Fifty-Fifth Report - Education recovery in schools in England

The government accepts the recommendation to develop a better understanding of why disadvantaged pupils have higher absence rates, committing to build on existing analysis by July 2024. However, it disagrees with the need for *new* targeted action, stating that comprehensive measures and existing programmes (like HAF and Pupil Premium) already address this.

The government accepts the recommendation to increase participation in the National Tutoring Programme, stating it has simplified the programme, increased the subsidy rate to 50% for 2023-24, and will use administrative data and ongoing evaluation to understand barriers by August 2024.

The government agrees with Recommendation 4, committing to monitor tutoring volumes via school census and year-end statements, develop interventions for significant drops, and has already increased the 2023-24 subsidy rate from 25% to 50% to improve programme deliverability.

The government response provided addresses a different set of recommendations from the Public Accounts Committee concerning investment, and therefore does not engage with the substance of the recommendation regarding education attainment targets.

The government acknowledges that the Committee took evidence from the Department for Education about education recovery in schools based on a report by the National Audit Office.

The government rejects the implied recommendation, stating that narrowing the disadvantage gap is central to all existing departmental programmes rather than requiring a separate plan. It highlights ongoing £5 billion recovery programmes, the Schools White Paper, and a commitment to continue reviewing progress.

The government rejects the implied recommendation, stating that narrowing the disadvantage gap is central to all existing departmental programmes rather than requiring a separate plan. It highlights ongoing £5 billion recovery programmes, the Schools White Paper, and a commitment to continue reviewing progress.

The government disagrees with the committee's conclusion (which they perceived as a recommendation) about the Department's hopes for narrowing the disadvantage gap, reaffirming its commitment to doing so as quickly as possible through current programmes.

The government disagrees with the committee's implied challenge to reduce the disadvantage gap faster, stating its commitment to narrowing the gap as quickly as possible through existing programmes and the Schools White Paper, rather than a separate plan.

While the committee's item is a conclusion on the high rates of pupil absence, especially among disadvantaged pupils, the government's response commits to developing a better understanding of absence rates among disadvantaged pupils by July 2024. It also states existing comprehensive measures and targeted programmes are already in place for reducing absence.

While the committee's item is a conclusion on the drivers and patterns of pupil absence, the government's response commits to developing a better understanding of absence rates among disadvantaged pupils by July 2024. It also states existing comprehensive measures and targeted programmes are already in place for reducing absence.

While the committee's item is a conclusion on the Department's plans for pupil absences, the government's response commits to developing a better understanding of absence rates among disadvantaged pupils by July 2024. It also states existing comprehensive measures and targeted programmes are already in place for reducing absence.

While the committee's item is a conclusion on existing attendance efforts, the government's response commits to developing a better understanding of absence rates among disadvantaged pupils by July 2024. It also states existing comprehensive measures and targeted programmes are already in place for reducing absence.

The government agrees with the committee's observation on the importance of data, committing to build on existing absence analysis and use available data during 2023-24 to better understand absence rates among disadvantaged pupils.

The government commits £2.6 billion to the SEND and AP improvement plan and £2.9 billion in pupil premium funding, stating it is taking the plan forward, but does not address the committee's concerns about the delays in plan publication or the extended national implementation timeframe.

The government outlines its commitment to investing in the SEND and AP improvement plan and pupil premium funding, confirming it is taking the plan forward, but does not address the committee's concerns regarding the slow timeline for developing new national standards.

The government agrees with the committee's observation of the National Tutoring Programme's performance, committing to simplify the programme by providing direct funding to schools and increasing the subsidy rate for 2023-24 to 50% to improve deliverability and understanding barriers to participation.

The government has simplified the National Tutoring Programme, provided funding directly to schools, and increased the subsidy rate for 2023-24 to 50% to reduce barriers to participation. It is also using administrative data and evaluation to understand why some schools do not engage.

The government has simplified the National Tutoring Programme, provided funding directly to schools, and increased the subsidy rate for 2023-24 to 50% to reduce barriers to participation. It is also using administrative data and evaluation to understand why some schools do not engage.

The government agrees to apply lessons learned from the National Tutoring Programme by August 2024, detailing plans to simplify the program, provide direct funding to schools, use data to understand barriers, and increase the subsidy rate for 2023-24.

The government agrees with the committee's observation regarding funding and subsidy reduction, committing to monitor tutoring volumes and ensure tutoring is embedded across schools in England from 2024 as a staple offer, with further details to follow.

The government agrees with the committee's conclusion about schools struggling to fund tutoring due to subsidy reductions, and has responded by increasing the 2023-24 subsidy rate from 25% to 50% to make the programme more deliverable for schools, alongside ongoing monitoring of tutoring volumes.

The government has set the National Tutoring Programme subsidy rate for 2023-24 at 50% to make it more deliverable for schools, allowing them to meet costs with less of their own money. It also continues to monitor tutoring volumes and is developing further interventions.

The government agrees with the committee's conclusion that monitoring tutoring levels and intervening if necessary is important. It confirms ongoing monitoring and is developing interventions, having already increased the 2023-24 tutoring subsidy rate from 25% to 50% to make the program more deliverable.

The government agrees with the committee's conclusion regarding a sustainable tuition market, committing to embed tutoring across all schools in England from 2024 and expecting it to continue as a staple offer, with further information to be provided in due course.

The government rejects the recommendation to set clear metrics and targets for the impact of education recovery interventions. It states it already publishes national attainment data, key performance indicators, and outlines ambitions in the Schools White Paper to measure progress across the school system.

The government disagrees with the recommendation to set explicit milestones for its 2030 ambitions, arguing that existing national attainment data, KPIs, and forthcoming statistics already provide sufficient measures of progress.

The government rejects the implicit recommendation concerning its performance metrics, stating it already publishes national attainment data for various key stages and critical programmes. It indicates these, along with ambitions in the Schools White Paper, collectively provide measures for progress.