Schools to remain closed for another six weeks

Friday 17 April 2020

Schools, colleges and early years providers will be staying closed until the end of May, to all except vulnerable students and children of essential workers.

These arrangements have been in place since 23 March and the Director of Public Health yesterday decided they should remain until the end of next month.

The wider lockdown measures will start to scaled back from 25 April, with a phased return to 'normal' with some people allowed to return to work from the end of this month.

However, educational facilities will be closed to most students until the end of May, but that decision will be kept under review and Dr Nicola Brink said they could re-open earlier if supported by evidence.

“Closing schools, colleges and early years providers for all but those who are the children of essential workers and vulnerable students has been a key part of our response to this pandemic and has no doubt helped slow the  transmission of COVID-19 within the community,” said Dr Brink. “The decision to extend until the end of this coming half term will help us maintain the momentum we have built up.”

Education will resume next week via distance learning after the Easter break. Education staff have been working hard to prepare for these circumstances and all schools will now implement plans for distance learning, while a guidance document will be sent to all parents via their child’s school this afternoon to offer advice and information about how it will work.

Pictured: Dr Nicola Brink said we must not lose the gains made in recent weeks flattening the corona virus curve.

Deputy Matt Fallaize, President of the Committee for Education, Sport & Culture, acknowledged that distance learning cannot replicate a normal school day.

“However, all children have a right to education and Distance Learning has been designed to provide some structure and opportunities for purposeful learning. We of course recognise that most parents are not teachers and so we do not expect them to step into this role. In fact, the learning that schools will send has been specifically designed to help students work as independently as possible.

“It is really important to us that parents feel supported. We have produced a guidance document explaining how distance learning will work and this will be sent to all parents today. If any parent has concerns or questions not answered by that document, I would encourage them to speak to their child’s school.”

Deputy Gavin St. Pier, Chair of the Civil Contingencies Authority, said it is important to provide students, parents and education staff with certainty as the new term approaches.

“The closure of schools to the majority of students has played a key role in supporting our efforts to reduce the amount of community seeding. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the efforts of parents, many of whom are going through particularly challenging times as they balance their children being at home with having to continue to work, while also being understandably anxious about keeping their family safe.”

Pictured top: La Mare de Carteret school.