A £700 MILLION education support package has been announced for England.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has today announced a 'pandemic package' of extra funding, including a one-off £302 million Recovery Premium for state primary and secondary schools to be used for projects to help students catch up on the work they have missed while they have been learning remotely.

Mr Johnson has confirmed all pupils will return to classrooms from March 8 as part of the first step of a roadmap for easing England's lockdown.

At a Downing Street press conference today, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "We know that schools are the very best place for all of our children.

"As part of this £700 million package that we are rolling out, building on the billion pounds that we announced last year, we are giving schools the tools they need in order to be able to deliver for all children.

"We’ve given schools the flexibility in order to be able to make sure it’s properly targeted to children who need the most help.

"We’re very much supporting all children in our whole school system."

The Education Secretary also confirmed there would be 'no algorithms whatsoever' used in determining exam grades in the summer, after the government made a U-turn last year and scrapped the controversial standardisation model drawn up by Ofqual, the exams regulator, to award grades in lieu of exams.