Wales' back to school plans for September published

The Education Minister for Wales, Kirsty Williams, has confirmed that all pupils will be able to return to school in September, with only limited social distancing within contact groups.
    
The guidance says that at full operations, a contact group should consist of around 30 children. Some direct or indirect mixing between children in different contact groups will also be unavoidable, such as on transport, receiving specialist teaching or due to staffing constraints.
    
Social distancing for adults should remain in line with regulations and guidance.
    
Schools will be required to minimise the risk of transmission by taking other mitigating measures using the hierarchy of risk controls.
    
Every school should continue to be “Covid Protected” - having carried out risk assessments and mitigated them with a combination of controls such as hand and surface hygiene, one-way systems and so forth.
    
If early warning information shows a local incident or outbreak then nearby schools should implement appropriate restriction measures.

Each school will be provided with a supply of home testing kits.

The Minister confirmed that the autumn term will start on 1 September and schools that can accommodate all pupils from the start of the term should do so.

There will be a period of flexibility in recognition that schools may want to focus on priority year groups, such as those new to secondary schools, those sitting exams next summer or those in reception classes. This will also allow time, up to a fortnight, for any planning and reorganisation.  

The Minister also confirmed that updated operational and learning guidance for September will be published next week. Government education officials are supported in this work by local authorities, head-teachers, public health officials, teaching unions and education practitioners. The Minister outlined plans just hours after confirming the Welsh Government would make £29 million available to ‘recruit, recover and raise standards’ in Welsh schools in response to the impact still felt from the pandemic.