This week's Bromsgrove and Droitwich Standard letters...... - The Bromsgrove Standard

This week's Bromsgrove and Droitwich Standard letters......

Bromsgrove Editorial 18th Sep, 2020   0

Pandemic has seen Worcestershire children disadvantaged more than most

COVID-19 has meant many children have missed out on their education, and there are well-founded fears disadvantaged children have suffered and will continue to suffer more than others.

The National Foundation for Educational Research has reported ‘nearly all teachers estimate their pupils are behind in their curriculum learning’ and ‘over half of teachers estimate the learning gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers has widened’.

The Government is planning Covid-catchup support. But in Worcestershire we have a huge amount of other catching-up to do, particularly for disadvantaged children – those eligible for school meals at some point in the previous six years.

According to the Educational Policy Institute’s latest report (based on ONS and DFE data), Worcestershire’s disadvantaged children were already – pre-Covid – falling way behind other children.




No parent wants to hear by the end of secondary school, their children might be almost two years behind their peers. But for a significant number in Worcestershire this is what is happening. At the end of 2019, our disadvantaged children were, by the end of secondary, a staggering 21 months behind their non-disadvantaged peers across England.

Nationally the gap is often even wider for children with statements of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and some Black and Minority Ethnic pupils, who have often lacked additional support during the pandemic.


By comparison, many other parts of England do much better in addressing this problem – in the best area, the gap between disadvantaged and other children at the end of secondary is around two weeks. Why are things so persistently unequal here when we see disadvantaged children in other areas catch up by the end of secondary schooling? How and when are we going to make sure all our children do well?

Yes we need Covid-catchup money. Yes, our education systems are already working hard to support all our children, but these shocking figures suggest there are severe and persistent underlying problems – associated with persistent poverty – which have dogged us long before Covid.

Do not hold your breath for even the promised ‘Covid-catchup’ money – it looks like a huge chunk of it won’t even begin to flow until November.

What are Worcestershire MPs and councillors doing to end to these long-standing, ghastly and persistent inequalities?

Joan O’Hagan

Mid Worcestershire Labour Party

 

‘Opposed to mass illegal immgration, regardless of pandemic’

GRAHAM Fletcher, September 4, claimed the many thousands of illegal immigrants who come here, do so because they have been bombed out of their homes and countries, including by the UK, although the driver behind most illegal migration is internal strife and, most importantly, poverty which has many causes.

He asks in his letter, which is a response to an earlier one from me, if I would change my mind about illegal immigration if the pandemic ‘improves.’

As far as I am concerned, however, the pandemic is merely an aggravating factor at the present time which has not changed my opposition to mass, illegal immigration.

The UK has traditionally offered refuge to genuinely endangered groups and still does but the majority of illegal immigrants we see are able-bodied young men looking for a better life, many of whom have their applications for asylum refused.

Mr Fletcher, however, mentions only women and children which is odd but, possibly, he believes emphasising their presence strengthens his case.

Support for illegal migration implies support also for completely open borders and the abolition of national geographic borders, together with support too for the ‘World Government’ to which such a move would inevitably lead.

Marie Howard

Bromsgrove

 

Concern over Internal Market Bill’s impact on relationship with EU

SADLY, our organisation and many others across the UK failed to make the case for continued membership of the European Union and Brexit is upon us.

We continue to campaign for the closest possible working relationship with our European friends and neighbours, in the world’s largest trading bloc on our doorstep.

We will hold our elected representatives to account as they attempt to deliver on Leave campaigners ambitious promises.

We join with all living ex-prime ministers in expressing our grave concern at the Government’s proposal to break international law with the Internal Market Bill.

As patriots, we are proud of Britain’s global reputation as champions of the rule of law.

This must not be compromised simply because MPs failed to spot flaws in the ‘oven-ready deal’ sold to the electorate just months ago.

Whilst we congratulate Sajid Javid MP on being the only Worcestershire MP to speak out against the Bill, we feel an abstention is too weak a response given what is at stake. We ask Mr Javid to consider seriously his duty as MP to uphold the law and represent his constituents accordingly as the Bill comes back to the House.

Worcestershire for Europe

 

Extinction Rebellion’s attack on newspapers is supression of free speech

HOW much longer are we to tolerate the disruptive activities of Extinction Rebellion?

These people are seeking to suppress free speech by preventing the printing of newspapers that do not subscribe to their views.

The government and authorities must stop being idle and start putting them in prison and or heavy fines.

B Ellis

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