£10m for maths and literacy catch-up in disadvantaged areas

Over £10 million of funding will go to programmes identified by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to help disadvantaged pupils catch up, as part of the government’s Accelerator Fund.

The fund, originally announced in February and worth a total of £22m, aims to ensure pupils have the best chance of catching up following the pandemic. Just under half (£10m) of this funding has already been used to focus on English and Maths catch-up sessions.

The other half will prioritise three regions that have experienced significant learning loss according to research commissioned by the department - the North of England, East Midlands & Humber, and West Midlands.

Schools Minister Robin Walker said: "Strong maths and literacy skills are fundamental in unlocking young people’s futures, setting them up for later stages of education, training and the world of work.

"This work with the EEF will provide focused support to those most in need, complementing our already ambitious recovery programme including high quality tutoring and world class teacher training, helping to ensure no child is left behind from the pandemic."

Professor Becky Francis, Chief Executive of the Education Endowment Foundation, said: "We know teachers and school leaders are keen to engage with evidence and implement practices that are supported by the wider research base for the benefit of their pupils.

"This is a hugely exciting opportunity for us build on the foundations we have laid together, and further ingrain evidence use in English classrooms.

"In the long-term this initiative will broaden schools’ access to programmes with the potential to make a real, positive difference to pupils’ attainment."

The EEF will support a number of programmes for schools in these three regions, particularly those showing the most promise in increasing student attainment. The EEF will also ensure programmes are ready to be accessible at a larger scale, whilst maintaining their high quality and impact.