By Sheila Mckenzie-
Schools minister, Nick Gibbs, (pictured) has threatened legal action against school heads at another council threatening them with legal action if they choose to close schools before the end of term.
Mr Gibbs expressed deep disappointment and concern by the ”unilateral stance” of the London borough’s blanket call for schools to move to online learning in the week before Christmas. A number of schools in the UK have been pushing for closures due to rising infections among pupils, and increased fear the coronavirus could spread to teachers, some of whom may have other underlying issues.
Some schools implemented temporary closures during the second UK lockdown, and others had several pupils self isolating once it became known they had been in contact with someone who tested positive for the virus. The Department Of Education has reason for great concern about the quality of education British pupils will be receiving in a time of fear and calls for closures, added to a promise of generous grading for 2021 G.C.S.E and A level exams.
Mr Gibbs is having none of the pressure from school heads to see schools close early for Christmas, and rightfully so.
An excerpt of the school minister’s letter shown to The Eye Of Media.Com reads:
”We have seen how across the country many areas with much higher transmission rates than those in Waltham Forest have kept schools open, working closely with our regional teams and accessing support through this route. My teams are ready to answer questions and help you if required.
I believe there is no place in our response to this pandemic for unilateral action such as Waltham Forest Council has taken and we must keep schools open for face to face education. Under Schedule 17 of the Coronavirus Act 2020, the Secretary of State may make a direction to require schools to enable all pupils to attend full time. We will consider using these powers in this instance”.
Waltham Forest was one of three Labour-run local authorities which advised schools to close to the majority of pupils in the last week of term. The others were Greenwich and Islington councils.
The leader of Greenwich council said today that he had “no choice” but to ask all schools to stay open until the end of term, following a legal order from the Department for Education (DfE). The Department Of Education said regional schools commissioners had also issued letters to Waltham Forest and Islington councils, asking them to reconsider advising schools to move to remote learning. No legal direction has been issued to either council at this stage.
But Mr Gibb has separately written to school leaders in Waltham Forest directly, threatening them with legal action under the Coronavirus Act 2020, which states that the secretary of state may make a direction to require schools to enable all pupils to attend full time.
“We will consider using these powers in this instance,” he wrote.