Thread by @rcolvile

Today, @CPSThinkTank publishes a major report on education catch-up by @racheljanetwolf, @jonathansimons & @gabrielmilland. (Which given the news agenda today, has been a bit like wandering into No Man's Land on the first day of the Somme and asking 'Anyone for a picnic?'...)

The report has some really important findings, which speak to the concerns of those on all sides of the debate - not least one B Johnson, when he said that 'loss of learning' should be our 'biggest priority' and is 'the thing we've got to focus on now as a society'

We did multiple polls and focus groups. It's very clear that parents feel their children have been badly affected by lockdown (67% agree). Only 5% of voters said there was no need for catch-up.

Parents and the public are also clear, however, that catch-up should focus on core academic subjects - and in particular maths. (This is not exactly the position of the teaching unions...)

(This chimes with Sir Kevan Collins's findings, leaked to @RSylvesterTimes, about attainment gaps - and the other emerging evidence that we cite in the report.)

We also found, both in groups and polling, very strong support for catch-up to involve extra teaching/time in class. Tutoring was by far the most popular intervention (and evidence shows is the most effective, though also ££££). Fluffier 'encrichment'/'socialising' stuff was out

(Point off for SPAG in that tweet, sorry.) We also found - contrary to polling for @RSylvesterTimes and @thetimes - that a longer school day IS popular with parents. But it needs careful definition: an extra 30 mins, focusing on maths etc, not just 'should we lengthen the day?'

Incidentally, our focus groups also found that despite the Government putting more than a billion into tutoring already, there is essentially zero awareness among parents of this, because the DfE communicates to schools as its stakeholders, not parents. Boo.

However, our survey also found - and this is where the Treasury position comes in - that the idea of whacking up taxes to pay for this stuff is much less popular than the idea itself. (Shocking, I know.) If taxes have to rise, catch-up should be a priority...

But in general, parents are much more willing than voters as a whole to fork out. (Again, unsurprising I know.)

The report also makes clear that any catch-up programme needs to have the support of teachers - ie be fully funded and not involve adding to their workload unless they volunteer for it.

And it has a lot more specifics from Rachel, Jonathan & Gabriel (all Giant Education Brains) about how exactly this could and should work.

In conclusion: the Kevan Collins vision of what we need is exactly in tune with what the evidence shows and what the public want (and much, much more so than the guff from the NEU). But £15bn is an awful lot of money...!

Full report here: cps.org.uk/research/lost-…