Sheffield children lost average of 53 days of education during pandemic

Current plans will see nearly two million pupils across the country leave secondary education without support to recover lost learning or wellbeing over the next four years, claims Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh.

And as figures also reveal schoolchildren across Sheffield lost an average of 53 days of learning last year, she urged the Government to “dramatically increase support for schoolchildren whose education has been thrown into chaos by the pandemic.”

She said: “Schoolchildren and teachers have done an extraordinary job in challenging times, but these shock figures show the impact of the past eighteen months on face-to-face learning.

“The Conservatives meagre catch-up plan fails to match the scale of this crisis. It risks holding back a generation of kids and putting futures at risk.

“Ministers must dramatically increase their ambition, or our children will suffer.”

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She added: “Labour’s Children’s Recovery Plan would give every child the support to learn, play and develop after this pandemic, delivering them a brighter future.

“It’s time for the Conservatives to get behind Labour’s plan and match our ambition for children’s futures.”

Labour’s recovery plan promises to match children and young people’s ambition and optimism for their own futures.

The £15bn package would give all schools the resources to deliver new activities – from sports and drama to music or book clubs – alongside targeted academic catch-up and small group tutoring for all who need it.

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