The government’s catch-up scheme to recover learning loss during the coronavirus pandemic is likely to prioritise children who are eligible for pupil premium funding, Tes can reveal.
The Tutors’ Association (TTA), which has been involved in discussions with the Department for Education (DfE) on the draft plans, said pupil premium children will be prioritised, and it expects the government will “focus its money” on delivering tuition in English, maths and science.
John Nichols, vice-president of the TTA, told Tes he understands schools will contract tutors directly and be reimbursed for the costs.
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“Our understanding is that the most likely way this is going to work is that tutors will work through a provider of some kind - a tuition provider of some kind - and that that tuition provider will be contracted directly by schools,” he said.
“And obviously schools will then either be given budgets to specifically do this, or some allowance will be made in that respect.”
He added that the TTA has had “no indication” of the number of children the DfE hopes to reach with the scheme, but “the closest estimate” is that the focus initially could be on pupil premium students.
It is understood the scheme will be made available to both primary and secondary pupils.
