By Sheila Mckenzie-
Ministers are torn between supporting scientific advisers and warnings from the Department for Education that switching to remote learning for the whole of January would make it difficult for schools and colleges to reopen again before Easter, jeopardising summer exams.
The revised timetable is designed for only older students taking exams, such as A-levels and GCSEs, receiving remote teaching for the week from 4 January, effectively giving most secondary pupils an extra week’s holiday while schools and colleges gear up to carry out mass testing.
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The week beginning 11 January will see mainly years 11 and 13, would be allowed back in the classroom while others are taught remotely. All other year groups will then return in person from 18 January.
Vulnerable secondary-aged children and children of key workers would be able to return to school from 4 January, regardless of their year group. Pushing learning online for other pupils will compromise their full learning because not all students will benefit well from online learning without some academic supervision.
Boris Johnson is said to be considering the proposals, with the final decisions announced on Wednesday alongside the tier review for England, and more data on the national infection rate.
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Higher Priority Group
The government is also expected to reveal that school staff, including teachers, would be moved into a higher priority group to receive Covid vaccinations, but still below NHS workers and the most vulnerable groups.
Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “We haven’t had any contact from the government since Christmas about whether or not the spring term will go ahead as planned, and it has been intensely frustrating that there has been a swirl of speculation with no clarity and with less than a week before term begins.
“We would very much welcome any plans to prioritise school and college staff for Covid vaccinations because they are being asked to go into an environment which is inherently busy and crowded,” Barton said. “Vaccinations would give them extra reassurance, reduce the need for staff to self-isolate, and mean less disruption.”
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