Wednesday
Longer school day ‘not part’ of DfE’s catch-up plan
Lengthening the school day is not part of the government’s plan to help pupils catch up on lost learning, says education secretary
Williamson ‘struggles to pinpoint’ catch-up cash reach
Education secretary expects ‘considerable expansion’ to 120,000 helped by tutors, but fails to say how many will benefit
More school time may have cut learning loss by half
DfE report shows pupils returning to school last June had less reading loss than those who continued learning remotely
‘Catch-up plans must put people ahead of systems’
Catch-up isn’t a short-term fix – we need a three- to five-year plan that is led by schools, says Russell Hobby
Tuesday
North-south divide in National Tutoring take-up
Northern areas less likely to sign up for the government’s catch-up tutoring scheme, a DfE official has revealed
School return plan ‘a gamble against scientific advice’
Union says classroom ventilation and personal protective equipment for staff need to be addressed as part of 8 March full reopenings
Monday
Opening schools ‘may increase spread of Covid by 50%’
Leading scientists supported ‘phased reopening’ of schools, minutes reveal – in contrast to full reopening plan announced today
Swinney: Mass 8 March return not possible in Scotland
England plans full 8 March return but this could not be ‘clinically authorised’ in Scotland, says John Swinney
