Schools let down by lack of coronavirus 'plan B'

The National Education Union has accused ministers of letting down pupils, teachers and parents by failing to have a ‘plan B’ if coronavirus infections rise.

The UK's four chief medical officers have insisted it is safe for students to return to school this month, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisting it would be more damaging to children long-term if they did not return when schools are allowed to reopen.

Professor Chris Whitty, the UK's chief medical adviser, said ‘the chances of children dying from Covid-19 are incredibly small’ - but missing lessons ‘damages children in the long run’.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, which represents more than 450,000 members, said that the union agreed about the benefits of pupils returning to full-time education, but that the government needed to provide more information on what to do in the event of an outbreak.

He said: "Government advice needs to cover the possible self-isolation of bubbles and, in extremis, moving to rotas or to more limited opening. It needs to cover advice to heads about the protections needed for staff in high-risk categories if infection rates rise."

According to a Public Health England study, of the more than one million children who attended pre-school and primary schools in England in June, 70 children and 128 staff were infected in outbreaks of the virus.

The government has said all pupils, in all year groups, in England will be expected to return to class full-time in September. Schools have already reopened in Scotland.