Context
Schools in Newcastle, including Sacred Heart School, have incurred significant expenses to prepare for reopening safely.
Question
Schools in Newcastle went back this week after working hard to make them safe. Sacred Heart school in my constituency has had to alter classrooms and purchase protective equipment costing tens of thousands of pounds due to budget cuts over the years. Will the Minister provide financial support?
Answer from Nick Gibb (Minister of State for School Standards)
I pay tribute to headteachers and staff working tirelessly to welcome students safely. Schools can claim up to £75,000 for unavoidable pandemic-related costs from March to July that cannot be met by existing resources. Core funding has risen by an additional £2.6 billion this year as part of a three-year settlement, the biggest boost in a decade.
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