The government is about to publish its plans to support educational recovery in schools. 

While we don’t know what the final report will contain, its author, Sir Kevan Collins, has been keen to engage with the profession over these past few months.

There is broad agreement that more needs to be done to support pupils. It is also clear that this will be a long-term effort.

For education professionals, I fear that this means that even more will be expected of them, even though this has been the toughest year anyone has ever known.

During the height of the pandemic, school leaders and their teams worked tirelessly to mitigate the worst effects of lockdown on their pupils. Now that pupils are back in school in person, staff have been busy identifying the additional support that pupils need and putting that in place. 

While the government has continued to deliberate and delay, school staff up and down the country have been determinedly getting on with the crucial task of supporting pupils. In fact, this work never stopped. 

Covid catch-up: Academic attainment is only part of the picture

Schools have been engaged in recovery work almost since lockdown began. It is the government that needs to do the catching up. 

You won’t be surprised to hear that the likely content of the government recovery plan has been one of the most frequently discussed topics in the NAHT branch meetings that I have attended since Sir Kevan was appointed. 

During those meetings, a set of common needs has emerged. Leaders need the full range of children’s needs to be supported - not just the academic. Good attainment is only part of the picture. 

Whatever is asked of schools must be fully funded. And leaders are clear that they can see through the smoke and mirrors of rebadged money, funding announced for the second time and, worst of all, the “Now you see me, now you don’t” antics surrounding pupil premium. 

Put simply, the Treasury has to step up with a funding commitment equal to the challenge. Anything less and the prime minister’s promise that no child will be left behind will ring hollow. 

Along with funding, the profession will need trust, agency and freedom from oppressive and counterproductive measurement and bureaucracy. No one in the profession will shy away from accountability - just make it fair. And then leave recovery work to the experts.  

Finding the capacity in an already overstretched system

Schools need to be able to adapt their plans to suit specific local needs. It would be welcome, for example, for schools to be given flexibility around how they provide tutoring rather than only being able to use centralised schemes.

If, as rumoured, there will be plans to invest in teacher CPD, who will deliver that? How will it work in practice in terms of time and accessibility? 

We have heard a lot about lengthening the school day. If this makes it into the final plan, leaders will want to know where to find the capacity in an already overstretched system. Leaders are, after all, putting in more than a shift as it is. 

While this is by no means an exhaustive list, it provides a framework for us to consider any plans the government comes forward with. 

If the government expects school leaders and their teams to achieve more, they need to make sure their recovery plans are credible.

As mentioned, the plan might include “increased teaching time” for some pupils. It is important that we do not rush to judgement until we see what precisely is being suggested, and I am sure there are many ideas being discussed that will never see the light of day. 

However, the NAHT will call out any overly simple plans to just bolt on more lesson time to the school day as naive.

There are many reasons why this would be the wrong path for the government to follow. These include: a lack of evidence that this would have anything more than a minimal impact on outcomes for pupils; serious concerns about the potential impact on the wellbeing, workload and mental health of both pupils and staff; and myriad logistical and contractual considerations. 

One thing is very clear: there’s too much here for one government to do in one Parliament, or for the government to expect schools to do overnight and without proper support.

The government has been talking big on education recovery. The prime minister promises no child will be left behind. But, with each day that goes by, I fear that the commitment will not equal the rhetoric. I hope my fears are unfounded. 

Schools leaders are ready to match a truly ambitious commitment from government - something that is rooted in evidence, supported with extra investment and communicated with respect.

We will only get this done by working together. I hope the government can catch up with the conclusions the profession has already arrived at.

Paul Whiteman is general secretary of school leaders’ union the NAHT. He tweets as @PaulWhiteman6