Education

A group representing school leaders in Norfolk has penned an open letter to parents dispelling rhetoric that teachers are blocking school reopenings and urging them to trust headteachers.

Secondary schools should only have a quarter of year 10 and year 12 pupils in at any one time to reduce coronavirus transmission risks, the Government’s new guidance says.

“It seems like whatever applies to the rest of society doesn’t apply in schools.”

Headteachers have warned children could be getting “part-time education” for some time, at a debate focused on the reopening of schools in Norfolk.

Individual headteachers and governors will be given the final say on when schools can open to more children, the leader of Norfolk County Council has said.

The Government’s plan to potentially start allowing children in reception, year one and six to return to school from June 1 has received mixed reactions.

Headteachers and the Norfolk representative of the biggest teachers’ union are set to join parents for a virtual video debate of the reopening of schools.

A Gorleston primary school has closed for a “deep clean” after the keyworker parent of a child tested positive for coronavirus.

Almost two thirds of parents in Norfolk believe that children should not return to school until September.

A college is set to hold a virtual open day next month to give students the chance to explore their options for further education.

Teachers and support staff should ask dozens of questions about safety before schools decide to open their doors to more pupils next month, according to the latest guidance from education unions.

Education chiefs say they recognise how “demanding” it will be for Norfolk schools to open to more children in the months ahead - and that headteachers will be best placed to decide when to reopen.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has appealed to teaching unions to work with the government to find “practical solutions” to enable schools in England to begin reopening.

A Norfolk MP has said that he is confident five-year-olds can be “taught” to socially distance in schools, despite teaching unions suggesting this is “impossible”.

Parents across Norfolk and Waveney have slammed suggestions children could return to school as soon as the beginning of next month.

A headteacher has laid out her vision of what a return to school could look like, saying she cannot guarantee the safety of children.

The government is aiming to see all primary school children spend a month back at school before the summer holidays, according to its updated guidance.

Students at a coastal college have been spreading joy in the community throughout the coronavirus crisis.

Headteachers have said plans for primary children to start returning to the classroom from June 1 needs to be proved to be safe and workable amid concerns over social distancing young pupils and staff.

Young children could start returning to nurseries in from June 1, with the aim for all primary school pupils to go back for a month before summer.

It’s a cliche to say school is the best days of your life, just at one Norfolk college it seems to be true, as dozens of former pupils enjoyed it so much they have returned to become members of staff.

A Norfolk MP has blasted the county council for failing to support vulnerable children and families, as a shock report found national failings to provide special educational needs plans are damaging children’s lives.

Reopening schools prematurely could risk creating a spike in the transmission of Covid-19, teaching unions have warned.

Fears digital divide risks Norfolk pupils ‘being left behind’ during lockdown Fears Norfolk pupils are missing out on home-schooling during lockdown due to poor internet access have been highlighted as a watchdog ranked the county in the bottom 5pc across England.

Calls have been made for younger pupils to return to schools first when the coronavirus lockdown lifts.

Coronavirus has impacted all levels of education, from nurseries to final exams. But for many 17 and 18-year-olds, the impact has been particularly acute.

More than a fifth of parents say they are not doing any home education with their primary school-aged children during the Covid-19 lockdown, a survey suggests.

Exams are a stressful time for pupils at the best of times, but the coronavirus crisis had added a layer of uncertainty to those who were expecting to sit them this summer.

Schools are set to reopen to children in a “phased manner” after the Covid-19 lockdown, the Education Secretary has said.