Written question asked by John Bercow (Conservative) on Monday, 30 January 2006, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 1 February 2006. It was answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern (Labour) on Monday, 6 February 2006 on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.

Catch-up Classes

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in what subjects she proposes to provide catch-up classes as referred to on page 21 of the White Paper Higher Standards, Better Schools for All.

Answer: Schools are best placed to know the learning needs of their pupils and must use their own professional judgement to decide in which subjects they need to provide catch-up classes.We will continue through our National Strategies programme to offer advice, guidance and support to primary and secondary schools on catch-up classes in English and mathematics. In addition, we will be investing £565 million by 2007–08 to support the personalisation of learning in schools, focusing particularly on helping children who have fallen behind in English and mathematics, and a further £60 million in each of the next two years to provide effective one-to-one and small group tuition for the lowest attaining pupils in targeted schools.

Secondary information