CHILDREN are set to return to school on Monday following the Christmas break.
But a rise in coronavirus cases and fears over further spreading Covid has led to some staying shut for the time being.
A large number of primary schools in the southeast of England and London will remain closed in a bid to combat the latest outbreak from the new Covid strain.
Yet, Boris Johnson told Andrew Marr that for those still expected to go in, parents should send their children to school on Monday.
It comes as SAGE scientists have warned that children between the ages of 12 and 16 are seven times more likely to spread coronavirus, compared to their other household members.
And teachers union NAHT could take legal action against the Department of for Education over not shutting all schools.
Follow all the latest news and updates around school closures below...
BOSSES SHOULD FURLOUGH WORKING PARENTS AFFECTED BY SCHOOL CLOSURES , SAYS TUC
Working parents need help dealing with the impact of the "chaotic" decisions on school closures, unions are urging.
The TUC criticised the "last-minute" approach to schooling, and called on employers to offer furlough to all parents affected by closures.
The union organisation said it was concerned that not all bosses are aware that caring responsibilities are an acceptable reason to furlough, so many mothers and fathers will have no choice but to take unpaid time off work to care for their children, or even be forced to leave their jobs altogether.
Employers can help workers through the crisis and give them a financial lifeline by offering them furlough, said the TUC.
Self-employed working parents should have automatic access to the self-employed income support scheme otherwise they could find themselves falling into serious financial difficulty and debt, it was warned.
PM URGED TO PROVIDE MORE DEVICES AND CONNECTIONS FOR PUPILS' REMOTE LEARNING
Former prime minister Tony Blair and three ex-education secretaries are among those who have written to the Prime Minister calling on him to act regarding shortages of remote learning equipment and accessibility.
Charities, unions and current MPs have also co-signed the letter with ex-Cabinet ministers in a bid to highlight the issue as controversy continues over how many schools should be closed.
The letter was co-ordinated by Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh, who said Ofcom estimates that between 1.14 million and 1.78 million children in the UK (9%) do not have home access to a laptop, desktop, or tablet and that more than 880,000 children live in a household with only a mobile internet connection.
Data from the Office for National Statistics says only 51% of households earning between £6,000 and £10,000 have internet access, the MP said.
Ms McDonagh said: "Children on the wrong side of the digital divide have neither the data nor the devices to log in from home when their schools close. In a country with free state education, no child's education should be dependent on their internet connection."
PARENTS AND TEACHERS FACE 'CONFUSING PICTURE' OVER SCHOOL CLOSURES
Parents and teachers face a "confusing picture" of primary school closures, according to a teaching union, as local authorities call on the Government to delay children returning to classrooms.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he has "no doubt" that classrooms are safe and parents should send children back to schools in England which remain open.
All of London's primary schools and those in some surrounding areas will not reopen until January 18 due to the fast-spreading variant of Covid-19, with students elsewhere expected to return to classrooms on Monday.
But councils in Cumbria and Kent have urged the Government to allow schools to remain closed in other areas, while teaching unions are calling for all schools to switch to remote learning for a brief period.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said it was "very hard to tell" how many schools would be open for the start of the term.
"Some schools in Tier 4 areas will be open for vulnerable pupils and key worker families and will be providing remote learning for others, yet in other areas also in Tier 4, all pupils will be admitted," he said.
"That's a confusing picture for school leaders and families alike."
SCHOOLKIDS 7X MORE LIKELY TO SPREAD COVID
The former chief scientific adviser Sir Mark Walport told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “It’s clear that this new variant is transmitting more readily, it’s transmitting more readily in younger age groups as well.
“It’s important to note that it doesn’t appear to cause worse disease or that it’s going to be more resistant to the effects of the vaccine, but it is going to be very, very difficult to keep it under control without much tighter social distancing measures.”
Asked if this included closing schools, Sir Mark said: “We know that transmission occurs within schools.
“We know that a person between 12 and 16 is seven times more likely than others in a household to bring the infection into a household.
“And we know that there was a small dip in the amount of transmission in school children after the half term, which then went up again when they went back.”
KENT COUNTY COUNCIL LEADER URGES GOVERNMENT TO KEEP ALL PRIMARIES IN COUNTY CLOSED
Kent County Council leader Roger Gough urged Mr Williamson to keep all primary schools in the county closed, saying it is "very hard to justify" letting some schools open while others are closed.
Primary school pupils in Thanet, Canterbury, Dover and Folkestone and Hythe are expected to return on Monday while the other districts in Kent will learn remotely for the first two weeks of term.
