Commenting on the Government’s decision not to press ahead with
plans to bring all primary pupils back to school this term, Dr
Mary Bousted, Joint General Secretary of the National Education
Union, said:
“It has taken the government some time to recognise what was
obvious to most. The government’s social distancing rules made it
impossible for primary schools to admit all pupils before the
summer holidays. Primary schools and secondary schools will not
re-open to all pupils until September at the earliest. But even
that date cannot, as has recognised, be taken for
granted.
“The consequences of Covid-19 are going to be felt in our
education system for months to come. What is needed, now, is a
national plan for education, along the lines being developed by
the Scottish government. This should cover all possible scenarios
and focus on blended learning, at home and at school; greatly
increased support for disadvantaged children, including free
internet access so that they can access online teaching and
learning, and the requisitioning of local public spaces, such as
community centres and libraries, so that pressure on school space
is lessened and more children are able to return to school in
safe environments.
“The government must also plan for a second spike.
“Pupils in years 10 and 12 are facing an uncertain future. They
have lost a considerable amount of teaching time in school. The
government must work with Ofqual to redesign GCSE and A level
qualifications so that they are fair for all pupils – including
those without access to computers at home.
“The scale of the challenge is immense. We need a national
recovery plan for education along the lines of the job recovery
plan.”
