Prime Minister’s aim to get pupils back to classes full time
BORIS JOHNSON has said it is his intention that children of all ages in England should be able to return to school on a five-daya-week basis in September.
The Prime Minister has said to “watch this space” when asked whether social distancing restrictions could be cut to help schools to return in autumn.
Speaking to broadcasters during a Hertfordshire school visit last week, Mr Johnson said it was “absolutely” his aspiration that pupils of all ages will be back in the classroom for a full five days a week in September.
“I want a world in which, as far as possible, provided we can make classrooms safe, and I
“I want a world in which...I want every child, every pupil, every student, back in September.”
think we can, I want every child, every pupil, every student, back in September. I’m sure we can get it done,” Mr Johnson said.
His comments came as the Government’s £1 billion plan to help pupils catch up with learning came under fire from education leaders.
Headteachers say they were not consulted on the details of the scheme, which will see the most disadvantaged children in England given access to funds to pay for tutors while the majority of the funding will be shared across schools to help pupils from all backgrounds affected by the lockdown.
College and nursery leaders have criticised the Government for leaving their pupils out after it announced that £650m would only be given to state primary and secondary schools for the 2020-21 academic year.
A further £350m will be spent on a one-year subsidised national tutoring programme targeted at the most disadvantaged pupils in schools.
Sector leaders say the funding will not reach young children in nurseries and college students who are most “in need of support”.
It came as the UK’s chief medical officers agreed to downgrade the coronavirus alert level from four to three after a “steady” and continuing decrease in cases.
Localised outbreaks of Covid-19 are still “likely” to occur, the advisers warned, and the virus remains in circulation.
But the downgrading – recommended by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC)– means transmission of coronavirus is no longer considered to be “high or rising exponentially”.
Mr Johnson said moving to a lower alert level would allow the Government to “start making some progress” on the current social distancing measures.
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