Trust headteachers, not Gavin Williamson, to decide how pupil catch-up money should be spent - MP

In Parliament this week, South Lakes MP Tim Farron encouraged ministers to allow local headteachers to decide how funds to help pupils to catch-up with their education should be spent.

It comes after the education recovery commissioner for England, Sir Kevan Collins, resigned over the lack of "credible" Covid catch-up funding provided by the Government.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Tim said: "The Government's own expert adviser recommended 10 times more money than is being given - this is an outrage.

"Headteachers and teachers will make the best use they can of what paltry money the Government do give them, so is it not right that the professional judgment of headteachers should be trusted in how they spend that money?

"Yes, there has to be accountability, but surely they should be given the freedom to make the best choices of how to make the best use of what money they are given."