‘safety of children and staff is our primary objective,’

EDUCATION Minister Kirsty Williams has published her latest schools lockdown plan – but stopped short of setting a date for when schools will reopen.

The document, published yesterday, sets out how the Welsh Government is considering the next phase for schools in response to the Covid19 pandemic.

Ms Williams described the document as “setting out our current thinking” for how schools, as well as other education establishments and childcare settings, will change to allow social distancing.

But the minister stopped short of giving a date for when schools would reopen, instead reiterating her message that she would not set an arbitrary date before further evidence is available.

It comes after First Minister Mark Drakeford published a “roadmap” for how the Welsh Government will move out of the lockdown phase.

Earlier in the day he said he wanted Year 6 pupils and those with exams next year to go back to school before the summer holidays.

He later added that was an “ambition”, saying: “We would like to bring some more children back in to school before the summer holidays.

“We will use this time to plan, to talk, and to confirm with our trade unions, our local education authorities, and parents that if the moment does come when we can bring more children back through the school gate it will be because it’s safe to do so.

“That is our primary objective – the safety of children and staff.”

Most schools in Wales have been closed since the start of the pandemic, with the small remainder open only to cater to the children of critical workers and pupils considered vulnerable.

Ms Williams’ document titled “decision framework for the next phase of education and childcare” is said to build on the five principles published by the minister last month.

She said she would be consulting with headteachers, councils, trade unions and the childcare sector before taking any decisions – as well as using international evidence.

The documents said: “For example, we are considering practice in Denmark around the use of other buildings to increase capacity; regutraffic