Tens of millions of pounds is to be ploughed into helping schools during lockdown.

The £45 million package is aimed at enabling local authorities to deploy more support to their schools and families. 

Money will allow councils to prioritise the purchase of additional devices for children who still need them, recruit additional staff, and provide assistance to parents and families to engage with home learning.

It is additional to the £160m already committed for education recovery since the start of the pandemic.

Inspectors have also been told to check the quality of remote learning being offered by schools to pupils.

Education Secretary John Swinney made the announcement during a statement to Holyrood on Wednesday.

It comes amid concern over reported disparities in the availability of live-streamed lessons across Scotland.

Mr Swinney told MSPs: "The funding is sufficient in principle to support the recruitment of an additional 2,000 teaching staff up until the end of the financial year.

"However, local authorities have the option to use it for other vital staffing needs, including classroom assistants, administrative staff to support contact tracing, and facilities management staff.

The Herald: Remote learning began for pupils on Monday.Remote learning began for pupils on Monday.

"Since the start of the pandemic our additional funding has led to an additional 1,400 teachers and over 200 support staff being appointed."

He also said: "I can announce today that the quality and effectiveness of remote learning across the country will be reviewed by HM Inspectors of Education.

"A programme of ‘national overviews’,  will commence immediately and last for the duration of remote learning.

"These will evaluate what is working well and where further improvement is required, based on information collected from varied sources including engagement with schools and local authorities.

"HM Inspectors of Education are this week evaluating the first focus area – local authority planning and guidance on remote learning. These overviews will be published weekly; the first report will be published by Friday 22 January.

"Schools are, rightly, deeply focused on delivering quality remote education now: we will make sure these reviews do not distract or burden them whilst providing important assurance to parents and ensuring further improvement in the remote learning offer where needed."