Johnson claims school with “full attendance” in September

The PM claimed "full attendance" at schools in September. School associations replied to Johson: "pure fantasy", classrooms are too small.

Boris Johnson has announced to MPs that schools will reopen in September with “full attendance”. The social distancing rules are going to be reduced to one metre.

Johnson about school “full attendance” in September

Johnson declared: “Primary and secondary school education will recommence in September with full attendance. Those children who can already go to school should do so because it is safe“. Also the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer agreed on the decision to reopen, and exhort parents to send back children to school.

The two-metre social distancing will be replaced by a “one-metre plus” distance. It permits citizens to stay close using cautions, like wearing a face masks.

Union leader asked a 169-point checklist to fill before teachers came back. Amid safety concern are to ensure for mark books safety, classroom supply with tissues and children with their own water bottles. Controversy from MPs, accusing that trade unions are fostering a view of schools as “death traps”.

Geoff Barton defined it “pure fantasy”

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders pointed the PM statements as “pure fantasy”. He added: “There has been a lot of conjecture that relaxing the two-metre social distancing rule to one metre will allow all children to return to school in September.”

Barton said: “It may be possible to accommodate more pupils in classrooms with a one-metre (plus) separation, but not all pupils. There just isn’t enough space in many classrooms to do this. It isn’t a magic bullet, and nor is the Education Secretary’s suggestion on Friday of doubling the size of social bubbles to 30, in order to facilitate a full return to schools. We need a proper strategy to bring children back into schools and colleges based in reality and on public health guidance.”

The debate over school reopening

More than three in four primary schools increased the number of children last week. About 78 per cent of education settings that usually have children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 or Year 6 were open to at least one of these year groups on June 18. Over two in three primary schools opened more largely to pupils from 11 June.

Schools, colleges and nurseries have shut the doors 13 weeks ago due to the Covid-19 emergency. They remained accessible just to vulnerable youngsters and the children of key workers. From that moment Governement and labour unions have hardly debated about school reopening.