Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans he has reduce the schools' six week summer break to four weeks, to allow school children to receive additional classroom-based education.

Despite restrictions to schools for the majority of pupils, teachers and school staff are working extremely hard to give face-to-face education to vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. In addition, schools are offering robust remote learning for those who are not attending in person.

On 3 February 2021, my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, confirmed the appointment of Sir Kevan Collins as the Education Recovery Commissioner. He will advise on the approach for education recovery, with a particular focus on helping students catch up on learning lost because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Department will be working in collaboration with the education sector to develop short, medium and long-term plans to make sure children and young people have the chance to make up their learning over the course of this Parliament, further details will be made available in due course.