Clegg promises extra help for secondary school children

From January, secondaries will receive an extra £500 for every child who has not reached the required standard in English and maths in their final year of primary school.

Schools will have to use this money to give these pupils extra tuition or support in small groups.

The new premium is designed to help almost 110,000 state school children this academic year at a vital point in their education.

It will be given to schools for children who have failed to reach level four at key stage two in reading and/or maths. Pupils who do not achieve this standard before they start secondary school often struggle in later years.

We will do whatever it takes to make sure your child is not left behind. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg

Just 30 per cent of those who do not reach level four in reading go on to achieve five A-C grade GCSEs. The figure for children on free school meals is 7 per cent.

In 2012, 13 per cent of pupils in all schools failed to achieve level four in reading and 16 per cent in maths.

Schools will receive the extra money in January. It will be guaranteed every year for the rest of this parliament.

‘Every chance’

The Liberal Democrat leader will tell his party’s annual conference: “If you’re a parent whose child has fallen behind, who fears they might get lost in that daunting leap from primary to secondary school, and who is worried by talk about making exams tougher, let me reassure you – we will do whatever it takes to make sure your child is not left behind.”

Mr Clegg added: “Secondary school is a massive step up for pupils when much bigger demands are placed on their abilities. For tens of thousands of children, this is all the more daunting because they are simply not equipped with the basics of English and maths needed to unlock the variety of subjects now on offer to them.

“Pupils who start secondary school behind their peers should be given every chance to catch up as quickly as possible. The funding I’m announcing today will allow schools to provide intensive tuition to help pupils to get up to speed and so get the best out of their secondary school education.”

On Monday, Mr Clegg announced that councils would be given £100m to spend on new nursery places for children from disadvantaged families.