Covid-19 is expected to exacerbate the already stark child poverty crisis facing millions of young people in our country. Sean Harris looks at how schools might poverty-proof their work


Exiting via the gift-shop, I still recall my year 5 peers leaving my side to spend their money at the Jorvik Viking Centre in York. Most of them picking up various Nordic non-essentials.

My headteacher, Mr Webster, approached me and discreetly put a few pounds in my hand before telling me to go and buy myself something. I left that day with two things.

First, a Viking ruler (the measuring kind) and, second, a sense that while I was different and could not always afford what some of my peers could, some of my teachers recognised this and would do what they could to give me access to what my friends took for granted.

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