The government is under growing pressure to abandon plans to reopen most primary schools in England, with one teachers’ union demanding evidence it is safe to open and another telling members they do not have to work in an unsafe
environment.
On Wednesday the government announced that most primary schools will open as planned on Jan. 4, while the start of term for secondary school children will be Jan. 11 for pupils sitting exams, and Jan. 18 for the rest.
The National Association of Headteachers, England’s largest headteachers’ union, said on Saturday they had instructed lawyers to write to the government demanding that it reveals the data behind its decision to reopen schools.
The National Education Union called on the government to move learning online in all primary schools in England for the first few weeks of the month. It has also issued advice to its members reminding them of their legal right not to have to work in an unsafe environment.
Yesterday scientific advisers warned that the spread of the new strain of coronavirus was unlikely to be halted if schools reopened, while an Imperial College study published said it may not be possible to “control transmission” if children go back to classes as planned.
