Sutton Trust comment on the Schools White Paper

Commenting on the release of the government’s Schools White Paper, Sir Peter Lampl, Chair of the Education Endowment Foundation and Chair of the Sutton Trust, said:

“Literacy and numeracy are the building blocks of a world class education, so the government is right to make them the priority. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on young people, and it is right that all – but especially those from low and moderate income backgrounds –  are given the support they need to succeed.

“We are very enthusiastic about the parent pledge but we must recognise that it is a tall order. As we’ve seen from a number of research studies we have carried out, it is extremely difficult for young people to catch up once they have fallen behind.

“We are in favour of schools drawing support from peers and sharing best practice, but this must not be a distraction from what really matters: great teaching and leadership. The measures in the white paper to strengthen the recruitment, retention and development of teachers are absolutely crucial. Outstanding education requires outstanding teachers.

“We are delighted to see the re-endowment of the Education Endowment Foundation with at least £100m. I’m immensely proud of what the Education Endowment Foundation has achieved in its first decade. We have built a reputation as the trusted and authoritative source of high quality evidence used by school leaders and teachers across the country.”