Schools in England face waiting a fortnight to find out how the government expects to bring every child back to school in September – but plans in Northern Ireland suggest teachers will have to move between classrooms and school bags could be banned.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson today announced the the government wanted to increase ‘bubbles’ within school, by raising the number of pupils allowed in a class to pre-lockdown levels.
At the Downing Street daily briefing, Mr Williamson said he wanted all year groups to return to school ‘full-time’ in September, adding that further guidance on safety measures will be published in the next two weeks.
‘We have already been very clear that we want to see all children in all classes, returning full-time to school in September. That’s what we’re working towards,’ he said.
When asked whether he had signed up to the pledge that all state school pupils will be able to go in every day, every week, not on rotation, he said: ‘To be absolutely clear, absolutely signed up to the fact that we want to bring every child back, in every year group, in every school.’
The Department for Education has offered no guidance on how schools can plan their return to the new academic year, but it will likely involve cutting the gap between pupils to one metre and following similar guidance from elsewhere.
Today the Department of Education in Northern Ireland published a a 53-page document outlining how schools should ready themselves for the autumn term.
Pupils at a school in Corringham, Essex, are obeying new social distancing rules, with classroom sizes limited to 15 students at a time
Tables have been used as barriers to enforce two-metre distancing rules at Orfu Gable Hall School in Corringham – but the Department of Education in Northern Ireland is preparing for classes to return with a reduced one-metre gap between pupils
It advised schools to ban pupils bringing items, including book bags, into school, as well taking school equipment home.
Following existing guidelines in England, the DoE suggests staggering start times for pupils to avoid crowds forming at the school gates, adding that parents should not be allowed into classrooms.
Pupils will be asked to wash their hands on arrival at schools and at regular intervals throughout the day.
Once inside the school building, heads are being encouraged to put in place one-way systems and apply a flexible approach to timetabling to minimise contact within corridors.
Pupils in Year 10 (the equivalent to Year 9 in England) and below will be kept in small protective bubbles to limit mixing among the wider school population.
The bubble model will be maintained during meal and play times, with guidance suggesting lunch could be delivered to classrooms. Older pupils will be expected to follow social distancing rules.
Northern Ireland’s Department of Education published guidance on Friday explaining how classrooms could be set out from the start of the autumn term
All pupils returning to school are being encouraged to wash their hands regularly, it remains a key part of the guidance issued by Northern Ireland on Friday
Secondary schools are urged to consider a new model whereby the teacher would move between classes, not the children, with meals being delivered to classrooms to prevent bubbles coming into contact with one another.
When it comes to practical work in lessons such as science or technology, the new guidance states: ‘Older children should be organised into small, consistent groups and assigned clearly defined zones or spaces within which they should endeavour to observe social distancing as far as practicable.’
In England, classrooms have removed toys and other equipment to prevent the spread of contamination.
It’s not clear what will happen to art, science and technology equipment, such as canvases and Bunsen burners.
The Northern Ireland guidance only states: ‘Schools should remove unnecessary items from classrooms and other areas (where space exists for storage) – these should include items/toys/learning materials that are hard to clean.’
The guidance says children should not wear PPE in school and staff should only wear it in very limited circumstances, such as giving medication to a pupil.
In other coronavirus developments today:
- Britain announced 173 more coronavirus deaths including a 12-year-old, as government scientists confirmed the outbreak is in retreat with the number of new cases shrinking by 4 per cent each day and the crucial R rate remaining below the dreaded level of one;
- A third meat factory reported a coronavirus outbreak and was forced to shut down – as experts warned that chilled environments are ideal for the virus to thrive;
- Britain’s retailers are still struggling through the coronavirus pandemic despite a much-needed 12 per cent boost in sales last month, compared with the record lows in April;
- UK debt is bigger than GDP for the first time in almost 60 years as the coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the economy, with the government forced to borrow £55.2billion in May;
- Apple hit back at Matt Hancock over claims its tracing app can’t detect distances and said the government hasn’t asked to work together after the NHS software was humiliatingly scrapped;
- UK society has ‘regressed to a 1950s way of living’ for many women because the Covid-19 pandemic has worsened gender inequality and left women with more childcare, Sussex University experts warned
Schools are also being encouraged to keep accurate records of each group’s movement as they may help trace any potential contamination, should a member of staff or a child become infected with Covid-19.
Accepting that social distancing measures may not be possible in every school, the DoE advised: ‘Appropriate provision should be made for remote learning pursuant to local circumstances.’
It does, however suggest that spaces such as dining halls or assembly halls could repurposed to provide multiple classrooms.
There is no advice on how PE lessons could be held, but the nature of the lesson means there would be more space for children outdoors.
Schools should be ready to exclude pupils who do not follow new Covid-19 rules.
The Department of Education warned schools should ‘make provision to be able to sanction, up to and including exclusion, pupils who wilfully refuse to adhere to arrangements of social distancing and deliberately cough or spit at pupils or staff, putting them at risk.’
In his most categorical statement yet, Boris Johnson said it was ‘absolutely’ his intention for all pupils to be back at school full-time by September
The document also contains guidance for children and pupils who are in medically vulnerable categories or who live with people who are.
With detailed plans being released in Northern Ireland, teaching unions are calling for greater clarity from the government on how classes will return to their full size in England.
Speaking during a visit to a Hertfordshire primary school on Friday, Boris Johnson said: ‘To be absolutely clear, I’m absolutely signed up to the fact that we want to bring every child back, in every year group, in every school.
The PM said it was ‘absolutely’ his aspiration that pupils of all ages will be back in the classroom for a full five days a week in September.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: ‘The desire to bring everyone back is correct but we need to know what the Government is thinking and the scenarios they are planning for.
‘This will give school communities what they need to get through this term and plan for the new academic year in September.’
Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), added: ‘The Prime Minister’s hopes are not enough.’
‘If the requirements of social distancing – in order to stop a second peak – are reduced even to 1m, then most schools could not have 30 children in a classroom,’ he added.
Plans in Northern Ireland encourage keeping a two metre gap between pupils and staff – similar to current conditions in English classrooms (above)
Speaking on plans for schools in England, Mr Williamson said: ‘Over the coming weeks we will publish further information and guidance to help schools prepare for a full return in September.
‘We are working across Government and with the sector to ensure these plans are fully in place so that this can happen.’
When pressed for any details on how English classes would return to full size, the Department for Education said: ‘The Government announced its clear intention for all pupils to be back in school in September today, with further information and guidance being published in the coming weeks.’
Plans were revealed as chief medical officers from England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland recommended moving the Covid alert level from 4 to 3.
The Joint Biosecurity Centre has recommended today that the Covid-19 alert level be reduced
In a joint statement today they said: ‘The Joint Biosecurity Centre has recommended that the COVID-19 alert level should move from Level 4 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high or rising exponentially) to Level 3 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation).
‘The CMOs for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have reviewed the evidence and agree with this recommendation to move to Level 3 across the UK.
‘There has been a steady decrease in cases we have seen in all four nations, and this continues. It does not mean that the pandemic is over. The virus is still in general circulation, and localised outbreaks are likely to occur.
‘We have made progress against the virus thanks to the efforts of the public and we need the public to continue to follow the guidelines carefully to ensure this progress continues.’