SCHOOL REOPENING PLANS DROPPED - LOOK AT WALES SAYS CHILDREN'S COMMISSIONER
Plans for all primary school years in England to return before the end of term dropped by the government.
Children's commissioner: reports secondary schools may not open past September is "deeply worrying" and says look at Wales
According to the www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52969679 scepticism by parents and opposition from school unions and local authorities, wary of the health and safety difficulties for both staff and pupils in England's ageing and cramped classrooms has effectively ended the Government's plan to get all primary pupils in school before the summer break.
The government had an "ambition" to bring back years 2, 3, 4 and 5 for a full month before the summer holidays - "if feasible". but attendance statistics collected by the Department for Education published on Tuesday confirmed that only half of pupils in the three eligible year groups returned to school last week. Head teachers' leaders said it had never been a practical possibility.
Lib Dem Education spokeswoman Layla Moran said, "serious questions have to be answered. Children, families and staff are owed an apology from an Education Secretary who is not in control of his brief and has attacked the teaching profession at every turn instead of supporting them".
BBC reports in Wales, where Lib Dem, Kirsty Williams is the Cabinet member for Education, schools will reopen from 29 June to all age groups for limited periods during the week. Scottish schools are to reopen at the start of the autumn term on 11 August, with some continued home-learning.
Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield said the government should look at what Wales is doing regarding schools. She told BBC Breakfast: "the approach in Wales is different with all schools due to open on 29 June but only admitting one third of pupils at a time. The idea being to prepare pupils and staff for the reality of the new autumn term.
"They're running a very different model where actually children are coming into school for a third of the week before the summer, which I think is interesting and government should look at".
Appearing on Channel 4 News, Suffolk based Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union also commended the Welsh Education Minister for her collaborative approach to consulting with teachers on the best way forward before announcing the plan for schools in Wales.
He told the BBC, "The 'ambition' to bring back all primary year groups for a month before the end of the summer term was a case of the government over-promising something that wasn't deliverable. It isn't possible to do that while maintaining small class sizes and social bubbles".
BBC NEWS Coronavirus: Plan dropped for all primary pupils back in school.
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