KIDS are heading back to school in parts of Scotland today as Boris Johnson leans on unions to get children back in the classrooms in the coming weeks.
For many pupils it will be the first time they’ve set foot in the classroom since the start of the pandemic five months ago.
Schools in the Borders and Shetland will be first to reopen – and most other local authorities will follow suit on Wednesday.
Most schools have stayed open during the pandemic, but have only been providing classes for the children of key workers.
Some secondary school kids had some contact with their teachers before they broke up for the summer.
In Scotland schools go back a few weeks before those in England.
Boris Johnson has vowed to stand up to teaching unions who say it’s not safe for kids to get back in the classrooms.
He says all kids in England will be returning in September.
It came as:
- The PM’s spokesperson confirmed that schools would be the last to close in any future local lockdowns.
- A minister insisted that wearing masks in class can harm learning
- A fresh study showed older children could transmit the virus as easily as adults – but that kids are still unlikely to get sick
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said yesterday: “Schools would be the absolute last sector to close in any local lockdown.
“Other venues would be expected to be closed first in the event that strict lockdown measures would have to be applied.
“It is a national priority to get schools open and keep schools open.”
He said a “detailed and robust plan” had been developed in the event of pupils coming down with the virus, adding: “Local directors of public health would agree appropriate measures with the schools – for instance, the bubble which the infected child was in not attending school for 14 days.”
Test kits will be available for schools to help them quickly get a child or member of staff tested if they need to.
Kids will be kept in their own “bubbles” as much as possible and only stay in their own classes when they can.
Staggered break times, start and finish times will also be adopted to keep people apart.
Schools will only have to close if there’s evidence it’s the centre of a large outbreak.
But most of the evidence has shown that younger pupils don’t catch and spread the virus as easily as older people.
However, last night The Times reported a fresh study from PHE which is expected to say that older, secondary school pupils can transmit it just like adults do.
School unions have argued that extra measures must be put in place for older pupils to stop the spread in education establishments.
Some are pressing for kids and teachers to have to wear masks all day to keep themselves safe – like is the case in some schools in other countries.
A handful of schools in England have made masks part of the uniform.
But kids under 11 don’t need to wear them, the Government’s own advice says.
Health minister Edward Argar said earlier on BBC Breakfast: “On the basis of the many studies we’ve seen so far, I think parents can have confidence that it’s safe for their children to go back to school and it’s very important their children do go back to school so they can continue their education.”
