Tutoring help too late

Does anyone have more info on the school contributions? I read they have to pay 25% of the costs.
Most schools have no slack in their budgets..

Irrespective of the quality of the teaching, can they afford it?

Yes, they do have to pay 25%.

They're being given two lump sums. One is for general Covid costs (extra cleaning, supply teachers, photocopying, etc). My understanding is this isn't based on need. It's a basic lump sum.

I think the second amount might be based on need (need to check), but schools are expected to make up the shortfall from their general budget. Schools with more needy pupils will have to dip into their Covid budget, which they're already spending on Covid!

Meanwhile, many schools are still waiting for their promised laptops.

Of course most schools can't afford it but it's a clever way of saying, when all the results show that the poorest pupils are failing even more, that it is the school's fault, because they didn't take up the offered funding. So school heads face an awful choice once again, go for the funding and cut regular staff to pay the 25%, or stick with what you have and get nothing more. Really is it any wonder no one wants to be a head teacher?