Kate Green – 2021 Comments on Children at Heart of National Recovery

The comments made by Kate Green, the Shadow Secretary of State for Education, in the House of Commons on 27 April 2021.

The Conservatives have treated children as an afterthought throughout the pandemic and the news that children’s language and social skills have fallen so far behind ought to be a wake up call.

Government ‘catch-up’ plans fall far short of what is needed for children to recover lost learning, including nothing on wellbeing or social development. In addition, their stealth cut to the pupil premium hinders schools’ ability to put their own plans in place.

Labour want children to be at the heart of our national recovery. Our plans for breakfast clubs would give all children extra time to socialise with friends, and targeted additional learning at the start of the day.