Summer schools, extra money pledged in catch-up programme for pupils

Boris Johnson says the “extensive programme” will give teachers the “tools and resources they need to support their pupils” during the Summer

The Prime Minister has announced that an extra £400m will be spent to help children in England catch up on any lost learning caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which will be including asking secondary schools to run classes during the usual summer holidays.

Boris Johnson has said that the “extensive programme”, which will be backed by a total of £700m in government funding, will give school teachers in England the “tools and resources they need to support their pupils”.

The programme will also provide children in England with the “opportunities they deserve to learn and fulfil their potential”, Mr Johnson added.

This comes after all schools within England will be reopening to all pupils on the 8th of March under the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of the nationwide lockdown to be announced today, with outdoor after-school sports and activities also being allowed to restart.

This new package will also include an expansion of one-to-one and small group tutoring programmes in the nation, support for the development of children in within early school years and summer catch-up classes for those who need to catch-up on lost learning the most.

Pupils will be returning to the classroom starting on the 8th of March, having faced almost a year of disruption that was caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schools have been closed to all pupils, excluding the children of key workers and vulnerable pupils in the country for large periods within the last 12 months, which has meant there has been a switch to home schooling for many.

Under the new programme, state schools in the country will have access to cash through a one-off Recovery Premium that totals at £302m.

This will allow schools to use the funding as they see fit in order to support disadvantaged students, including any additional clubs and activities during the summer.

The package also includes an additional £200m expansion of existing tuition programmes that are in place for students, including the National Tutoring Programme (NPP), as well as for funding of language support for pre-school children.

The UK’s Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said to Sky News: “We’re looking at a whole range of different actions.

“We want to give schools external resources to take action immediately – this is an immediate response to give children that extra boost.”

The Prime Minister added: “Teachers and parents have done a heroic job with homeschooling, but we know the classroom is the best place for our children to be,” Boris Johnson said.

This come after airlines have said that they have already seen a surge in holiday bookings following the PM’s announcement of the road map out of the nationwide lockdown. On Holiday bookings, the Prime Minister has said that a global travel taskforce would put forward a report on how to return to international travel on the 12th of April.

Former education secretary Justine Greening says we need a sustained effort to tackle underlying educational inequality.

“When schools re-open and face to face education resumes on the 8th of March, our next priority will be ensuring no child is left behind as a result of the learning they have lost over the past year.”

Mr Williamson added: “Our package of measures will deliver vital support to the children and young people who need it most, making sure everyone has the same opportunity to fulfil their potential no matter their background.”