Schools not required to bring back all pupils before break

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has told MPS that primary schools in England will not be able to welcome all pupils back for a month before the summer holidays.

The minister said he would “work with the sector” as he confirmed the government’s ambition to return all primary schoolchildren to the classroom for four weeks before the end of the summer term had been dropped.

Mr Williamson said the government would like to see schools who “have the capacity” bring back more pupils where possible before the summer break.

It comes after school leaders, teachers and governors urged ministers to reconsider plans for a full return to primary school – as they said it would be impossible amid capacity issues, staff shortages and social distancing.

He told MPS in the House of Commons that the government was still working towards bringing all children back to school by September.

Children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 in England began returning to primary school last week after the government eased lockdown measures.

But some schools said they did not have enough space on site to admit all pupils in the eligible year groups, while adhering to government guidance to limit class sizes to 15 and encourage fewer interactions.

Figures released by the Department for Education (DFE) yesterday showed that just over half (52%) of primary schools in England had reopened to more children on Thursday last week.

But addressing MPS, Mr Williamson said the number of schools that have begun reopening their doors to more pupils has risen in recent days.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said there would have been “significant practical barriers” to bringing all primary pupils back in the summer term if the goal had gone ahead.