Boris Johnson has unveiled a £1 billion catch-up programmed for children who have missed school during lockdown.

The huge support package is aimed at giving millions of the most disadvantaged pupils access to one-to-one or small group tuition to make up for months of lost teaching time.

It includes £350 million for a ‘national tutoring programme’ and £650 million to be shared across state primary and secondary schools over the 2020-21 academic year, the Department for Education said.

Head teachers will have sole discretion on how the one-off payment is spent.

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Mr Johnson said: ‘I want to once again thank teachers, childcare workers and support staff for the brilliant work they have been doing throughout the pandemic.

‘This £1 billion catch-up package will help head teachers to provide extra support to children who have fallen behind while out of school.

‘I am determined to do everything I can to get all children back in school from September, and we will bring forward plans on how this will happen as soon as possible.’

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The announcement comes after ministers were put under pressure to get children back to school amid concerns about the damage being caused to pupils’ attainment and wellbeing.

Children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 have begun returning to primary school in England, and some Year 10 and 12 pupils returned to secondary school and college this week.

But all pupils are not due to return to school until at least September after the Government was forced to abandon plans to get all primary school children back in class before the summer break.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the new package would ‘bring long-term reform to the educational sector that will protect a generation from the effects of this pandemic’.

He added: ‘We cannot afford for any of our children to lose out as a result of Covid-19. The scale of our response must match the scale of the challenge.

‘This package will make sure that every young person, no matter their age or where they live, gets the education, opportunities and outcomes they deserve, by spending it on measures proven to be effective, particularly for those who are most disadvantaged.’

Labour’s shadow education secretary Rebecca Long-Bailey welcomed the summer catch-up programme, but pressed Mr Williamson to develop a national plan for education.

This would involve schools receiving additional resources to help disadvantaged children, and public buildings being used for socially distanced teaching.

She said: ‘The present plans lack detail and appear to be a tiny fraction of the support our pupils need at this critical time.

‘The government must take its responsibility to support children’s learning and their safe return to school seriously and demonstrate leadership in making this happen.’

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