Inequality in teaching provided during lockdown is giving state school pupils a "significant disadvantage" compared to those at private schools.

So says Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield, who is calling for state school pupils' A-level grades to be given extra weighting when they apply for university next year, to help remedy this "clear discrepancy".

In a letter to Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, the Labour MP says parents are "greatly concerned" about the effect a lack of teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic will have on their children's prospects.

She said: "Current Year 12 students in state schools are being significantly disadvantage in comparison with Year 12 students at independent schools, who are continuing to receive a fuller education experience.

"That is already likely to be having a significant impact on the students' A-level grades next year, and as a result, they are being put at a disadvantage when it comes to competing for places at university, compared to privately-educated children."

She says some pupils at some Canterbury secondary schools have not been given any live online lessons, unlike those at local independent schools.

"Due to cited safeguarding issues, teachers are unable to teach their students online, leaving a gaping hole in the students' education," she said.

She added that state school pupils are being "left to their own devices and having to teach themselves much of the curriculum" in order to achieve desired A-level results.

"We are being left with a two-tier education system," she said. "A private sector where students are lucky enough to continue to receive regular live online lessons to engage, motivate and inspire them, and a state sector where in some cases, students have been cut adrift and left to motivate and drive themselves without the necessary support in place.

"Parents are extremely concerned that in 12 months' time, these students will sit the same A-level examinations as private school pupils, but without having had anything like the same amount of teaching time."

She added that those studying science subjects face the additional problem of not being able to carry out practical work through which they typically learn key skills, while children from disadvantaged backgrounds may not have the tools needed to get online and engage with remote learning.

"There must be equality of opportunity for students, no matter what sort of school they attend," she said.

"The Canterbury constituency has excellent local schools of all kinds, and I want students who have attended any of them to be able to go on to fulfil their potential and achieve the best in life.

"To that end, will the government consider positive weighting of the grades and university applications of state-educated students, compared to those of privately-educated students, for the 2021 university intake?"

Secondary schools across England remain shut, with Health Secretary Matt Hancock conceding on Monday that they may not fully reopen until later than September despite saying coronavirus is “in retreat” across the UK.

In yesterday's ministerial statement on schools reopening, Mr Williamson announced the government is due to publish a set of expected standards for teaching.

Ms Duffield demanded to know when this will be published, adding that a monetary boost from the government is needed to help minimise the "inequality" experienced by children at state schools.

"Schools themselves simply do not have the resources necessary to even start bridging this digital divide, which is why government financial intervention is necessary as soon as possible," she said.

The Department for Education has been approached for a comment.

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