Struggling schools can each claim up to £75,000 to help pay for meals
SCHOOLS ARE going to be offered financial support of up to £75,000 to help cover costs such as providing free school meals for children at home.
The additional funding, available only to those to cannot meet need from within their own budgets, will also keep schools open during the Easter break and pay for extra cleaning.
Financial support is also to be extended over Easter to families whose children are eligible for free school meals, with supermarket vouchers of £15 per week.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Schools across the country are going above and beyond to support children during this hugely challenging period. We must support them every step of the way. We are also ensuring parents and schools are able to access high-quality resources to support children to continue learning while they stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.”
State schools with more than 1,000 pupils are eligible for up to £75,000 each, while those with over 501 students can claim up to £50,000. Smaller schools are eligible for up to £30,000.
Funding will only be available to schools that are unable to meet costs from their existing resources, or which can only meet costs by “undermining their long-term financial sustainability”.
Headteachers’ unions have called for the funding to cover a wider range of additional costs that schools face – including any loss of income which schools earn from hiring out facilities.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, has called on the Government to make sure that there are “no unreasonable restrictions” for schools in need of extra funding.
“The Government has described schools as being at the frontline in the fight against this crisis,” he said.
“Schools are already in the midst of a financial crisis and so the crucial work to support children and families at this time has to be properly funded.”