Schools minister Robin Walker has said that schools should still allow parents to attend “important” nativity plays, despite schools being urged by local public health officials in areas with high Covid cases to consider moving shows online.
Mr Walker said he wanted to see as many nativity plays and end-of-term shows going ahead as possible.
“I think it’s good where those important traditions can be maintained that they are,” he said. “Of course I understand there will be schools that feel that they have to take extra precautions. Particularly when it’s about adults coming into a school, they need to be able to look at their local circumstances.”
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Mr Walker added that schools should “work with the local directors of public health who will have a feel for the local situation”, and that this could vary regionally.
The schools minister’s comments come as a growing number of councils are introducing stricter Covid controls in a bid to respond to high case numbers.
Tes understands that Herefordshire Council has introduced new guidance advising pupils who are close contacts of a positive case to stay home and take a PCR test before returning to school.
This comes after St Mary’s Primary School in Credenhill, Herefordshire and Darwen Aldridge Enterprise Studio in Lancashire closed their doors for a circuit-breaker period in an attempt to stem the rise in cases, which is putting pressure on staffing.
Furthermore, some councils in areas with high cases such as Dorset have told Tes they are asking schools to record their nativity and festive shows in case they are forced to cancel.
Last year, some schools faced legal action from the government after deciding to close early for the Christmas holidays owing to the rise in Covid cases.
However, Mr Walker admitted that some schools may have to move their shows online: “I recognise - and I had to do that last year - in these circumstances sometimes they will feel it’s safer for the children to go ahead with a performance and the parents to watch it remotely. That has been part of the reality that we’ve all been through.”
James Bowen, director of policy for the NAHT school leaders’ union, said: “School nativities are a special occasion for pupils, parents and staff.
“However, schools have so many things to balance when deciding what to do this year. They are dealing with varying advice from their local authorities, central government advice and a wide range of parent opinions - they really are caught between a rock and a hard place.
“Everyone will be hoping that this is the last year where restrictions will be necessary.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Christmas activities, such as nativity plays and end-of-term shows, are an important part of school life and an enormous amount of time and effort goes into putting them together.
“Leaders will, however, be realistic about the significant challenges they continue to face in tackling the disruption to normal school life brought by the coronavirus and will try to be flexible in managing the risks presented by bringing family members into the school environment to attend performances.”
It was recently reported that Tees Valley and Manchester local authorities have also advised schools to close nativities to parents.