Similarly, Essex County Council said it was seeking "urgent clarity" from the Government on the position of reopening schools in north Essex amid rising infection rates.
It said that primary schools in Colchester, Tendring and Uttlesford - the only districts in Essex where schools were due to reopen - would move to remote learning from Tuesday.
MAPPED: PLACES WHERE ALL SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED FROM MONDAY
SCHOOL CLOSURES EXPLAINED
SCHOOLS in the worst-hit Tier 4 areas will be closed for at least an extra two weeks in a bid to halt the relentless spread of the mutant Covid strain.
All primary schools in London’s 32 boroughs will now remain shut after Gavin Williamson caved in to pressure.
SUPPORT NEEDED FOR PARENTS WITH JOBS THREATENED BY SCHOOL CLOSURES - LABOUR
Parents who risk losing their jobs because of childcare duties caused by school closures brought about by the Covid crisis need extra help, Labour has said.
Shadow chancellor Anneliese Dodds insisted delays in the reopening of classrooms must be matched with support for families.
The call came as controversy continued to rage between the Government and teaching unions over school closure plans.
The shadow chancellor said bodies like the Institute for Fiscal Studies have found that last year's school closures saw mothers losing or quitting their jobs in greater numbers than fathers.
Ms Dodds has written to Chancellor Rishi Sunak calling for better promotion of the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, especially furlough provisions related to childcare responsibilities due to the coronavirus crisis.
EXPLAINED: WHAT COVID MEASURES ARE IN PLACE IN SCHOOLS?
The guidance for schools to help stem transmission remains the same as before.
Measures already being used by schools include hand sanitiser stations, one-way systems and staggered break times. Social distancing is also advised wherever possible for older students, with younger children encouraged to mix in small groups or “bubbles”
In schools and colleges where year seven and above are educated, the government said face coverings should be worn by both staff and pupils when indoors.
Pupils in England and Wales must also wear face masks in communal areas.
Secondary schools in England will be offered “access to additional coronavirus testing from the first week of January”, according to the Government website.
SOUTHAMPTON COUNCIL SAYS NO FINE FOR PARENTS KEEPING KIDS FROM SCHOOL
Southampton City Council has also told parents they won't be fined if they don't send their child into school tomorrow.
A letter from officials to parents reads: "The Government has not shown clear leadership and refuses to engage with headteachers and trade unions' legitimate concerns.
"It's becoming apparent that there will not be enough teachers in all schools to reopen safely."
SLOUGH HEADTEACHER TELLS PARENTS THEY 'CAN KEEP THEIR KIDS AT HOME'
Gil Denham, head of Marish Academy Trust, which runs two primaries in Slough, told parents she couldn't guarantee pupils or staff wouldn't be exposed to Covid.
Berkshire Live reports she wrote: "As a parent and grandparent myself, if I feel that the risk of my child or someone else in my family contracting Covid-19 is too high, if they attend school from Monday, I would keep them at home.
"It may be that this is the decision some of you come to for your own families. Rest assured, online learning will be provided for all those pupils who do not attend in person."
Slough Borough Council later released a statement saying it would support any primary school's decision to close, joining Norfolk, Greater Manchester and Southampton's leaders in letting schools make the call.
MAPPED: NEW YEAR SCHOOL CLOSURES
TEACHER IN NORTHERN IRELAND TELLS OF STRESS AND FEAR OVER COVID-19 RISK
A secondary school teacher in Armagh, Northern Ireland - who wished to remain anonymous - said that while they "desperately" want schools to be able to open, they are suffering from "constant" stress and fear of the risk of coronavirus.
"I really love my job and desperately want schools to be able to remain open," they told the PA news agency. "While they are still open I will continue to go in and work.
"The difficulties I find are related to the constant, underlying stress and fear associated with interacting with large numbers of people. My school is good and we can wear masks/visors. (But) I find I don't sleep well, and every night I wonder if I will wake up with symptoms and if I do, I wonder if I will survive the virus."
The Armagh educator also said they would prefer it if teachers were able to have the option of being in school to broadcast Zoom lessons to pupils at home.
"I think that would be safer for everyone while it also could not be said that 'teachers are doing nothing'. I find that really upsetting because it is not true and I want all my pupils to do well."
NINE UNIONS CALL ON WELSH GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER SCHOOLS RETURN
Nine education unions have called on the Welsh Government to give a "centralised, coherent response" to the reopening of schools following concerns about the new strain of coronavirus.
