Covid-19 Pupils Receiving Free School Meals 2021-03-01
2021-03-01
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Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question arises from concerns about the impact of the pandemic on educational outcomes for disadvantaged students who receive free school meals. The MP seeks to understand the government's assessment of this issue.
What recent assessment has been made of the effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the attainment of pupils in receipt of free school meals?
Our education recovery package supports pupils most in need of catch-up support, including pupils receiving free school meals. We have commissioned a study to assess the progress of pupils during this academic year, including groups such as pupils receiving free school meals. Initial findings from the study of 400,000 reading and maths assessments were published last week.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Direct Answer
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Context
The MP follows up by questioning the government's commitment and specificity regarding support for students who have been severely impacted by school closures, especially those receiving free school meals. He refers to previous statements about not being timid in responses but finds recent answers vague.
May I wish you and the House a happy Saint David's day, Mr Speaker? The Secretary of State has said that no child's prospects should be blighted by the pandemic and that he would not be timid in his responses, but earlier he sounded vague when he was asked for specifics. What specific interventions are being planned by Ministers to target those poor pupils for whom the pandemic has been an extinction level event for their education?
Last year, we committed £1 billion to help all students catch up on their lost education, including a £350 million national tutoring programme for the most disadvantaged and most in need. Last month, the Prime Minister announced a further £300 million of catch-up funding, and last week we increased it by a further £400 million. That is £1.7 billion in total committed to ensuring that no pupil will suffer long-term damage to their prospects as a result of the pandemic.
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Response accuracy