Safety is the priority as schools return

Parents have been assured that children’s wellbeing and safety is the priority as they return to primary school with new rules on social distancing in place from this week. Schools in North Yorkshire are using a variety of approaches as they reopen their doors to key year groups. In some schools, children are being taught in small “bubbles”, spending the day with the same, small group of other children and teacher, who stay separate from other bubbles in school. Staff changes are being minimised and other measures put in place to ensure children feel secure. Teaching tools, toys, surfaces and any other items touched by children will be sanitised and regular hand-washing is in place. Each school has carried out a risk assessment to plan safety measures for their specific circumstances and decide whether they can open safely. 110 primary schools in North Yorkshire, just over a third, confirmed they would open on Monday, June 1, to the year groups identified by the Government: reception, Year 1 and Year 6. We are working with all other primary schools towards their reopening in the coming weeks. A further 24 primary schools are planning to open from June 8 and others are opening so staff can plan how teaching will take place in their individual settings with social distancing in place. Parents are encouraged to send their children to school, but those who decide to keep them at home will not be penalised. Secondary schools will be opening from June 15 to allow students in key year groups – Year 10 and Year 12 – to have contact with teachers as they study for next year’s exams. We are arranging travel for pupils entitled to home to school transport. To ensure there are enough seats to provide suitable distances between pupils, parents are asked to register their need for transport each week. To register, visit www. northyorks.gov.uk/ schoolsupdate