Schools’ difficult path out of lockdown

March 18 Boris Johnson announces that schools in the UK will close from March 20. April 7 Scientists question whether closing schools will stem the spread of Covid-19. They raise the impact on children’s education and mental health. April 19 Gavin Williamson says there are “no plans” to open schools over the summer following rumours they could reopen on May 11.

April 29

Prof Graham Medley, chairman of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) modelling subcommittee, says ministers’ insistence that they follow Sage advice has “sometimes gone a bit past the mark”.

May 2

The Sunday Telegraph

reveals that primary schools are due to reopen on June 1 as part of Mr Johnson’s blueprint for gradually “unlocking” Britain. June 9 Mr Williamson announces that plans to reopen primary schools fully before the end of term are to be abandoned, and that the Government “will be working to bring all children back to school in September”. June 15 Students in Years 10 and 12 in England are offered face-toface contact with teachers for the first time since March, but some secondary schools refuse to open.

June 17 Teachers’ unions deny suggestions by Conservative MPS that they have been “actively obstructive” over the reopening of schools in England. July 3 Mr Williamson warns councils, parents and teachers’ unions not to block the return to school, insisting that children must have full-time education in England from September. Aug 19 Mr Williamson is warned that the failure to have schools reopen smoothly after the summer holidays will mean the end of his tenure as Education Secretary. It followed the A-level and GCSE results fiasco, with thousands of pupils’ marks downgraded. Aug 25

Sally Collier, the head of England’s exams regulator Ofqual, resigns. Dame Glenys Stacey, Ms Collier’s predecessor, is asked to step in.