In a joint letter the unions say they "are at a complete loss to understand" how schools can begin a phased return of classroom learning from next week, after it was announced the Covid-19 variant was 70% more transmissible.
On Sunday, First Minister Mark Drakeford said the plan would be kept "under consideration" while the Government's technical advisory group looked at all available evidence, but defended the "phased and flexible return" which allows schools to choose when they reopen based on the Covid situation in their area.
But later on Sunday the nine unions said they were "extremely frustrated" the plans to resume face-face learning between January 11 and 18 were being kept to, "despite increasing infection rates and pressure on the NHS."
Their letter to the Welsh Government said: "We strongly believe that we need to err on the side of caution and ensure, in advance, that we have the medical 'evidence and information' to ensure that any decisions are the correct ones."
WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED RETURN DATES FOR SCHOOLS?
Expected return dates for schools
Tier 1, 2, 3 primary schools: Open on January 4 as planned
Key exam years: return on January 11 as planned
Tier 1, 2, 3 secondary schools: Delayed until January 18
Tier 4 hotspots: all primary and schools stay shut extra 2 weeks (unclear if this delay will be until January 18 or 24)
LIST OF AREAS WHERE PRIMARY SCHOOLS MUST CLOSE
List of the areas where primary schools must shut
London
- all 32 boroughs
Essex
- Brentwood
- Epping Forest
- Castle Point
- Basildon
- Rochford
- Harlow
- Chelmsford
- Braintree
- Maldon
- Southend on Sea
- Thurrock
Kent
- Dartford
- Gravesham
- Sevenoaks
- Medway
- Ashford
- Maidstone
- Tonbridge and Malling
- Tunbridge Wells
- Swale
East Sussex
- Hastings
- Rother
Buckinghamshire
- Milton Keynes
Hertfordshire
- Watford
- Broxbourne
- Hertsmere
- Three Rivers
SCHOOL CLOSURES EXPLAINED
SCHOOLS in the worst-hit Tier 4 areas will be closed for at least an extra two weeks in a bid to halt the relentless spread of the mutant Covid strain.
All primary schools in London's 32 boroughs will now remain shut after Gavin Williamson caved in to pressure.
CUMBRIA CALLS FOR SCHOOLS TO REMAIN CLOSED
Cumbria has asked the Department for Education (DfE) to allow it to keep primary schools closed on Monday.
The rural county is one of the areas outside London and the South East hardest hit by the virulent new strain of Covid-19.
Colin Cox, the director of public health at Cumbria County Council, in a series of tweets, said: “Following extensive discussions over the last 48 hours, the CCC Exec Director (People) and I have this morning jointly written to DfE formally requesting that Cumbrian primary schools are added to the Contingency Framework of schools not expected to open tomorrow.
“Driven by the new strain, rates in Carlisle and Eden are now very high, and are rising fast in other parts of the county – rates in Barrow, Copeland and Allerdale are doubling every 4-5 days. And hospitals are under pressure.
“We don’t have the capacity in the NHS to respond easily to further increases in rates.
“So while primary children may not themselves be at high risk, we have to reduce opportunities for transmission wherever possible to protect the wider community.
NINE UNIONS CALL ON WELSH GOVERNMENT TO RECONSIDER SCHOOLS RETURN
Nine education unions have called on the Welsh Government to give a "centralised, coherent response" to the reopening of schools following concerns about the new strain of coronavirus.
In a joint letter the unions say they "are at a complete loss to understand" how schools can begin a phased return of classroom learning from next week, after it was announced the Covid-19 variant was 70% more transmissible.
On Sunday, First Minister Mark Drakeford said the plan would be kept "under consideration" while the Government's technical advisory group looked at all available evidence, but defended the "phased and flexible return" which allows schools to choose when they reopen based on the Covid situation in their area.
But later on Sunday the nine unions said they were "extremely frustrated" the plans to resume face-face learning between January 11 and 18 were being kept to, "despite increasing infection rates and pressure on the NHS."
Their letter to the Welsh Government said: "We strongly believe that we need to err on the side of caution and ensure, in advance, that we have the medical 'evidence and information' to ensure that any decisions are the correct ones."
PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN LONDON WILL NOT REOPEN UNTIL JANUARY 18
On Friday, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed that all of London's primary schools would remain shut to most students, rather than just those in certain boroughs as set out earlier in the week.
Primary schools in the capital and some surrounding areas are not due to reopen until January 18,.
But elsewhere in the country, students will be expected to return to classrooms from tomorrow morning.
