Commons Sense

House of Commons · Westminster Hall

School Closures: Support for Pupils

13 January 2021 · 7 other contributors · 13,670 words

Opened by Matt Western Lab Warwick and Leamington

Responding minister: Nick Gibb

Education

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Matt Western raised concerns about school closures: support for pupils in Westminster Hall. A government minister responded.

Key points

  • Matt Western highlighted the loss of 575 million learning days during the first lockdown.
  • Western cited a Children's Commissioner report showing an average of five lost days per pupil in the autumn term.
  • Western urged the government to provide more laptops and tablets to ensure access to digital learning tools for all students.

Key requests to Government

Western urged the government to provide more laptops and tablets to ensure all students have access to digital learning tools. He also called for immediate funding support for schools facing significant operational costs and stressed the need for better communication from the Department of Education regarding school closures and free school meals during holidays.

How the debate unfolded

MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said.

Opened the debate

Matt Western Lab Warwick and Leamington

Matt Western highlighted the significant educational loss during school closures, estimating that 575 million learning days were lost in the first lockdown. He cited a Children's Commissioner report indicating an average of five lost days per pupil in the autumn term, with some schools reporting up to 10% absenteeism. Western also noted disparities in access to digital devices and internet connectivity among disadvantaged pupils, with up to 9% of children lacking necessary equipment. Additionally, he raised concerns about increased financial pressures on schools due to sanitisation costs and staffing shortages.

Other contributors (7)
  • Esther McVey Con Tatton

    Mrs. McVey highlighted the need for a comprehensive online education system with devices, reliable network coverage, and a secure platform during school closures. She cited a Sutton Trust survey showing only 10% of teachers felt pupils had adequate access to laptops and internet, leading to significant learning loss among disadvantaged students. She urged the Government to work with unions, Ofsted, and local councils to set out standards for an accessible online curriculum, including reinstating the manifesto pledge for gigabit connectivity by 2025.

  • Jim Shannon DUP Strangford

    Called to congratulate Dame Angela Eagle on becoming a dame and urged the provision of stable broadband connections in rural constituencies like Strangford, suggesting alternatives for children without access. Also questioned the nutritional value of food provided through voucher schemes. Mr. Shannon highlighted issues related to broadband internet access in remote rural areas, emphasizing that mobile signal limitations hinder students' ability to participate in online learning effectively.

  • Kate Osborne Lab Jarrow and Gateshead East

    Paid tribute to schools, councils, and parents for supporting pupils during school closures. Highlighted the digital divide in access to reliable devices and internet, citing research showing that 9% of children lack home access to laptops or tablets. Called for guaranteed face-to-face contact time with teachers, increased distribution of allocated devices, cash grants for ICT equipment, and child benefit increases.

  • Seema Malhotra Lab Co-op Feltham and Heston

    Seema Malhotra expressed concerns about the delayed delivery of laptops to schools, citing a headteacher's experience with an 114-laptop order still unfulfilled after assurances of 48-hour delivery. She criticized the government for failing to plan ahead and providing inadequate support during lockdown, highlighting issues such as slow progress on laptop provision, confusion in free school meals supply, and lack of guidance for teachers and parents. Malhotra also emphasized the need for a long-term solution that includes reliable broadband connectivity for every child regardless of household circumstances, stressing the importance of addressing the digital divide to prevent poorer children from falling behind academically. Malhotra intervened to highlight the chaos caused by differing policies regarding BTEC exams in January, with schools within her constituency giving conflicting advice to students.

  • Siobhain McDonagh Lab Mitcham and Morden

    Community organisations like the Dons Local Action Group have supplied more than 1,000 laptops during the lockdown. McDonagh expressed her anger at the Government's remote education provision, proposing three actions: zero-rating websites for free access, offering data to pay-as-you-go users, and providing devices and dongles to children without them. She highlighted that 1.78 million children lack a device and only 40,000 routers have been delivered, emphasizing the injustice of remote education being accessible only to those who can afford it.

  • Tracy Brabin

    The digital divide is real, with only one in ten schools reporting that their pupils have access to technology. Many disadvantaged children rely on schools and libraries for internet access, which are now closed due to lockdowns.

  • Wes Streeting Lab Ilford North

    The Member raised concerns about the impact of school closures on disadvantaged children and the government's failure to provide adequate remote learning resources. He highlighted that around 1.8 million children lack devices for home study, with only 230,000 laptops delivered by the end of June last year against a target. He criticised the Secretary of State for Education's leadership during the pandemic. Asked the Minister to ensure that there is provision for private candidates to be assessed and awarded a grade.

Government Response

Nick Gibb

I congratulate Dame Angela Eagle on her damehood and Matt Western for securing this debate. Education is a national priority, with the Government aiming to keep schools open throughout the pandemic while addressing inequality in education that existed before. Schools remain open for vulnerable children and critical workers' children, and remote education has been mandated by law since October 2020. Over £400 million was invested to support access to remote education, resulting in over 1.3 million laptops and tablets being purchased. The Government introduced a £1 billion catch-up package including a £650 million catch-up premium for schools. Additionally, the £350 million national tutoring programme offers high-quality tuition for disadvantaged pupils. Free school meals have been provided to eligible children during lockdowns, with over £380 million distributed in vouchers. The quality of free school meals is monitored and improved. Schools are encouraged to provide meal options and reimburse costs through a centrally funded scheme. During the current national lockdown, exams at key stages 1 and 2 are cancelled, and GCSEs and A-level exams will be assessed through teacher-assessed grades. Vocational and technical qualifications have separate consultation documents for assessment methods.

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