Heads will have to pay the £216million cost of making schools safe for pupils to return this week.

And staff fear they will have to raid cash meant for teaching.

One union boss said: “The Government should cover these costs.”

Teachers’ leaders say that England’s 21,622 schools - already cash-strapped after a decade of austerity - are each spending an average £10,000 to prepare.

They have called on the Government to cover the costs - warning that the “short-sighted” decision means schools will be forced to use educational budgets to balance books.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, said: “Every pound spent on cleaning materials is a pound that cannot be spent on a child’s education.”

Pupils at Glasgow's Rosshall Academy wear face coverings mandatory in corridors and communal areas (
Image:
Getty Images)

Around two in five schools are expected to welcome back pupils for the start of the autumn term on Tuesday, despite ongoing concerns about their ability to reopen safely.

The majority of pupils will already be three months behind in their studies when they return to the classrooms, with boys the worst affected.

Teachers estimate that those at school in the most disadvantaged areas could be more than four months behind pupils in the wealthiest areas.

A National Foundation for Educational Research study also found the learning gap between the two groups has widened by 46% since the start of the pandemic.

The Government has provided £650m ‘catch-up’ funding to help close the gap, as well as covering some other costs related to an outbreak.

Students at St Columba's High School, Gourock, prepare for Scottish pupils to return to school (
Image:
PA)

But schools are expected to cover additional expenses themselves - including sanitiser, extra cleaning staff, signs, disinfectant wipes, PPE kit, perspex screens and large ‘troughs’ for disinfecting outdoor play equipment themselves.

Teachers’ leaders claim the £216m ‘back to school’ cost will go up as they are forced to restock supplies, bring in supply staff to cover those who need to self-isolate, or in the event of a further lockdown.

Mr Whiteman of the NAHT said: “School leaders and their teams have stuck to their task, calmly and professionally and parents can have confidence that schools will be ready.

“Our research shows that 96 per cent of schools are organising regular additional cleaning of classrooms and school premises. The Government has mandated certain safety measures, and parents and schools alike would rightly expect the Government to meet these costs in full."

The World Health Organisation has advised that children aged 12 and over should wear face masks (
Image:
Digital/AFP via Getty Images)

The NAHT’s latest research also found that three in 10 teachers believed budgetary constraints would affect their schools’ ability to reopen safely.

Heads spent an average of £9,990 getting ready, while they are also losing an average £15,915 in income from renting out facilities or cancelled fund-raising events.

The NASUWT union estimates that if schools spent as much as 5% of their funding on all Covid-related costs, rather than just reopening costs, they would need an injection of at least £2.38bn to this year’s £47.6bn funding budget.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, added: “The Government has said that schools should use their existing resources to make arrangements to welcome all children back, and that there are no plans to reimburse additional costs incurred as part of that process.

Preparations are made for the new school term at Alderwood School in Aldershot, Hampshir (
Image:
PA)

“This is a deeply disappointing and short-sighted decision which will inevitably mean that school budgets will be put under further strain. The costs that are associated with reopening in line with the Government’s own guidance are considerable.

“Our view is that the Government should provide funding to cover these costs, so that school budgets, as well as extra catch-up money from the government, can be used as effectively as possible for educational purposes, rather than funding hygiene measures and plugging gaps in staffing.”

One primary school head told how children will lose out as a result of a lack of Government support.

The experienced teacher told the Mirror: “We are using precious money from our budget to pay for this which would otherwise be spent on resources for the children.

Under-fire Education Secretary Gavin Williamson (
Image:
Phil Harris)

“We spent about £4000 and were led to believe we would be able to claim this back but we can’t.

“The only claims allowed are as a result of measures for a suspected case of COVID in school.

“Our costs will continue to rise as we open fully and we don’t know how long we will have to keep this level of cleaning up for.

“It’s time consuming for staff to be endlessly cleaning door handles and light switches and the office staff are cleaning toilets during the day.

“We can’t afford to pay the cleaner to come in, especially now we know we can’t claim back any of the costs.”

A Department for Education spokesperson said: “Headteachers, teachers and school staff have gone to enormous lengths to ensure children can get back into their classes safely when the new term starts as it is the best place for their education, development and wellbeing.

The coronavirus pandemic shut school gates for months (
Image:
Getty Images)

“Throughout the pandemic, schools have continued to receive their core funding, with this year marking the first year of a three-year £14.4bn total cash boost.

“Schools have also been able to claim for specific exceptional costs such as additional cleaning required due to confirmed or suspected coronavirus cases.”

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, who remains in post despite his handling of the A-level results debacle and a series of policy u-turns and last-minute advice for schools, faces demands to come to the House of Commons today [TUES] to say how he will protect pupils’ schooling.

Labour leader Keir Starmer will call for a “proper plan” from the Government, adding: “He needs to explain how he will make up for the damage already done, bring pupils up to speed and mitigate against the ongoing risk from the pandemic.”

Thanking teachers for their hard work, Mr Williamson said yesterday: “I do not underestimate how challenging the last few months have been but I do know how important it is for children to be back in school, not only for their education but for their development and wellbeing too.

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer is calling for a plan (
Image:
Huddersfield Examiner)

“But it is down to the sheer hard work of so many teachers and school staff that from today pupils will be able to learn in their classrooms together again.”

Schools have been warned to expect unruly and disruptive behaviour as some pupils return to class for the first time in nearly six months.

Guidance issued by the DfE admits that many young people will struggle to adjust to routine and discipline after being at home for so long.

It suggests schools should have plans in place to help pupils reintegrate into school life, with children with special educational needs likely to need extra support.

New research shows that lockdown has heightened anxiety with one in three parents feeling their child will struggle to settle back in with friends.

Almost half (45%) said that lockdown has negatively impacted their child in the study by youth charity The Diana Award and Nationwide Building Society.

More than a third (34%) of young people also admitted to being more worried than usual about the return to school because of lockdown.

The NAHT has said that 97% of schools plan to welcome all pupils full-time from the start of the autumn term, while the remaining 3% have set out how they will phase pupils back into class.

All children will stay in groups or bubbles to reduce the risk of spreading infection, and older children in particular will be expected to follow social distancing guidelines.

Last week, ministers u-turned on face coverings which will be worn in communal areas in secondary schools in any areas with local lockdowns in place.

Meanwhile, 26% of parents said they were not planning to send their child back to school at the start of term, while a further 20% remained undecided, according to a poll by the charity Parentkind.

Its survey of 3,400 parents also found that 78% opposed fines for school absences during the autumn term.

Education unions are calling for a temporary ban on school absence fines which the DfE has said will only be used as a “last resort” when classes resume.

Local authorities can fine parents £120 - cut to £60 if paid within 21 days - over a child’s absence from school, with the threat of prosecution if they fail to pay.

Dr Mary Bousted of the National Education Union said fining families for school absences would “not resolve the fears or anxieties” felt by many parents.

What do you think? Join the debate in the comments below.