Asked whether he could guarantee schools will reopen on January 18, Mr Johnson added: "Well, obviously, we're going to continue to assess the impact of the Tier 4 measures, the Tier 3 measures."
'NO DOUBT' SCHOOLS ARE SAFE AND PUPILS SHOULD RETURN - PRIME MINISTER
Boris Johnson has said parents should send primary-age children back to schools that are open this week, as he hinted at tougher coronavirus measures for England.
The Prime Minister said he has "no doubt" that classrooms are safe and that the risk to young people was "very, very small" amid calls from teaching unions to close all schools for the next two weeks.
Referring to the tiers system, Mr Johnson said that coronavirus restrictions in England are "probably about to get tougher" due to rising infection rates.
Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning, the Prime Minister said: "Schools are safe. It is very, very important to stress that.
"I would advise all parents thinking about want to do, look at where your area is, overwhelmingly you'll be in a part of the country where primary schools tomorrow will be open."
LABOUR LEADER SIR KEIR STARMER CRITICISES GOVERNMENT'S ‘CHAOTIC U-TURN ON SCHOOLS’
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the vaccine was “our great hope”, adding: “I want the Government to throw everything it can at this, harnessing the extraordinary talents of our NHS so we can be vaccinating at least two million Brits a week by the end of the month.”
But, writing in the Sunday Mirror, he criticised “a chaotic last-minute U-turn on schools”, adding: “Confusion reigns among parents, teachers and pupils over who will be back in school tomorrow and who won’t.”
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL TO WORK WITH SCHOOLS TO MAKE INDIVIDUAL DECISIONS
Manchester City Council said they would work with schools to make individual decisions while keeping a close eye on virus rates Councillor Garry Bridges, executive member for children and schools, said: “Our starting point is that the best place for children is to be in school.
“Schools are one of the most effective track-and-trace organisations in the country and our public health teams have indicated that they are not seeing evidence of transmission within schools, but largely in the community. There are also risks to children through not being in school.
“The Government have handled this situation appallingly with confusing and contradictory advice followed by repeated last-minute U-turns and it is no surprise that the Secretary of State has lost the confidence of schools.
“Manchester’s infection rates were much higher throughout the autumn term than they are currently, and our schools battled incredibly hard to stay open safely throughout that period, often with little support and confusing guidance.
“It does seem that the conversation is now being set by a London-centred focus. In conversation with Public Health we are not giving blanket advice to schools to remain closed currently but will work with individual schools to make the right decision for their circumstances and support them in any way we can.”
LIZ TRUSS CONFIDENT SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL REOPEN IN JANUARY
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss remains confident secondary schools will open in January.
Pressed on whether the majority of secondary schools would open by January 11 and 18, depending on the area they are in, Ms Truss told Times Radio: “Absolutely. That’s what we are seeking to do.
“I’m a parent of secondary school children myself, so I know the challenges of making sure your children are keeping in touch with online learning, and we want to get those schools open.”
WALES: MARK DRAKEFORD SAYS SCHOOL-RETURN PLAN WILL BE KEPT ‘UNDER CONSIDERATION’
The return plan for schools in Wales will be kept “under consideration” following concerns about the new strain of coronavirus, First Minister Mark Drakeford has said.
Two teaching unions have called for face-to-face teaching, set to resume for most schools between January 11 and 18, to be delayed until the impact of the Covid-19 variant is assessed.
On Sunday, Mr Drakeford said a “phased and flexible return” had been agreed with local authorities which would allow schools to choose their reopening date based on the Covid situation in their area.
But he said the Welsh Government would “keep this under consideration”, while its technical advisory group would look at all available evidence early next week.
Mr Drakeford told BBC Radio Wales: “Of course we will continue to make decisions in the light of the best knowledge, research and information that’s available to us at the time.
“But as a government, we will not lose sight of the fact that we have a generation of young people here in Wales whose lives have been so badly disrupted in 2020, whose education needs to be put back on track.”
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiUmh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZXN1bi5jby51ay9uZXdzLzEzNjM0OTkzL3NjaG9vbC1vcGVuLWxpdmUtbGF0ZXN0LWNvdmlkLW5ld3MtdXBkYXRlcy_SAVZodHRwczovL3d3dy50aGVzdW4uY28udWsvbmV3cy8xMzYzNDk5My9zY2hvb2wtb3Blbi1saXZlLWxhdGVzdC1jb3ZpZC1uZXdzLXVwZGF0ZXMvYW1wLw?oc=5
2021-01-04 00:26:44Z
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