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.
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.