The Department for Education has not ruled out secondary schools in areas with Covid-19 outbreaks being allowed to open under a rota system.

Reports today say the government is considering a plan that would mean that secondary schools in areas under local lockdowns would only be allowed to stay open on a rota basis.

When asked today whether this was being planned, both the business secretary Alok Sharma and the Department for Education did not rule it out in their responses.

The government has made it clear that opening schools to all pupils next month is a national priority.

Schools reopening: Three-quarters of parents want a choice over returning to school

Coronavirus: Masks for teachers and older pupils ‘should be considered’

Headteachers: ‘Where is the government’s plan B?’

But there are questions about what the impact of local spikes in Covid-19 will mean for schools.

There are currently 20 council areas of the country with some form of local restrictions in place because of the coronavirus.

Coronavirus: Keeping schools open

A report in The Times today says that a government source was looking for “creative ways” to keep children in education even if cases of Covid-19 increased in local areas.

The guidelines would involve primary schools remaining open as normal, according to the report.

Mr Sharma was asked on Radio 4‘s Today programme: “Are you considering secondary schools operating on a rota in parts of England where there are Covid outbreaks?

He replied: “I think what we have been very clear about is that we want to see all children back in school in September and you will have seen the statement that was made by the chief medical officers in the last couple of days that the risk of contracting Covid in schools is very small.

“Actually there’s a high level of confidence from parents in terms of returning their children back into  school…I am confident that schools will be open and we will see children coming back.”

When he was pressed again on the question, he added: “We are going to have to look at local lockdown issues on a case-by-case by basis. That is what we have done until this point. The priority, though, is to get children back in school.

“If we were in the event of a local lockdown, schools would be the last sector that we would want to close.”

When asked by Tes if the government was considering plans to allow secondary schools to open on a rota, a DfE spokesperson said: “Getting all children back into their classrooms full-time in September is a national priority, because it is the best place for their education, development and wellbeing.

“Schools across the country are putting in place a range of protective measures to ensure children can get back into their classes safely, and we are working with the sector to help them to be as prepared as possible with clear guidance for opening as well as contingency planning in the event of a local lockdown.” 

Guidance to schools from the DfE says that if a local area sees a spike in infection rates, “appropriate authorities will decide which measures to implement to help contain the spread”.

It adds that the DfE will be involved in decisions about schools at a local and national level.

Earlier this month the Association of School and College Leaders raised concerns that schools and communities needed more guidance about when local spikes in Covid-19 should result in schools closing.

The ASCL highlighted this after the government imposed new restrictions on parts of North West of England and much of West Yorkshire at very short notice.