Special ‘catch-up summer camps’ could be set up in the school holidays as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson hints at other ‘initiatives’ Pupils could be sent on special ‘summer camps’ to receive missed tuition Education Secretary hints of ‘initiatives’ to be rolled out during the summer Gavin Williamson outlined his plans for a phased school reopening from … Read more
Gavin Williamson piled pressure on teaching unions and local politicians today as he warned of the dire ‘consequences if children did not start returning to school. The Education Secretary made a blunt appeal to the emotions of parents tonight as he insisted planning can begin to reopen classrooms from as early as next month. Outlining … Read more
The bitter row over Government plans to reopen schools exploded into fresh coronavirus chaos today as a second council said it would defy Government orders to restart classes. Hartlepool in County Durham, joined Liverpool in saying it would ignore the plan to let some primary school pupils back to the school from June 1. Education … Read more
BMA says teachers’ unions are ‘absolutely right’ to claim it is unsafe for schools to open on June 1 while Children’s Commissioner leads calls to get pupils back as soon as possible Anne Longfield called on union leaders to work with ministers to get pupils back Former Labour education secretary has also criticised trade union … Read more
Children’s Commissioner says let’s get schools open as she leads a chorus of influential voices urging teachers’ unions to co-operate with plans to reopen schools for the sake of pupils Anne Longfield called on union leaders to work with ministers to get pupils back Former Labour education secretary has also criticised trade union intransigence A … Read more
Safe social distancing can be done in schools, a top minister insisted today as the Government set itself up for a major row with education unions. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said it was vital pupils were back in classrooms within weeks, both to allow key workers to keep working to save lives from coronavirus … Read more
The row between teachers and unions over when and how to reopen our schools exploded last night. In an extraordinary intervention, former education secretary David Blunkett accused the unions of ‘working against the interests of children’ by continuing to frustrate teachers who are desperate to get back into the classroom. And current Education Secretary Gavin … Read more
Lord Blunkett today accused teaching unions of acting against the best interests of pupils David Blunkett, the former education secretary, today accused teaching unions of ‘working against the interests of children’ after they told members not to engage with the Government on its plans to reopen schools in June. Lord Blunkett, who served in the … Read more
Union bosses have set out a list of five conditions they claim must be observed to protect teachers if schools are to re-open amid the coronavirus pandemic. Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) warned that staff concerns must be ‘fully addressed’ before teachers would be … Read more
Ministers draw up plans to send children back to school by May 11 – but Education Secretary Gavin Williamson faces revolt as some want return delayed until June Friends of Gavin Williamson say that he wants children back in school by May 11 However, other ministers want the return of school pupils delayed until June … Read more