After today’s news that Sheffield City Council has added itself to the list of councils that will not be opening primary schools on Monday, it seems there are many areas around the country where pupils will not be returning to classrooms next week.
A new poll by the NAHT school leaders’ union has found that just 12 per cent of members surveyed said they would increase the number of pupils attending completely in line with government proposals from June 1 or June 8.
So who will be open to Reception and Year 1 and 6 pupils on Monday?
Academies
Academies looked likely to return sooner than local authority schools. Six academy trusts said they will reopen even if test, track and trace is not fully operational by next week, while 22 academy trusts signed a letter warning of “irreparable” damage to children’s education if schools do not reopen soon.
Councils
Sheffield is the latest in a series of councils to defy the government’s aims of opening primary schools more widely from 1 June. Hartlepool and Liverpool have also refused to ensure all pupils go back to school.
In Calderdale, schools have been advised that the 1 June reopening date is “too early”. Cheshire East has told schools that Reception and nursery-aged pupils can return in two weeks on 15 June, while Year 1 pupils will return from 22 June and Year 6 from 29 June, if there is capacity.
Both Cheshire West and Chester have said schools should plan to reopen from 8 June, while Durham has said 15 June is a “more realistic timeline” for schools to work towards.
Gateshead will gradually reintroduce pupils from 8 June, while Halton has said schools will not reopen before 8 June and only then if it is deemed safe.
Knowsley and Lancashire have advised schools not to extend their pupil populations by 1 June, while Sefton has also told schools to open from 15 June to give time for appropriate risk assessments.
Other councils refusing to open fully from 1 June include Solihull, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wakefield and Wigan.
Prep schools
According to Christopher King, chairman of the Independent Association of Prep Schools (Iaps), the vast majority of prep schools are planning to open on Monday, with only some boarding schools or specialist schools - such as Westminster Cathedral Choir School - remaining closed.
Previously, it was reported that Mr King said some Year 6 pupils would remain at home if the quality of remote learning was strong but today he said that Iaps had surveyed its members and found the majority of its 600 schools would reopen next week.
“A very large majority of them expect at least 50 per cent of pupils in as there is a lot of parental support for the return. A significant number expect up to 75 per cent, which seems to be at odds with the national sentiment,” he said.
He said parents and schools desired pupils to return.
