Coronavirus: Boris Johnson says it is 'vitally important' children return to class - BBC News

It is "vitally important" children go back to school, with the life chances of a generation at stake, Boris Johnson has said in a message to parents.

As schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland prepare to reopen, the PM said the risk of contracting coronavirus in one was "very small".

He said "it is far more damaging for a child's development and their health... to be away from school any longer".

Mr Johnson's words echoed those of the UK's four chief medical officers.

They have all signed a joint statement alongside deputy chief medical officers to reassure parents schools could mitigate risks during the pandemic.

Pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to return to school in the coming days and weeks. In Scotland, schools have already reopened.

Mr Johnson said in a statement released on Sunday evening that he thanked school staff for spending summer "making classrooms Covid Secure".

"I have previously spoken about the moral duty to reopen schools to all pupils safely," he added.

"We have always been guided by our scientific and medical experts, and we now know far more about coronavirus than we did earlier this year."

Citing comments from England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty at the weekend, Mr Johnson said that "the risk of contracting Covid-19 in school is very small and it is far more damaging for a child's development and their health and wellbeing to be away from school any longer".

"This is why it's vitally important that we get our children back into the classroom to learn and to be with their friends.

"Nothing will have a greater effect on the life chances of our children than returning to school."

Prof Whitty said in an interview at the weekend that children were more likely to be harmed by not returning to school next month than if they caught coronavirus.

"There's also very clear evidence from the UK and around the world that children much less commonly get a severe illness and end up having to be hospitalised if they get symptomatic Covid," he added.

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According to the Office for National Statistics' latest data on ages, there were 10 deaths recorded as "due to Covid-19" among those aged 19 and under in England and Wales between March and June - and 46,725 deaths among those aged 20 and over.

Of the more than one million children who attended pre-school and primary schools in England in June, 70 children and 128 staff were infected in outbreaks of the virus, according to a Public Health England study published on Sunday.

It is expected that pupils in Northern Ireland going into years seven, 12 and 14 will return to school full-time on Monday, with the rest going back from 31 August. In England and Wales, pupils will return to school from 1 September.

Paul Jackson, headteacher of a primary school in east London, told the BBC that it would have been useful to have clearer guidance from the government for school leaders and additional funding to help to pay for extra cleaning and other resources.

"The guidance is issued for all schools. So whether you are a very small school, with maybe just 70 pupils or whether you are a large school like us with 750 pupils, the guidance issued is exactly the same," he said.

No 'plan B'

Meanwhile, teaching unions have said schools are being let down by the lack of a "plan B" as they prepare to reopen.

The NEU, the UK's largest teaching union, said more staff, extra teaching space and greater clarity on what to do if there is a spike in cases was needed for schools to reopen safely.

And the NASUWT teachers' union said the "critical importance" of social distancing and hygiene had been reinforced by the chief medical officers' statement - but more data was needed on the racial disparities of Covid-19.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson wrote in the Sunday Times that he wanted to reassure every parent and pupil schools were "ready for them", and the autumn return to schools was "more important than ever".

But he was later forced to defend taking a trip to see family in North Yorkshire this month, amid claims he missed a "crucial meeting" a week before A-level results were due.

Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Layla Moran said the country and "seemingly the PM" had "lost faith" in Mr Williamson.

"To restore confidence among parents, pupils and teachers the best thing the prime minister could do is sack him, rather than speak for him," she said.

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• GCSE AND A LEVEL STRESS: How to deal with exam result emotions

Are you returning to school or college? Is your child or grandchild? Share your views and experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

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2020-08-23 22:33:56Z
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Coronavirus: Boris Johnson says it is 'vitally important' children return to class - BBC News

It is "vitally important" children go back to school, with the life chances of a generation at stake, Boris Johnson has said in a message to parents.

As schools in England, Wales and Northern Ireland prepare to reopen, the PM said the risk of contracting coronavirus in one was "very small".

He said "it is far more damaging for a child's development and their health... to be away from school any longer".

Mr Johnson's words echoed those of the UK's four chief medical officers.

They have all signed a joint statement alongside deputy chief medical officers to reassure parents schools could mitigate risks during the pandemic.

Pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to return to school in the coming days and weeks. In Scotland, schools have already reopened.

Mr Johnson said in a statement released on Sunday evening that he thanked school staff for spending summer "making classrooms Covid Secure".

"I have previously spoken about the moral duty to reopen schools to all pupils safely," he added.

"We have always been guided by our scientific and medical experts, and we now know far more about coronavirus than we did earlier this year."

