SCHOOLS WILL GO BACK ON JUNE 1

‘Cautious’ plan to aid economy unveiled by PM ... but unions still opposed

SCHOOLS will begin to reopen from next Monday, Boris Johnson confirmed last night.

The Prime Minister said the plan was ‘the most effective way to ensure that not just our schools, but all our economy, is ready to go back as fast as possible’.

The Government says primary schools in England should welcome back Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children from June 1, while nurseries and other early years providers should also reopen then, subject to a final approval on Thursday.

Secondary schools and colleges will start to resume face-to-face teaching for Year 10 and Year 12 pupils from Monday, June 15.

At the daily Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson admitted it would be ‘tough’ for all schools to meet his timeframe but promised extra assistance for any that were ‘experiencing difficulties’.

He said that ‘by opening schools to more pupils in this limited way, we are taking a deliberately cautious approach and this comes after a constructive period of consultation with school teachers and unions’. The Prime Minister added: ‘The Department for Education will engage with teaching unions, local authorities and school leaders in the coming days giving them an opportunity to ask questions and probe the evidence behind our plans.’

The Government’s desire for a phased reopening of schools in June has been under sustained attack from hardline teaching unions and rebel councils, while research suggests that nearly half of families ‘do not feel comfortable about their children going back to school’.

Mr Johnson still needs to formally trigger the move to phase two in the Government’s lockdown exit strategy, which he said would take place this week. ‘The final decision will be taken as part of the formal review into lockdown measures which the law requires us to undertake by Thursday,’ he said.

‘I think it is important for the Government to be clear now so that teachers and parents can plan in earnest for schools to reopen... on Monday.’

Under the plan, all pupils, staff and their families will have access to testing if they display coronavirus symptoms.

Critics pointed out that the reopening of secondary schools was originally set for June 1, rather than June 15.

Nor did Mr Johnson mention the Government’s stated ‘hope’ of getting all primary-age children back to school before the summer holidays. Unions continued their criticism of the timetable. Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: ‘The NEU does not agree that it would be right for primary schools to open more widely on June 1.

‘We stand ready to talk to the Government about how our five tests can be met and then how we can then proceed to a safe wider re-opening of schools.’

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: ‘It is doubtful that any part of the education sector has ever been asked to do so much in so little time.’

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson added: ‘Our priority is the education and welfare of all children and young people across the country.’

He said the phased reopening of nurseries, school and colleges was ‘informed by the best possible scientific and medical advice’.

Earlier yesterday, a former chief inspector of schools warned of a ‘lost generation’ of children if closures continued longer than necessary.

Ex-Ofsted boss Sir Michael Wilshaw told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: ‘It’s a great tragedy because our education system has made huge progress over the last few years.’

He backed the reopening of schools but warned that parents may not feel it is safe for children to return. ‘Other countries have opened up their schools in Europe and beyond and so should we,’ Sir Michael said. ‘It’s all right opening up schools but if parents lack that confidence then they are not going to send them in.

‘The Government should have had two or three months to really prepare parents for the opening on June 1.’

Sir Michael also suggested that tuition could be continued into the summer – although the Department for Education has said there is no plan to keep schools open during the holidays.

Many private schools and academy chains have said they are ‘champing at the bit’ to restart. But Oxford University research reveals that nearly half of families ‘do not feel comfortable about their children going back’ to classes.

The Co-SPACE study, which surveyed more than 10,000 parents on the impact of Covid-19 on child mental health, also found the biggest worry was children not understanding, or being upset by, social distancing measures.

The parents of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities were particularly concerned about the return to classes, as were families on lower incomes.

‘A lost generation of children’