How Your School Can Make the Most of Covid Catch-Up Funding
Ever since the Covid-19 pandemic first shut schools, the educational community has been deeply concerned about its effects on the attainment gap between disadvantaged pupils and their peers. In June 2020, the Prime Minister and Education Secretary announced a £1 billion package of “catch-up” funding to mitigate the impacts of learning loss for children in England.
This has been renewed for the new academic year with a further £1 billion. This funding package is designed to make high-impact, small-group private tutoring accessible for the poorest students.
What catch-up funding is available?
The £650 million catch-up premium that the government made available for the 2020/21 academic year has now expired. In its place, £1 billion has since been made available in a huge expansion to the National Tutoring Programme (NTP), which is now the cornerstone of the DfE’s catch-up objectives.
What is the National Tutoring Programme?
The National Tutoring Programme is a subsidy that allows the vast majority of English schools to provide targeted, small-group tutoring to their most disadvantaged pupils. As an educational initiative, it is unprecedented in its scale and reach.
How does the NTP work?
The NTP has been structured to give six million pupils a 15-hour package of intensive tutoring each. Schools have three options, or ‘strands’, through which to take advantage of this catch-up funding.
Strand 1: Tuition Partners
The Tuition Partners strand will cover 70% of the cost of hiring an officially approved Tuition Partner to provide and manage tutors. Schools will specify the subjects and age cohorts they wish to benefit from this tutoring. Lessons will predominantly take place in groups of three, though smaller group sizes and one-on-one tutoring can be arranged if needed.
Teaching Personnel is proud to have been selected as a Tuition Partner for the second year in a row.
Strand 2: Academic Mentors
This strand subsidises 95% of the salary of an Academic Mentor. This individual, typically a graduate, will help the Senior Leadership Team identify the support pupils need, and work with the class teacher to provide it.
Strand 3: School-Led Tutoring
This strand of the NTP, newly introduced for 2021, provides a greater level of choice for schools in how they run their catch-up programme. Schools can hire from outside the list of approved Tuition Partners, allowing them to draw from existing (or former) members of their workforce or to hire new staff.
This strand is funded by a grant that all schools automatically receive, calculated to cover 75% of tuition costs for 60% of a school’s pupil premium recipients. The grant is ring-fenced and can only be spent on the staffing costs of tuition. Schools should now have received the first instalment from the DfE.
Find out more about the new School-Led Tutoring route by reading this comprehensive explainer.
Is my school eligible to receive this funding?
All state-funded schools in England are eligible to receive catch-up funding for the National Tutoring Programme. This includes special schools and Alternative Provision settings.
How can I take advantage of the NTP?
In the 2020/21 academic year, Teaching Personnel helped 639 schools across England use their catch-up funding to support 19,440 disadvantaged pupils as an NTP Tuition Provider. Our new NTP Impact Report tells the story of our success in the first year.
Having been selected again as Tuition Partners for the second year, we have expanded the range of our services. Our experienced tutors are currently working in schools through both the Tuition Partners and School-Led Tutoring funding strands. Their expertise and diligence are critical in helping in-need pupils catch up after Covid.
If you want to learn more about using the government’s Covid catch-up funding options to support your school’s disadvantaged pupils, get in touch with our NTP support team today.
Help vulnerable pupils catch up
Sign up to posts
Related jobs
Salary
£120 - 200 per day
Location free text
Sheffield
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£500 - £749 per week
£750 - £1,249 per week
Sector
KS2 - Year 3
Location
Sheffield
Description
Early Career Teacher (ECT) – Sheffield (S4, S5, S6, S35) Start Date: Flexible / January 2026 Contract Type: Full-time & Part-time roles available Pay: £120 – £200 per day (depending on experience)Tea
Reference
AH221212
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Sheffield NorthAuthor
Sheffield NorthSalary
£120 - 200 per day
Location free text
Sheffield
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£500 - £749 per week
£750 - £1,249 per week
Sector
KS2 - Year 4
Location
Sheffield
Description
KS2 Teacher – Sheffield (S4, S5, S6, S35) Start Date: Flexible / January 2026 Contract Type: Full-time & Part-time roles available Pay: £120 – £200 per day (depending on experience)Teaching Personnel
Reference
AH221211
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Sheffield NorthAuthor
Sheffield NorthSalary
£120 - 140 per day
Location free text
Brixham
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
Sector
Teacher
Location
Devon
Description
Primary Supply Teacher – ACE Torbay Schools Perfect for ECTs, experienced teachers, returners, and anyone who loves variety in their teaching career!From 1st December, Teaching Personnel is proud to
Reference
ACE SEN Teacher FT(MT)
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Plymouth BranchAuthor
Plymouth BranchSalary
£89.38 - 95.00 per day
Location free text
Monmouthshire
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
Less than £100 per day
£10 - £19 per hour
Sector
Teaching Assistant
Location
Monmouthshire
Description
Location: Monmouthshire, South Wales Pay Rate: £89.38 per day Hours: 8:30am – 3:30pm Contract: Full Academic Year New Year, New Role – Start 2026 by Making a Real Difference!Are you confident, pas
Reference
MC1712TaMon
