We the undersigned are writing to urge the Government to value and invest in all our children, so they are supported to learn, succeed, and go on to have bright futures.

The lack of ambition shown in the Government’s plans for education recovery after the pandemic is incredibly disappointing. Significant investment is needed to repair the damage done to the nation’s pupils because of Covid. There are no quick or cheap fixes if we are to build an education system that supports high standards and strong mental health for everyone. Kevan Collins, the former Education Recovery tzar, judged that some £15bn is needed. The Government’s offer of £1.4bn falls far short and is inadequate. The Education Policy Institute have calculated that this amounts to £50 per pupil per year. This contrasts with £1,600 per pupil in the USA and £2,500 per pupil in the Netherlands. If we are to build back better from the pandemic this will not be done on the cheap.

We are also concerned about the Department for Education’s change to the census used to calculate Pupil Premium funding for the most disadvantaged pupils. This means that £150 million is being taken away from young people most in need. We are not going to level up the country on the backs of the poorest children.

We urge your Government to scale up its ambition for our children and young people and start giving our education system the resources they need to ensure that no child is left behind.

Yours sincerely