It’s still possible we’ll return to remote learning

DESPITE plans to return all children to school in Wales full time in September, there is still a risk that they will have to return to remote learning, if Covid-19 infection rates rise, Education Minister Kirsty Williams has said.

Plans “should always be in place” to return to teaching all pupils remotely, advice to the Welsh Government from the Technical Advisory Group (TAG)states.

Ms Williams said she agreed with that.

The TAG’s advice on return to school says clearly that there are still risks which must be managed.

Answering questions at the daily briefing on what would happen if there were Covid-19 cases in schools, or a local outbreak nearby, Ms Williams said: “Obviously we need to keep community transmission rates under review constantly. That’s why we will be requiring schools to have a back up plan.

“So, should advice from Public Health Wales be that there needs to be disruption to a year group, or indeed an entire school, for a period of time, learning can switch from the classroom to remote learning.”

The minister added that the Test, Trace Protect (TTP) scheme was one of the keys to opening schools full time. All schools will be supplied with home testing kits and should a member of staff or pupil test positive the TTP system would kick in to “manage risk”.

If there was a local outbreak she warned: “It may be we have to suspend traditional school transport.

“There could have to be limited numbers of children on site, that’s why it’s really important for schools to plan for a situation that, of course, all of us hope won’t be necessary.

“We know sometimes the move to online and distance learning in an emergency has been a bit of a struggle, but we need to be strategic and we need to plan ahead of Covid-19 so, should that happen, and I hope to goodness it won’t, but if we were to keep people and communities safe and have some further disruption to education then we would have a smoother transition to distance learning than we did in March.”

After the briefing, a Welsh Government spokesperson confirmed: “A positive test on site does not require closure of that site. The process of testing and contact tracing is part of the ‘new normal’ and where schools and settings follow these guidelines carefully, there is no cause for alarm.

“If there are multiple cases of Covid-19 in a school, then experts from across the NHS and local government will work together to prevent ongoing transmission within the school.

“This will involve identifying those exposed to any child or staff member who is at increased risk and provide tailored infection control advice. Advice based on the assessment of each individual situation will be provided to support the school in preventing further spread. The process will be handled sensitively and in confidence.”

The guidance from TAG says that if early warning information shows a local incident or outbreak then nearby schools should implement “appropriate restriction measures” adding “Preparations should always be in place to teach up to 100% of children remotely.”