A £78 million support fund will be shared by schools and colleges to help with mass testing costs, the Government has said.
The Department for Education (DfE) issued the guidance ahead of mass asymptomatic testing due to be rolled out at the start of term.
Schools and colleges will be able to offer students two rapid tests three days apart on the first week of term as part of the rollout of testing.
Testing will not be compulsory but strongly encouraged, particularly in areas where infections are greater.
The Government previously announced that most secondary school and college pupils’ return to class in England would be staggered in the first week of January to help plans for mass testing of students.
Deliveries of up to 1,000 starter test kits with tests and PPE will arrive at secondary schools and colleges on January 4.
The new guidance said funding to each school or college would depend on its size, with a mainstream secondary school outside of London with 2,000 pupils and staff would receive around £28,000.
News of the funding comes after research from the Education Policy Institute think tank suggested nearly three in five schools were using their reserves to cover extra costs to operate a “Covid-safe” environment.
The DfE previously launched the Covid workforce fund to support schools and colleges facing budget pressures.
Schools were also previously able to claim from the exceptional costs fund.
