this debate during these unprecedented times. I echo my hon. Friend’s thanks to all teachers and educational staff for their commitment during the crisis, going that extra mile for their communities. When we presented the estimates to the House a year ago, we talked about creating a world-class education system that offers opportunity to everyone, irrespective of their circumstances or where they live. We talked about greater, fairer investment in our education system and our success in raising standards since 2010 that has seen the proportion of pupils in good or outstanding schools increase from 66% in 2010 to 86% in 2019. But we could scarcely have imagined how life would change in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. I share the sense of urgency of my hon. Friend the Member for Bury South in respect of the extraordinary measures that we shall need to recover from the effects of school closure, but I am confident that we are providing the tools and resources for schools to succeed. Let me set out the overall funding picture. In 2020-21, the Department for Education resource budget is around £72 billion—an increase of £3.5 billion since last year. Of that £72 billion, £57.1 billion is for early years and schools; £14.1 billion is primarily for post-16 and skills; and £400 million is for social care, mobility and disadvantage.

On this topic, I have two quick questions as co-chair of the all-party group on sixth-form education. Will 16-to-18 providers be included in the covid catch-up package? Will sixth-form colleges and other colleges be able to access free school meals for their students throughout the summer?

As my hon. Friend will know, sixth-form colleges are not included in the catch-up premium. We are continuing to work with sixth-form colleges and other post-16 institutions to establish the best way to make up the disruption due to covid-19. On free school meals over the summer, we will provide further details for FE colleges in due course. During term time, FE colleges should continue to provide support to students eligible for free school meals. We have secured significant additional resources from the Treasury so that every school will have extra funding to respond to this unique challenge. On 19 June, we announced a £1 billion covid catch-up package to directly tackle the impact of lost teaching time, including £650 million directly to schools over the 2020-21 academic year. The Education Endowment Foundation will provide evidence-based advice on the most effective approaches to helping children catch up, but the discretion lies at school level, with the teachers and headteachers.

Mr Wakeford thanked Members for their contributions, agreeing with the Liberal Democrats on free school meals and Tim Farron on special educational needs and disabilities funding. He emphasised the need to work together to ensure all schools can reopen in September and highlighted the importance of skills training and addressing issues affecting working-class boys. He acknowledged parents' efforts during home learning, noting personal experiences of challenges. He concluded by calling for targeted interventions at early years education as a foundation for lifelong success.