School will be safe for your children – Fallaize

SCHOOL will look very different when pupils return in two weeks, Education, Sport & Culture president Matt Fallaize has said.

Education, Sport & Culture president Deputy Matt Fallaize said parents who had concerns about their children going back to school will be able to keep them at home, but teachers are expected to work.

But it will be safe.

He was speaking after it was confirmed that all States schools would fully reopen for all age groups on 8 June.

The independent colleges and the College of Further Education are set to return the week before.

Parents will be able to opt out of sending their child for now if they have coronavirus concerns, however teachers will need to provide a good reason if they do not wish to go into work.

Deputy Fallaize said Public Health had always put the health of the population first and nothing had changed with this announcement.

‘We will continue to work with school leaders and parents to make sure schools are safe,’ he said.

He confirmed that if the position became worse again, schools would close, noting that it was unlikely that a coronavirus vaccine would be developed until next year.

He confirmed that pupils would be going back to full school days, five days a week. There is not, at this stage, any plans to stagger their return, although this might change.

Deputy Fallaize said they had been working closely with teachers and unions when it came to drawing up plans for pupils to go back.

He confirmed the school day would look very different.

‘It will look and feel quite different from how students remember schools from before this started,’ he said.

There would not be any assemblies or extra curricular activities. There would also be no large gatherings of pupils and students will have to socially distance as much as possible, as well as practice good personal hygiene.

Secondary pupils will be allowed to travel between classrooms.

Education has been working with transport providers and there will be school buses for those that need them. However, where possible pupils are asked to walk or cycle to school, to help with social distancing.

‘It will be operationally quite challenging,’ Deputy Fallaize said.

‘That’s why we are starting on 8 June, as we want to give time for teachers and school staff to prepare.’

He was also keen for teachers to be able to have some time off for half-term this week, as they had been working hard in recent weeks.

He noted that Bailiwick schools varied dramatically in size and site, and this would involve more challenges for some schools. However he said it was felt that all schools could open safely.

Around 10% of pupils have still been going to school, whether they are vulnerable or children of essential workers. But teachers have also had to help pupils outside school with distance learning.

‘Clearly the last few weeks have been very demanding for staff,’ he said.

Education has faced some online criticism about allowing pupils to go back, when Public Health is advising people to work from home where possible and deputies are also still holding their States meetings virtually.

Deputy Fallaize said education officials had been very much guided by the Public Health advice and that currently was that there was no reason why schools could not reopen fully.

He added that there was likely a small number who felt the schools should stay closed.

‘But there would be a number who would be greatly aggrieved if schools were remaining closed, in spite of the local public health advice,’ he said.

The plans are being drawn up and parents should receive information next week about plans for specific schools.