Britain’s biggest teaching union has accused the government of taking “half measures” when it comes to helping disadvantaged pupils to catch up after the disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The government has today announced a package worth £705 million, including £300 million announced by the prime minister last month, which includes summer schools and a “recovery premium” for all schools, as well as tutoring and early language support.

The “recovery premium”, worth £302 million, is aimed at boosting the pupil premium and will amount to around £6,000 for every primary school and £22,000 for every secondary school.

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But the NEU teaching union said this will not provide support to all of the 1.3 million students eligible for free school meals.

Joint general secretary Mary Bousted said: “The NEU and the Sutton Trust have recommended to government that £750 million is needed as the first immediate boost to pupil premium. Instead, £302 million has been announced. 

“The number of children and families in poverty is rising, so more students will need immediate support via schools and colleges. This challenge is too significant to be met with half measures.”

Covid catch-up: More funding ‘needed’

The government also said today that £203 million from the existing £1.3 billion catch-up fund already announced would pay for the National Tutoring Programme to be extended.

But Dr Bousted said: “This won’t be anywhere near big enough to meet the learning and social needs the government has identified, which have been created by Covid disruption.”

She added: “Additional investment is going to be absolutely crucial if we’re going to help schools and colleges plan and arrange enough one-to-one support and small group work, during this academic year and the next. Learning is going to need to be adapted by staff in all sorts of ways so that young people consolidate learning which has been missed, regain their motivation and succeed in their next stage.” 

Education secretary Gavin Williamson acknowledged today that longer-term support would be “vital” to ensure that children make up for lost learning

And newly appointed catch-up tsar Sir Kevan Collins said this was “just the beginning” of measures to be announced.