Back-to-school: Funding promise to help kids in England catch up this summer

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced additional funds to help support a face-to-face summer school programme for secondary schools in England.

Announcing an extra £400 million of funding, he says it will give teachers "the tools and resources they need to teach pupils".

Mr Johnson said it also aims to provide children with the "opportunities they deserve to learn and fulfil their potential".

Many pupils have lost around half a school year in face-to-face learning, said the government.

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'Heroic job home-schooling'

The prime minister has already confirmed that all pupils will return to school on 8 March as part of the first step to easing England's lockdown restrictions.

Mr Johnson praised teachers and parents for doing a "heroic job with home-schooling" but said the classroom was "the best place for our children to be".

He said the money would ensure "no child is left behind" due to the coronavirus pandemic.

How much will each school get?

The Department of Education has said that primary schools in England will each receive around £6,000 extra, with secondary schools getting £22,000 each to help provide the additional support promised by the government.

Face-to-face summer schools was the preferred option by the government after a range of other measures which were considered.

This included extending the school day and shorter summer holidays - but neither of these ideas has formed part of the government's strategy to help pupils catch up with their studies.

'Not adequate'

The government is backing one-to-one and small group tuition, alongside summer school activities as a means to make sure all children can achieve their potential.

But Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green said the funding was "not adequate and will not make up for the learning and time with friends that children have lost".

"There is no specific mention of supporting children's mental health or wellbeing, which is fundamental to enabling their recovery from this pandemic," she said.

Pupils in England will return to the classroom on 8 March with extra money promised to help fund summer schools this year.

School leaders have welcomed the promise of more funding but warn that there is still a very long way to go to ensure the most disadvantaged pupils aren't left behind.

Paul Whiteman, a union representative of head teachers, said summer schools "will be of value for some pupils but it will be important not to overwhelm students".

Funding for schools is a decision made by devolved governments so while these plans currently only apply to schools in England, further announcements are expected to be made by the leaders of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.