BORIS JOHNSON was criticised by education leaders and unions today for not consulting them over a new £1 billion school learning fund which excludes colleges and nurseries.

Headteachers say they were not consulted on the details of the scheme, which will provide £650 million to help pupils in England’s primary and secondary schools catch up on schooling missed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The remaining £350m of the fund will be spent on a one-year national tutoring scheme allowing schools to buy in subsidised additional help for the most disadvantaged children.