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Newport Primary & SENAuthor
Newport Primary & SENSalary
£130 - 251 per day
Location free text
Darlington
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£200 - £299 per day
Sector
History
Location
Darlington
Description
Job title: Humanities TeacherLocation: DarlingtonStart Date: January 2026Job Type: Full-timeSalary: £130-£251 a day (Dependant on Experience)Are you passionate about Humanities? Do you want to inspire
Reference
he-74
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Tyne Tees SecondaryAuthor
Tyne Tees SecondarySalary
£700 - 1.1k per week
Location free text
Sheffield
Job Type
Permanent
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£200 - £299 per day
£500 - £749 per week
£750 - £1,249 per week
Sector
Science
Location
Sheffield
Description
Secondary Science Teachers Wanted – Sheffield Schools Teaching Personnel are delighted to be supporting a number of fantastic and welcoming secondary schools across Sheffield who are looking to appoi
Reference
SCISHEFF26
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Sheffield NorthAuthor
Sheffield NorthSalary
£700 - 1.1k per week
Location free text
Sheffield
Job Type
Permanent
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£200 - £299 per day
£500 - £749 per week
£750 - £1,249 per week
Sector
History
Location
Sheffield
Description
Secondary History Teachers Wanted – Sheffield Schools Teaching Personnel are delighted to be supporting a number of fantastic and welcoming secondary schools across Sheffield who are looking to appoi
Reference
HISTSHEFF26
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Sheffield NorthAuthor
Sheffield NorthSalary
£120 - 200 per day
Location free text
Sheffield
Job Type
Full Time
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£500 - £749 per week
£750 - £1,249 per week
Sector
KS1 - Year 2
Location
Sheffield
Description
KS1 Teacher – Sheffield (S4, S5, S6, S35) Start Date: Flexible / January 2026 Contract Type: Full-time & Part-time roles available Pay: £120 – £200 per day (depending on experience)Teaching Personnel
Reference
AH221210
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Sheffield NorthAuthor
Sheffield NorthSalary
£25 - 30 per hour
Location free text
Northamptonshire
Job Type
Flexible Working
Salary
£20 - £29 per hour
£30 per hour and above
Sector
Tutor/Intervention
Location
Northamptonshire
Description
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of young people? TP Tutors the UK’s leading provider of tutors and tuition programmes is seeking individuals like you to join our team
Reference
AC22/12Tutor1
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Central TuitionAuthor
Central TuitionSalary
£700 - 1.2k per week
Location free text
Sheffield
Job Type
Permanent
Salary
£100 - £199 per day
£200 - £299 per day
£500 - £749 per week
£750 - £1,249 per week
Sector
Maths
Location
Sheffield
Description
Secondary Maths Teachers Wanted – Sheffield Schools Teaching Personnel are delighted to be supporting a number of fantastic and welcoming secondary schools across Sheffield who are looking to appoint
Reference
SECMAT26
Expiry Date
DD01YY
Author
Sheffield NorthAuthor
Sheffield NorthRelated posts
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD12YY
Summary
With the Christmas break and end of term coming up, it’s time to get your payroll sorted! Our Payroll team has outlined the key dates you need to ensure you receive your pay on time. Check out the
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD12YY
Summary
Meet Hope Rodriguez – Manchester Primary Consultant Since joining Teaching Personnel just over a year ago, Hope Rodriguez has made an incredible impact in the Manchester
Teaser
Education NewsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD11YY
Summary
Following the mixed reaction to the Budget, we take a closer look at Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcements and what the Budget means for education. The Budget introduced targeted investments to
Teaser
Special Educational NeedsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD11YY
Summary
Equip your school with staff who go beyond the basics. At Teaching Personnel, we’re proud to offer schools more than just cover. We provide educators who are trained, prepared, and ready to suppor
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD11YY
Summary
This week marks one year since the launch of Teaching Personnel’s CPD Academy, and what an incredible year of learning it’s been!Over the past 12 months, thousands of educators across the country
Teaser
People & CultureContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD10YY
Summary
Meet Morgan Sharkey, Education Recruitment Consultant in our Preston Team What’s your role and what does a typical day look like?
Teaser
Awareness DaysContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD10YY
Summary
This ADHD Awareness Month, Ellen shares her experience of being diagnosed with ADHD and how she's raising awareness of it so more support can be more provided. When someone close to me suggested I
Teaser
EducatorsContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD10YY
Summary
At Teaching Personnel, safeguarding isn’t just a policy - it’s the foundation of everything we do. As the Designated Safeguarding Lead, I’m responsible for ensuring that we embed a culture of “it
Teaser
People & CultureContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD09YY
Summary
Three peaks, three mountains, three countries… and a lot of sweets. Jordan Chapman shares how the team tackled the Three Peaks Challenge to raise money for charities across the UK.
Teaser
Awareness DaysContent Type
TP-PostsPublish date
DD09YY
Summary
Today, we come together to mark National Teaching Assistants’ Day, a celebration of the incredible work that teaching assistants (TAs) do in schools across the country. This year’s theme, “Read To
Register with us
for a choice of classroom roles
Register today
Recent job