Parents’ fears over New Year return to class
SECONDARY schools will be given ‘flexibility’ on when pupils return after the Christmas break, it was announced yesterday.
education Minister Alex Burghart said a ‘small amount’ of leeway will allow testing of all pupils for Covid before they go back into classrooms.
But the maximum delay will be a week. Large schools will be allowed to ‘stagger’ the return of children, testing one year group at a time over several days.
The announcement came as the Government’s online learning resource Oak National Academy advised schools to start planning for remote learning in January in case another lockdown is called.
Meanwhile, Wrexham, Flintshire and Ceredigion in Wales announced learning would move online tomorrow because of rising Covid cases.
Other schools around the country have already had to send year groups home or impose ‘firebreaks’ due to staff isolating. robert halfon, chairman of the Commons education Committee, yesterday warned of ‘de facto school closures’ and urged ministers to bring elderly teachers out of retirement to cover staff shortages.
however, Mr Burghart insisted in the Commons that schools would remain open until the Christmas break and again next month. he said: ‘The Government is committed to ensuring schools open in January as normal. The classroom is the very best place for children and young people’s development.’
‘Maximum one week delay’
he told MPs: ‘We are recommending that at the start of next term all secondary school pupils will be tested right at the start of term.
‘And we are offering a small amount of flexibility for the time at which schools can go back in order to make sure this testing can take place.’ Teaching unions had been lobbying for a staggered return.
however, a Government source said: ‘We will be robust. Our preference is for everyone to return on day one, but for a larger school they might have to test a year group per day, for example.’
They stressed that a staggered return should not be the ‘default position’ and that when this strategy had been adopted previously schools had acted ‘sensibly’. Most pupils are expected to be back in the classroom within one or two days, but the maximum allowed will be one week. Meanwhile, it was reported yesterday that parents have been keeping children off school to minimise chances of catching Covid and having to isolate over the festive season.
The PM’s spokesman said it was important schools and parents ‘don’t take precautionary steps to deprive their children of education’. Yesterday Boris Johnson said children aged 12 to 15 can book their second vaccine from Monday.