EPI calls for a "catch up plan" for when schools re-open

The Education Policy Institute has released a paper calling on the government to set out a school “Catch Up Plan” to provide targeted pupil support when the schools re-open.

One of its recommendations is that the pupil premium is doubled for one year to provide schools with more resources for catch up classes and small group tuition for those disadvantaged pupils making transitions into primary and secondary education, and those taking their GCSEs.

Doubling Pupil Premium funding for one year, from September 2020, for pupils entering Year 1, Year 7 and Year 11, would cost  around £500m, the EPI says.

EPI also recommends doubling the disadvantage funding made available for students set to enter Year 13, who will be taking their A Levels and other Level 2 qualifications. This would cost around £242m.

The EPI also suggests the Early Years Pupil Premium is doubled for one year (costing £31m), as well as the Looked After Premium for children in care (£263m), and permanently extending the Looked After Premium to those on the Child Protection Register (245m).

They also call for Ofsted inspections of schools to be suspended until at least January 2021, to allow schools to focus this year on the challenges of re-starting education while maintaining social distancing.

Issuing new guidance to schools to prevent a significant increase in exclusions and “off-rolling” of pupils, as schools return. The return of pupils during this period of disruption may bring fresh behavioural challenges. Exclusions and off rolling particularly impact disadvantaged and vulnerable learners.

Reviewing the current plans for national examinations in 2020 and 2021 to avoid the risk of adverse impacts on disadvantaged and vulnerable groups, including those with special educational needs and from certain ethnic backgrounds.

See the full recommendations here.