Citing comments from England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty at the weekend, Mr Johnson said that "the risk of contracting Covid-19 in school is very small and it is far more damaging for a child's development and their health and wellbeing to be away from school any longer".

"This is why it's vitally important that we get our children back into the classroom to learn and to be with their friends.

"Nothing will have a greater effect on the life chances of our children than returning to school."

Prof Whitty said in an interview at the weekend that children were more likely to be harmed by not returning to school next month than if they caught coronavirus.

"There's also very clear evidence from the UK and around the world that children much less commonly get a severe illness and end up having to be hospitalised if they get symptomatic Covid," he added.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

According to the Office for National Statistics' latest data on ages, there were 10 deaths recorded as "due to Covid-19" among those aged 19 and under in England and Wales between March and June - and 46,725 deaths among those aged 20 and over.

Of the more than one million children who attended pre-school and primary schools in England in June, 70 children and 128 staff were infected in outbreaks of the virus, according to a Public Health England study published on Sunday.

It is expected that pupils in Northern Ireland going into years seven, 12 and 14 will return to school full-time on Monday, with the rest going back from 31 August. In England and Wales, pupils will return to school from 1 September.

Paul Jackson, headteacher of a primary school in east London, told the BBC that it would have been useful to have clearer guidance from the government for school leaders and additional funding to help to pay for extra cleaning and other resources.

"The guidance is issued for all schools. So whether you are a very small school, with maybe just 70 pupils or whether you are a large school like us with 750 pupils, the guidance issued is exactly the same," he said.

No 'plan B'

Meanwhile, teaching unions have said schools are being let down by the lack of a "plan B" as they prepare to reopen.

The NEU, the UK's largest teaching union, said more staff, extra teaching space and greater clarity on what to do if there is a spike in cases was needed for schools to reopen safely.

And the NASUWT teachers' union said the "critical importance" of social distancing and hygiene had been reinforced by the chief medical officers' statement - but more data was needed on the racial disparities of Covid-19.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson wrote in the Sunday Times that he wanted to reassure every parent and pupil schools were "ready for them", and the autumn return to schools was "more important than ever".

But he was later forced to defend taking a trip to see family in North Yorkshire this month, amid claims he missed a "crucial meeting" a week before A-level results were due.

Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Layla Moran said the country and "seemingly the PM" had "lost faith" in Mr Williamson.

"To restore confidence among parents, pupils and teachers the best thing the prime minister could do is sack him, rather than speak for him," she said.

• SUMMER PLANS CANCELLED?: Joe Wicks is here for you - bringing you sunshine in a podcast
• GCSE AND A LEVEL STRESS: How to deal with exam result emotions

Are you returning to school or college? Is your child or grandchild? Share your views and experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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2020-08-23 21:32:00Z
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Coronavirus: Schools let down by lack of 'plan B', says union - BBC News

More staff, extra teaching space and greater clarity on what to do if there is a spike in cases is needed for schools to reopen safely, the UK's largest teaching union has said.

The National Education Union (NEU) accused the government of letting down pupils, teachers and parents by failing to have a "plan B" if infections rise.

The UK's four chief medical officers have insisted it is safe to return.

The education secretary said ministers were doing "everything we can" to help.

Millions of pupils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are due to return to school in the coming days and weeks. In Scotland, schools have already reopened.

Writing in the Sunday Times, Gavin Williamson said he wanted to reassure every parent and pupil that schools were "ready for them", and the autumn return to schools was "more important than ever" this year.

Meanwhile, a further six deaths have been announced in the UK, bringing the total number of people to have died within 28 days of testing positive for coronavirus to 41,429.

On Saturday, the UK's chief medical adviser warned that children were more likely to be harmed by not returning to the classroom in September than if they catch coronavirus.

Prof Chris Whitty said "the chances of children dying from Covid-19 are incredibly small" - but missing lessons "damages children in the long run".

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, which represents more than 450,000 members, said the union agreed about the benefits of pupils returning to full-time education, but ministers needed to provide more information on what to do in the event of an outbreak.

"Government advice needs to cover the possible self-isolation of bubbles and, in extremis, moving to rotas or to more limited opening. It needs to cover advice to heads about the protections needed for staff in high-risk categories if infection rates rise."

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Extra staff should be employed and additional teaching space provided so education can continue "in a Covid-secure manner" if infections rise, Mr Courtney said.

He added: "This should include employment of student teachers who have finished their courses and not yet found jobs, as well as mobilisation of supply staff."

• Will pupils do a full school day next term?
• Could reopening schools spread coronavirus?

In a joint statement, the nations' four chief medical officers said: "The current global pandemic means that there are no risk-free options, but it is important that parents and teachers understand the balance of risks to achieve the best course of action for their children."

