‘Not enough space for safe return to schools’

EDUCATION UNIONS have said relaxing the two-metre social distancing rule will still not allow all pupils in England to return to school in September as there is not enough space in classrooms.

Boris Johnson told MPs that school education will begin in September with “full attendance” as he announced the public will be expected to observe a distance of “one metre plus” from July 4.

But the chief of a school leaders’ union said it was “pure fantasy” to suggest all children will be able to be accommodated in the autumn, adding that the onemetre plus rule is not “a magic bullet”.

Meanwhile, the National Education Union (NEU) said “more teachers and more spaces” will be needed if a one-metre social distancing restriction remains in place in September.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “There has been a lot of conjecture that relaxing the two-metre social distancing rule to one metre will allow all children to return to school in September.

“This is pure fantasy. It may be possible to accommodate more pupils in classrooms with a onemetre (plus) separation, but not all pupils. There just isn’t enough space in many classrooms to do this. It isn’t a magic bullet, and nor is the Education Secretary’s suggestion on Friday of doubling the size of social bubbles to 30, in order to facilitate a full return to schools.”

The Prime Minister told the Commons yesterday: “Primary and secondary education will recommence in September with full attendance and those children who can already go to school should do so because it is safe.”