Scotland's COVID restrictions to remain in much of the central belt as cases of the Indian coronavirus variant rise
But funding has been denounced as inadequate by Labour, unions and education campaigners, who claim the money pledged by the government over three years is only £50 per pupil per year. And the Education Policy Institute think tank, headed by former Liberal Democrat cabinet minister David Laws, claimed the government's package was dwarfed by other countries' plans.
Announcing the plan, Boris Johnson said:"Young people have sacrificed so much over the last year and as we build back from the pandemic, we must make sure that no child is left behind. "The package will not just go a long way to boost children's learning in the wake of the disruption caused by the pandemic but also help bring back down the attainment gap that we've been working to eradicate."
But teaching unions, predictably, were scathing. Geoff Barton of the Association of School and College Leaders , claimed there had been a battle behind the scenes over funding between the Treasury and the Department for Education.