The statement said evidence suggested schools were "probably not a common route of transmission".

The NASUWT teachers' union said the "critical importance" of social distancing and hygiene had been reinforced by the chief medical officers' statement.

Of the more than one million children who attended pre-school and primary schools in England in June, 70 children and 128 staff were infected in outbreaks of the virus, according to a Public Health England study published on Sunday.

It is expected that pupils in Northern Ireland going into years seven, 12 and 14 will return to school full-time on Monday, with the rest going back from 31 August. In England and Wales, pupils will return to school from 1 September.

Paul Jackson, headteacher at Manorfield Primary School, Tower Hamlets, east London, told the BBC that it would have been useful to have clearer guidance from the government for school leaders and additional funding to help to pay for extra cleaning and other resources.

"The guidance is issued for all schools. So whether you are a very small school, with maybe just 70 pupils or whether you are a large school like us with 750 pupils, the guidance issued is exactly the same," he said.

Mr Jackson said it was "almost inevitable" that there would be a rise in cases when schools reopened, but it was important that children return to the classroom.

Prof Whitty, who is also England's chief medical officer, said "many more [children] were likely to be harmed by not going than harmed by going" to school.

According to the Office for National Statistics' latest data on ages, there were 10 deaths recorded as "due to Covid-19" among those aged 19 and under in England and Wales between March and June - and 46,725 deaths among those aged 20 and over.

A Department for Education spokesperson said: "We welcome the report from Public Health England, which makes clear that coronavirus infections in schools are extremely rare, as part of the growing evidence base which indicates schools do not appear to be a primary driver of infections in the community."

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Are you returning to school or college? Is your child or grandchild? Share your views and experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.

Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:

If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.

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2020-08-23 16:20:01Z
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Fury as Rule Britannia & Land of Hope and Glory may be cut from BBC Proms amid BLM protest - Express

The Defund the BBC campaign has hit back at the Beeb over its potential plans to axe the British anthems from the Proms line-up. Defund the BBC tweeted: “If the BBC do go ahead with stripping the last night of the Proms of patriotic songs #DefundTheBBC will organise a mass defund in retaliation.” 

Defund the BBC accused the broadcaster of “using every licence fee payer funded opportunity to signal its disdain for the British people”.

Calvin Robinson, who describes himself as a Defund the BBC campaign champion, also tweeted: “Why is the BBC pandering to hard-left extremists?

“Last Night of the Proms is a British institution. It's one of the rare occasions we still expect a little patriotism; That's not a bad thing, our Britishness is something that unites us! #DontDivideUs #DefundTheBBC”

Back in June, protests erupted around the world after African American George Floyd was killed by white police officers in the US. 

The protests also sparked a review into the UK’s colonial history. Several statues and monuments were destroyed in wake of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Slave trader Edward Colston’s statue was removed and thrown into the harbour in Bristol by protesters.

Robert Milligan’s statue was taken down by London authorities and it was announced a review of all the monuments in the capital will be issued.

Sir Winston Churchill’s statue in Whitehall was also vandalised and the words "was a racist" was dubbed on the monument.

READ MORE: Meghan and Harry are making one crucial issue their main focus 

Now, British anthems such as Rule Britannia and Land of Hope of Glory could also be axed from the annual Last Night of the Proms following the ongoing movement.

The BBC is considering dropping the songs amid fears of criticism due to their links to colonialism and slavery, the Times reported.

Dalia Stasevska, who is conducting the event on September 12, said a “ceremony without an audience is the perfect moment to bring change”.

Due the coronavirus outbreak, this years event, which marks the 125th, will be performed in front of an empty Royal Albert Hall.

As the orchestra is expected to be much smaller due to social distancing measures, Rule, Britannia is unlikely to be able to be performed.

Jan Younghusband, head of BBC music TV commissioning, said: “We have a lot of problems about how many instruments we can have.

“It is hard to know whether it is physically possible to do [Rule, Britannia].

“Some of the traditional tunes, like Jerusalem, are easier to perform… We also don’t know if we’ll be in a worse situation in two weeks’ time.”

Rule, Britannia originates from a poem by James Thomson and became symbolic with the British Empire and Navy in 1745.

The song has been widely criticised for lines such as “Britons never, never, never shall be slaves”, hinting at the nation’s involvement in the slave trade.

Last month, BBC columnist Richard Morrison called for the songs to be axed from the set-list calling them “crudely jingoistic”.

He urged, in the BBC Music Magazine, for organisers to replace the “toe-curling embarrassing anachronistic farrago of nationalistic songs”.

