SCHOOL REVOLT GROWS
MORE COUNCILS SAY REOPENING AT START OF NEXT MONTH IS ‘HIGHLY UNLIKELY’
MANCHESTER council says it’s ‘highly unlikely’ that schools will reopen in line with the government’s plan next month.
While the proposal is to get children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 back in schools first under a phased return from June 1, the authority admits there ‘cannot be a uniform approach across the city.’
Instead, it says schools and colleges and other settings will ‘have to develop their own flexible plans and work at their own pace from June 1 in order to start to safely and gradually increase the number of children attending at any one time.’
A statement from the council says: “We’re very clear also that in any plan the safety of pupils and staff must be absolutely paramount.
“For this reason, in our primary schools it is highly unlikely that children in the government identified priority year groups will be able to attend school full-time from June 1, and may also mean that some schools have to prioritise certain year groups, and not make an offer to them all.”
Education bosses have also stressed that, for those who do return to school, it will not be the same as it was before the virus hit.
“It is also clear that any return for children and young people will not look the same as before COVID19,” the statement adds. “The pandemic has changed things for all of us and there will need to be consideration of how we best support our children and young people at this time with a focus on their mental health and emotional wellbeing as well as their learning.”
The council says it will continue to support settings, schools and colleges to begin to gradually increase the numbers of children and young people attending ‘in a way that is safe for everyone.’
And it stresses there ‘are many specific considerations unique to individual schools, settings, and colleges, which they themselves are best placed to understand and plan for.’
It adds: “This includes the different needs of their cohorts of children or young people and local communities, the size and shape of buildings, and the numbers of staff that are available to work.”
Manchester’s decision follows that of other councils across Greater Manchester.
Bury council said schools there will not reopen on June 1, with high levels of Covid-19 and ‘unclear’ guidance over social distancing among the reasons for staying closed. Rochdale council has written to parents to warn them not to expect schools to open at the start of the month, stating they ‘do not want parents to rely on a date suggested by government, that schools may be unable to meet.’
Wigan council has also informed parents that the June 1 date is not set in stone and Stockport council has confirmed its schools will not open until June 10 at the earliest. Coun Garry Bridges, Manchester council’s executive member for children and schools, said: “The prime minister’s announcement last week raised more questions than answers and throughout the week additional guidance has been issued, some of which has made the situation worse, and different responses will no doubt be causing a great deal of confusion for parents which this position statement aims to help with.
“As I have pointed out before, it should be remembered that most of our schools have been open during this period, to key groups of children as well as providing home learning and welfare checks. This has included throughout school holidays and in many cases even bank holidays. We have now begun positive discussions with schools and unions and will be meeting regularly with them over the next few weeks.”