Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “Schools have worked incredibly hard during the pandemic to mitigate the impact on children. There is no doubt that these efforts have helped to shield many pupils from the worst excesses of the pandemic.

“It is also true to say that schools have done this in the face of constantly changing and confusing government guidance and expectations. The funding allocated to recovery so far has been inadequate and significant additional investment has been rejected by the government.

“Sir Kevan Collin’s comments today confirm what NAHT has been saying for several months.”

NAHT has published a Blueprint for Education Recovery, which sets out seven priorities for government:

• Prioritise the early years
• Improve support for mental health and wellbeing
• Invest in the teaching profession
• Provide targeted academic support for pupils who need it
• Expand extra-curricular provision and invest in extra-curricular providers
• Invest in school technology
• Remove unnecessary burdens and distractions