Department of Education says it intends to offer an expanded summer programme to children with additional needs

The Department of Education says it intends to offer an expanded summer programme to children with additional needs.

A summer provision was made available last year and the details of this year's scheme are still being worked out.

Plans by the British government will see some secondary pupils in England attending extra summer classes to make up for lost time.

Dr Deirdre McGillicuddy from the UCD School of Education, who's a former primary school teacher, believes the focus here should be on children with additional needs:
"There are children who have lost out during the pandemic. So I would certainly want to see increased resourcing for schools supporting the most marginalised within our society with a very clear plan, on how to close the gap between those children and the children who have had that kind of support throughout the pandemic."