SECONDARY schools will receive extra funding to run summer schools to help students catch up with their education.

It was announced by the prime minister that £400 million will be given to schools to do this.

Summer classes will be introduced for pupils who need it the most, such as incoming Year 7 pupils

One-to-one and small group tutoring schemes will be expanded.

The Adver asked its readers what they thought about this decision and this is what they told us...

Sarah Williams: "No, they’ve spent long enough stuck in doors and being restricted. As soon as we get the all clear then we will be spending valuable lost time with friends and family and having fun. It’s only going to feel like another punishment for them if they then have to spend their summer holidays in school."

Carla Dowden: "Absolutely not they've worked hard and had so long away from friends and normality that they need the summer holidays. Plus teachers and school staff have worked hard and need the break and they also don't get paid for the holidays.

Valeska Lowe: "No, they need to go out and socialise with friends, have fun, holiday with their family. It's just as important for their development. This year has been a struggle."

Jodie West: "No, we're putting in 100 per cent everyday from home. Why make our children suffer more when they've given it their best shot whilst at home all this time?"

Jen Copestake: "No way. Children and teachers both need a break. What children need now is to be able to have fun with their friends and family who they haven’t been able to spend time with recently.

Veronica Kelly: "They should set up summer projects and employ people from the performing arts, artists and maybe health and fitness experts who have been out of work through the pandemic. They could develop projects based around learning but make it fun. That way, teachers get a rest, the artists get some work and the kids have fun while learning."

Roz Bennett Hanson: "No, as a teacher and a parent, I feel this would be unfair on all parties involved. Most teachers have been working flat out during the last year, putting themselves and their families at risk by continuing to work. They need and deserve the break of the summer. Speaking as a parent, these children have had hell to deal with, had their whole world turned upside down, and still managed to work their little socks off. They also need and deserve the summer break."

Hannah Love: "I'd love to say yes only because they need the catch up but working in a school myself. I know that the staff and myself have worked all through the pandemic, the first lockdown we even opened on the school holidays so in that case no I wouldn't send them. The teachers and other staff that need that break."

Helen Scanlon: "Yes absolutely, because I still have to work and finding six weeks of child care is stressful. But I would only send them on the days I work."

Bernice Saintly: "This a hard one. I would not send my daughter as she would refuse outright, but there are children that would benefit from this. My daughter is in year 11 so it's hard to know how this will effect her grades. Parents will know what is best for their children, but time will tell."

Evey Rey: "A couple of weeks of learning is never going to replace the weeks they missed out on in school last year and this year. They have, for the most part, still been learning in these eight weeks at home. They need to amend the curriculum and stop using this toxic phrase of ‘catch up’. The world is in this situation so who is actually ‘catching up’ against and how have they ‘fallen behind’? Nothing other than curriculum barriers that should and could be adjusted to recognise this, rather than put children under unnecessary pressure under this terminology which is being used."