Roadmap out of lockdown: Schools to reopen from 8 March with PVI nurseries included in mass testing
Fiona Simpson
Monday, February 22, 2021
Schools are set to reopen from 8 March, Boris Johnson has said, announcing plans for mass testing for teachers, secondary school pupils and staff at private, voluntary and independent (PVI) nurseries.
The Prime Minister today (22 February) introduced his “roadmap” out of lockdown in the House of Commons.
He said all primary school pupils will return to settings on 8 March with individual secondary school settings responsible for which years will return and when during the first week.
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Attendance at school will be mandatory with parents threatened with fines for children who do not return, it has been announced.
Mass testing will be put in place in secondary schools while pupils and staff have also been advised to wear masks in classrooms and areas where “social distancing is not possible” until Easter.
However, staff have been urged to “exercise sensitivity” over the wearing of face coverings when teaching children with hearing loss or those with communication difficulties.
All secondary school and college students will take three Covid-19 tests as they return to the classroom from the 8 March at existing school testing facilities, the Department for Education has announced.
Schools and colleges will have discretion on how to test students over that week to enable their return to the classroom, a statement said.
After the initial programme of three tests in school or college, students will be provided with two rapid tests to use each week at home.
Secondary school and college staff will also be provided with two tests to use each week at home.
Meanwhile, primary school staff will continue to take two rapid Covid-19 tests each week at home and secondary school and college staff will also be provided with two tests to use each week at home.
Wraparound childcare for primary and secondary pupils will also resume from 8 March where necessary to enable parents to access work, education or medical care.
DfE has also announced that all staff at PVI nurseries will have access to tests to use twice weekly at home, building on the testing already available to maintained nursery schools and school-based nurseries.
This comes following a campaign by early years leaders calling for equal testing for staff across all settings.
Purnima Tanuku, chief executive of the National Day Nurseries Association, hailed the move as “fantastic”.
She said: “We have worked hard alongside our members to ensure the practical and logistical challenges are overcome. We hope that soon childminders will also be able to access the testing kits. Early years staff have been desperately waiting for this support since the scheme for schools was announced in December.
“We hope that the roll-out of this plan can happen as soon as possible so early years workers can test at home before setting off to work, limiting the spread of the virus. The next stage has to be the question of vaccination for staff because that is how we can ensure they are as safe as possible and minimise the disruption of care and education for our youngest children.”
Childminders can continue to access community testing, DfE has said, adding that it continues to work with colleagues across government to review the testing approach available for childminders.
Education secretary Gavin Williamson said: “The testing of staff and students ahead of their return to secondary schools and colleges, alongside strengthened safety measures, should reassure families and education staff that extra measures are in place alongside the existing bubble system, enhanced hygiene and Covid secure precautions.
“We are all well aware that being back in school or college brings huge benefits to young people’s education, development and wellbeing. The classroom is the very best place for education and the return of face-to-face teaching for all pupils will be a welcome move for pupils and parents across the country.”
However, unions have criticised the mass return of pupils, questioning why Johnson has not introduced a phased return similar to those seen in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
Dr Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “Why has the English government not taken the same route as Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland whose cautious, phased approach to school opening will enable their governments to assess the impact a return to the classroom will have on the R rate and to make necessary adjustments to their plans.
“The government has had two months to put extra mitigations in place to stop the growth in infection in schools that was seen from September to December. Where are the ventilation units for classrooms? Where are the nightingale classrooms? Where is the PHE testing which school leaders could rely upon to give more accurate results?
“The government must publish the science and the modelling which informs their unique school return plan.”