'Deeply worrying' that plan for all primary schools to return before summer being dropped, says Children's Commissioner

Ewan Somerville9 June 2020

Plans to scrap a target to get all primary pupils back to school before the summer holidays have been branded “deeply worrying” by the Government's education tsar.

Anne Longfield, the Children's Commissioner for England, said she was “incredibly concerned” about the long-term impact on children’s education and wellbeing and "hugely disappointed".

Ministers had set a goal for all primary pupils to return to the classroom for at least four weeks before the end of term.

But Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is expected to tell MPs today that it is no longer feasible and that schools will now be given “flexibility” over whether or not to admit more pupils.

Ms Longfield told BBC Breakfast: “Children are isolated, missing their friends, real mental health concerns, and also concerns about safeguarding when they’re at home.”

Anne Longfield said she was deeply worried about the move (Russell Sach/Children's Commissioner/PA )
Russell Sach/Children's Commissioner for England/PA

She added: “We know that there’s a real variation in learning. We’ve got some children, more affluent children, especially those going to private schools, who are literally attending zoom schools from nine till three in the afternoon with lessons as normal.

“And we know that 90 per cent of disadvantaged children aren’t going online for more than two hours, if that.

“We also know there’s about a million children who just don’t have the tech or the broadband to be able to learn in this way."

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is expected to announce the changes in the Commons later
PA

It followed the admission by Health Secretary Matt Hancock that secondary schools would not reopen until September “at the earliest” despite saying coronavirus was “in retreat” across the UK.

The Department of Education said it remained the “ambition” for all primary school children to return before the summer holidays, but did not deny reports Mr Williamson will accept this desire may not be fulfilled.

Boris Johnson will speak with his Cabinet on Tuesday morning before Education Secretary Gavin Williamson delivers a statement to Parliament on the wider reopening of schools.

Headteachers welcomed the apparent climbdown, having warned the plan was not practical given Government guidance tells teachers to keep class sizes to a maximum of 15.

"The 'ambition' to bring back all primary year groups for a month before the end of the summer term was a case of the government over-promising something that wasn't deliverable," said Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL headteachers' union.

Many children have gone months without lessons in school
REUTERS

"It isn't possible to do that while maintaining small class sizes and social bubbles, so we aren't surprised that the policy has been jettisoned," he said.

Paul Whiteman, of the National Association of Head Teachers, added that "we're pleased to see the government will not force the impossible" and that the plan had too many "practical barriers".

Last Monday primary schools began the process of inviting back another two million children across three year groups, however some councils have kept them shut and there are concerns over regional disparities in the R infection rate of the virus.

Secondary pupils in Years 10 and 12 are due to begin a phased return for some face-to-face lessons from June 15.

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