Schools should reopen if it is safe to do so, the British Medical Association has said, in an effort to row back from support they threw to the teaching unions. Last night a final decision on whether to reopen schools on June 1 was left hanging in the balance after discussions between Education Secretary Gavin … Read more
Union chiefs are now warning teachers it will ‘not be safe’ to mark pupils’ books when schools reopen, while casting yet more doubt on the government’s plans to bring children back to primary schools next month. Staff who are members of the UK biggest teaching union will be told to go through a 20-page checklist with … Read more
Teaching unions look set once again to clash with the government over plans to reopen schools next month, with one union chief today raising fears that classrooms could become ‘centres of transmission’ for Covid-19. Paul Whiteman, head of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT), said the government must lay out the level of risk … Read more
Britain’s head teachers’ union has backed plans for schools to reopen on June 1 following meetings with key government advisers. The Association of School and College Leaders claim teachers were no more at risk than any other profession heading back to work as coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease. Early-years union The National Association of Head Teachers said … Read more
The wartime President of the United States, Franklin D Roosevelt, once proclaimed that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And at this critical moment, nothing could be more true – not least when it comes to the inflammatory debate about whether or not some primary-aged children should return to the classroom … Read more
Special ‘catch-up summer camps’ could be set up in the school holidays as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson hints at other ‘initiatives’ Pupils could be sent on special ‘summer camps’ to receive missed tuition Education Secretary hints of ‘initiatives’ to be rolled out during the summer Gavin Williamson outlined his plans for a phased school reopening from … Read more
Gavin Williamson piled pressure on teaching unions and local politicians today as he warned of the dire ‘consequences if children did not start returning to school. The Education Secretary made a blunt appeal to the emotions of parents tonight as he insisted planning can begin to reopen classrooms from as early as next month. Outlining … Read more
The bitter row over Government plans to reopen schools exploded into fresh coronavirus chaos today as a second council said it would defy Government orders to restart classes. Hartlepool in County Durham, joined Liverpool in saying it would ignore the plan to let some primary school pupils back to the school from June 1. Education … Read more
The British Medical Association has said teachers’ unions are ‘absolutely right’ to say it is unsafe for schools to open on June 1 – as The Children’s Commissioner led a chorus of influential voices urging unions to co-operate with plans. The UK’s largest doctors’ union warned the number of coronavirus cases was still too high … Read more
BMA says teachers’ unions are ‘absolutely right’ to claim it is unsafe for schools to open on June 1 while Children’s Commissioner leads calls to get pupils back as soon as possible Anne Longfield called on union leaders to work with ministers to get pupils back Former Labour education secretary has also criticised trade union … Read more
Safe social distancing can be done in schools, a top minister insisted today as the Government set itself up for a major row with education unions. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said it was vital pupils were back in classrooms within weeks, both to allow key workers to keep working to save lives from coronavirus … Read more
The row between teachers and unions over when and how to reopen our schools exploded last night. In an extraordinary intervention, former education secretary David Blunkett accused the unions of ‘working against the interests of children’ by continuing to frustrate teachers who are desperate to get back into the classroom. And current Education Secretary Gavin … Read more
The Government faced mounting resistance to its plan to reopen schools within weeks today as a major city mayor vowed to defy orders to get children back into classrooms. Liverpool’s Joe Anderson said that he would ‘resist’ efforts by ministers to allow primary school pupils to return by June 1, because of the high level … Read more