Tutoring fund of £1bn for schools in England

Prime minister Boris Johnson, has announced a £1bn fund to help pupils in England catch up with schooling that has been missed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the next academic year, pupils will have access to tutors through a £350m programme.

Primary and secondary schools will be given £650m to spend on one-to-one tutoring or group tuition for any pupils, who needs extra help.

Head teachers welcomed the funds, but said more details were needed about the new programme.

Shadow education secretary Rebecca Long Bailey said the plans “lack detail and appear to be a tiny fraction of the support” needed and called for a “detailed national education plan to get children’s education and health back on track”.

The fund would help head teachers provide what pupils need. Boris Johnson has said.

The PM also thanked teachers, childcare workers and support staff for their efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, and said he was “determined to do everything” he could to get all children back in school from the start of the next academic year.

“We will bring forward plans on how this will happen as soon as possible,”

Research carried out by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) suggests the £650m pot represents about £80 extra for each student.

That’s a rise of around 1% but would leave total spending still 3% below 2010 levels in real terms.

Early years providers and colleges for 16 to 19-year-olds are not included in the new programme.

There was also no mention of any summer schemes to help pupils catch up before the start of next term.

Contact Gi National
Email us: news@gi-media.co.uk