SUMMER schools will be laid on under a £700million catch- up programme being unveiled by PM Boris Johnson today.
Teachers will be asked to cut short holidays to help secondary kids with face-to-face lessons before the new school year starts in September.
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Ministers want Year 7 pupils to get first dibs on classes, but say they will leave it up to head teachers to pick who should get priority.
England’s schools will get an extra £200million to pay teachers to staff the classes — which can also include sport and other activities.
But despite the extra cash, one source said Downing Street was braced for another “almighty row” with hardline unions over the plan.
Another £500million will go on expanding tutoring schemes.
Teachers and parents have done a heroic job with home-schooling, but we know the classroom is the best place for children to be.
About £302million of this is for a new Covid “Recovery Premium” to support kids in primaries and secondaries, based on the pupil premium which already funnels extra cash to the most disadvantaged.
On a visit to Sedgehill School in Lewisham, South East London, yesterday the Prime Minister said: “Teachers and parents have done a heroic job with home-schooling, but we know the classroom is the best place for children to be.
“Our next priority will be ensuring no child is left behind as a result of the learning they have lost.”
The average primary school will receive around £6,000 more, and the average secondary school will get around £22,000 extra.
The Sun says
NOTHING thrills the hard-Left National Education Union like the possibility of stopping Boris Johnson reopening schools.
The welfare of kids or their parents is barely ever considered. The priority is always their members — and weaponising them against the Tories they hate.
The NEU previously objected to reopening schools before child poverty is “ended”.
Its new excuse is it’s simply too hard to get pupils back and a Covid testing regime in place before Easter.
Most teachers do a wonderful job.
They can surely find better representation than this Corbynite wrecking crew.
And £18million will go on supporting early years.
The cash comes on top of the £1billion schools Covid catch-up announced last year, but includes the £300million extra unveiled by the PM last month.
The Sun understands that ministers also considered extending the school day, but believe it would be too complicated for now.
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