BBC Proms director David Pickard said: “These are challenging times for our nation and the rest of the world, but they show that we need music and the creative industries more than ever.

“This year it is not going to be the Proms as we know them, but the Proms as we need them.

“We will provide a stimulating and enriching musical summer for both loyal Proms audiences and people discovering the riches we have to offer for the first time.”

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2020-08-23 13:57:00Z
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UK medical expert Chris Whitty explains missing school is greater risk to children than coronavirus - The Sun

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1. UK medical expert Chris Whitty explains missing school is greater risk to children than coronavirus  The Sun
2. Coronavirus: Missing school is worse than virus for children - Whitty  BBC News
3. Chris Whitty: Evidence that missing school damages children in long run is 'overwhelming' | Covid-19  The Telegraph
4. Reopening schools 'risks rise in cases but missing lessons worse for children'  The Guardian
5. Coronavirus: We will see 'real problems' with COVID-19 this winter, chief medical officer says  Sky News
6. View Full coverage on Google News

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2020-08-23 13:09:05Z
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A-level scandal: Education Secretary Gavin Williamson defends going on holiday before results day - Sky News

The education secretary has defended going on holiday a week before the A-level exams controversy.

Gavin Williamson cancelled a key meeting to go on holiday in Scarborough - days before teenagers received their results, according to The Sunday Times.

In a message posted on Twitter, Mr Williamson defended the trip, writing: "I cancelled our family holiday abroad this year to focus on the challenges COVID-19 created for the education sector.

"Over the summer, I went to see family in Scarborough for the first time since lockdown, and while there I was in constant communication with the department."

It comes after education minister Gillian Keegan was criticised for sharing photos of herself in France as the results fiasco unfolded.

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Mr Williamson liked several of the pictures, The Mail on Sunday reported.

The education secretary has resisted calls to resign over a controversial algorithm that was initially used to grade A-level pupils whose exams were cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

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When the results were released it was revealed that nearly 40% of A-level marks had been downgraded in England.

Williamson: 'It was the right thing to do'

The system also appeared to advantage private schools, which saw nearly double the number of increases in top marks year-on-year compared to state comprehensives.

It was eventually scrapped in favour of teacher-assessed grades, with Mr Williamson telling Sky News earlier this week he was "incredibly sorry for the distress" the row had caused.

He said up until A-level results day he had "every confidence" the algorithm would not penalise disadvantaged students.

Exams U-turn a 'massive relief' for students

Amid the controversy, the prime minister has been on holiday in Scotland.

On the day A-level results were released, Boris Johnson had given his full endorsement to the algorithm.

He said: "Let's be in no doubt about it - the exam results we've got today are robust, they're good, they're dependable for employers."

Image: The family shared pictures from the Scottish Highlands. Pic: Carrie Symonds

Mr Johnson and his fiancee Carrie Symonds have cut short their holiday after pictures of their cottage were published.

A government source confirmed to the PA news agency that the Prime Minister has returned from Scotland.

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2020-08-23 12:05:51Z
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Coronavirus: More than 70 Birmingham parties disrupted by police - BBC News

More than 70 unlicensed social gatherings including house and street parties were disrupted by police in Birmingham overnight.

Events included a "large street party" in the Northfield area that featured two marquees and a DJ, officers said.

The operation followed Friday's announcement that the city had been added to a government watch list due to a spike in positive Covid-19 cases.

"We are still in a pandemic," city police reminded the public on Sunday.

In the Quinton area of Birmingham, people at a house party were dispersed.

Officers on Twitter said there were "lots of people complying with our advice".

A similar outcome was reported in Northfield where officers visited in the early hours of Sunday following calls about a street party.

"Everyone packed up and went home after we arrived - thank you for complying," Birmingham Police tweeted.

They later added: "Most people understand why we are doing this. Stay safe - don't risk spreading the virus."

West Midlands Police has been contacted for more detail on the overnight operation.

It is the third weekend of similar events seen by the force.

A week ago, officers discovered a rave of more than 300 people in Birmingham city centre during a night in which 80 gatherings were targeted.

On Friday, Birmingham was added to a national watch list of places with rising cases of Covid-19.

It has been classed by the government as an "area of enhanced support", meaning additional testing is to be rolled out, although there are no additional restrictions on top of current national guidelines.

Birmingham council leader Ian Ward said the step was a "wake-up call for everyone".

Meanwhile, the government has announced police in England will be able to fine organisers of illegal gatherings of more than 30 people up to £10,000 from Friday.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk

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2020-08-23 10:50:50Z
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