division_name: Investing in Children and Young People
motion: <p class="indent" pid="c959.2/2" pwmotiontext="yes">That this House regrets the resignation of the education recovery commissioner, Sir Kevan Collins, over the Government&#8217;s inadequate proposals to support children after the coronavirus pandemic; agrees with Sir Kevan&#8217;s assessment that the current half-hearted approach risks failing hundreds of thousands of young people; and therefore calls on the Government to bring forward a more ambitious plan before the onset of the school summer holiday which includes an uplift to the pupil premium and increased investment in targeted support, makes additional funding available to schools for extracurricular clubs and activities to boost children&#8217;s wellbeing, and provides free school meals to all eligible children throughout the summer holiday.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c967.2/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;there is going to be more coming down the track, but don&#8217;t forget this is a huge amount that we are spending.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c967.4/10" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;I do not believe it is credible that a successful recovery can be achieved with a programme of support of this size.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c969.0/8" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;there is a body of evidence that can be collected that shows that extra time in the classroom can deliver real benefits for pupils. It is about getting the combination right.&#8221;&#8212;[Official Report, <phrase class="date" code="2021-06-07">7 June</phrase> 2021; Vol. 696, c. 691.]</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c977.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;What is it&#8230;where we think &#8216;doing maths&#8217; is some kind of massive strain on our brains?!&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c982.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Those that are living in poverty and at disadvantage are much less likely to achieve academically at various points we measure&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c982.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;There used to be a policy team, there used to be a policy around poverty. That was then able to look at how the impact of national policies needed to drive not only alleviation of poverty but a reduction of poverty.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c982.0/8" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;sizeable population&#8230;of families who have no recourse to public funds who have really struggled through this period.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c982.0/11" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;that next level of families up that are struggling&#8212;the ones who have low-paid jobs, so they don&#8217;t necessarily qualify for the free school meals&#8221;,</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c983.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;teachers should not be teaching a full timetable, or routinely marking work&#8221;,</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c984.0/2" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;A defining impact of the pandemic has been on children&#8217;s mental health.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c984.0/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;There wasn&#8217;t anything until things got so dire that it was the crisis team.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c991.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;the greatest peacetime threat to education in living memory&#8221;.</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c1003.0/3" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;supporting babies, children and young people to recover from the impact of the pandemic is still not a priority for Government investment.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c1006.0/4" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;Maintained nursery schools need long-term certainty about funding if they are to continue to provide vital services to disadvantaged communities during the pandemic and beyond.&#8221;</p>
  
  <p class="indent" pid="c1012.1/5" pwmotiontext="yes">&#8220;There&#8217;s going to be more coming down the track, but don&#8217;t forget this is a huge amount we are spending.&#8221;</p>