Schools reopening: Teachers could extend day or cut summer hols to help kids catch up on Covid lockdown lost learning

SCHOOLS could lengthen the day or shorten the summer break to give disadvantaged kids more time to catch up on learning lost to the lockdown, Gavin Williamson hinted today.

The Education Secretary said he is looking at "the whole expanse of what we can do in terms of helping children have extra teaching time" over fears millions will be left behind.

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The Education Secretary repeatedly refused to rule out measures like schools extending their day or returning during the summer holidays to make up for lost time.

His remarks came as the Government today unveiled a £700 million catch-up fund for the kids who have missed out the most while classrooms have been shut.

Boris Johnson declared: "When schools re-open on 8 March, I want to make sure no child is left behind as a result of the learning they have lost over the past year."

Under new plans 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.

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.

It comes as…

• It emerged secondary kids will be tested twice a week when they return to school
• Millions of self-employed Brits are set to be offered grants of up to £7,500 in next week's budget
• MPs called on Boris to make the end of lockdown on June 21 a Bank Holiday

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.

Mr Williamson was repeatedly pressed this morning on whether the extra cash could be used to extend the school day or shorten the summer break.

He said: "We're looking at a whole range of different actions. What we wanted to do is give schools the extra resources to take action immediately.

"The best support we can do is seeing children back in the classroom on March 8 – something all parents want to see, all children want to see, and teachers want to see."

Asked if he expects schools to be open in the summer, he replied: "We are giving schools the option of being able to draw down on this funding, we always see schools up and down the country doing so much of this.

"I would hope that all schools are able to do that. Take advantage of a funding that's available, target that resource at those children who are most needed."

He added: "What it does do is it gives schools the extra resource to be able to give extra pay for teachers to do overtime, support staff to do overtime, to help them assist with children to do that extra learning, that extra bit of education, that extra support that goes the extra mile and helps children to be able to bounce back from this pandemic."

Mr Williamson said an extra two hours of tutoring over a 12-week period can help a child catch up on up to five months of lost learning.

The Sun understands that ministers have considered extending the school day, but believe it would be too complicated for now.

That's because unions are demanding new contracts for teachers if they're asked to prolong their working day.

Under the plans £500million will also 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.

Primary schools will get around £6,000 each, while secondaries will receive on average £22,000.

The cash comes on top of a £1 billion pot announced six months ago, and will be used to roll out summer lessons and camps, and for am expansion of the national tutoring programme.

Mr Williamson also revealed that the Government will set out details of how teacher assessments will be used to replace exams this year in the next few days.

He insisted: "As we've said many times before we're not going to be running exams this year, it's going to be based on teacher judgement."

His remarks come with schools gearing up to welcome pupils back on March 8 as the first stage of the PM's roadmap out of lockdown.

They will be expected to carry out three tests on each secondary student over the first two weeks, so long as parents provide permission.

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