Williamson: Schools can tailor funding for children

Gavin Williamson says the government now has a "hugely ambitious catch-up plan" to get children "back to where they should be".

He adds: "We will not allow an entire generation to lose out on their education or accept lower expectations for them."

The education secretary confirms plans for a £1bn fund to help England's children with catch-up lessons and to get tutoring.

He says the crisis "will have affected children in many different ways" so he will allow schools to "tailor" the way they spend the funding to help them.

"The pandemic has dealt an unprecedented shock to our education system," says Williamson.

"Although we have a clear plan, there will be times we will have to respond quickly to changing circumstances."