Online learning for Welsh pupils until 18th January
Kirsty Williams announced the move as Wales and the rest of UK went into Alert Level 5
The vast majority of Welsh school pupils have moved to online learning until at least the 18th January.
The Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams made the announcement yesterday after Wales along with other UK Nations moved to Alert Level Five:
"The situation in Wales and across the UK remains very serious. Today, the four UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed that the UK is now at the highest level of risk, Joint Biosecurity Council level 5.
"In the light of that decision the Welsh Government, in consultation with the WLGA and Colegau Cymru, has agreed that all schools, colleges and independent schools should move to online learning until January 18th.
"As a government we will use the next two weeks to continue to work with local authorities, schools and colleges to plan for the rest of term. "
The UK's chief medical officers have made the recommendations following the most recent data from the Joint Biosecurity Centre.
It is feared if action is not taken now several areas of the health service will be overwhelmed over the next 21 days.
England and Scotland won't be returning to face to face lessons until February.
The move has been cautiously welcomed by the Headteachers' union the NAHT:
Laura Doel, Director of NAHT Cymru, the Welsh school leaders’ union said:
“The decision to close schools to gain control of Coronavirus has been inevitable for some time. The announcement this evening will bring some much-needed clarity to the situation.
“Besides parents and carers there is no one more committed to the education and welfare of children at school than school leaders and their teams. NAHT Cymru members want children back in school as soon as possible and the restricted attendance from tomorrow should be used to organise an orderly and sustainable return.
“The Welsh Government has repeatedly said it wants to prioritise education, in that case it must also prioritise safety in schools and the communities schools serve.
“Work should be undertaken with school leaders and Public Health Wales to establish and agree new Covid-related safety measures in schools during the temporary restriction for implementation in good time prior to lifting restrictions.
“There needs to focus on vaccinating staff so that further disruption to teaching and learning can be ruled out."
Meanwhile Plaid Cymru have described it as an "eleventh hour" move.
Plaid Cymru’s Shadow Minister for Education, Siân Gwenllian MS said:
“This is clarity at the eleventh hour from the Welsh Government, leaving little or no time for parents and teachers to adapt to the changing circumstances.
“In Scotland, the Government has decided to move education on-line until February as the virus has got ahead of the vaccine. The Welsh Government needs to explain why it is lagging behind in taking robust action to get the virus under control.
“It is unclear what the Welsh Government expects will change in just two weeks’ time and so we risk being in the same position yet again with yet more confusion in a fortnight.
“An immunisation programme for all school staff needs to get underway with a timetable for roll out announced."
Here's the full statement from Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams:
The situation in Wales and across the UK remains very serious. Today, the four UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed that the UK is now at the highest level of risk, Joint Biosecurity Council level 5.
In the light of that decision the Welsh Government, in consultation with the WLGA and Colegau Cymru, has agreed that all schools, colleges and independent schools should move to online learning until January 18th.
As a government we will use the next two weeks to continue to work with local authorities, schools and colleges to plan for the rest of term.
This is the best way to ensure that parents, staff and learners can be confident in the return to face to face learning, based on the latest evidence and information.
Schools and colleges will remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners, as well as for learners who need to complete essential exams or assessments. On this basis Special Schools and PRU’s should remain open if possible.
We had initially given schools flexibility in the first two weeks of term to decide when to reopen based on local circumstances.
But it is now clear that a national approach of online learning for the first fortnight of term is the best way forward.
We know that schools and colleges have been safe and secure environments throughout the pandemic.
However, we also know that education settings being open can contribute to wider social mixing outside the school and college environment.
We are confident that schools and colleges have online learning provision in place for this immediate period,
Universities in Wales have already agreed a staggered start to term. Students should not return to universities for face to face learning until they are notified that they can do so.
Wales remains in the highest level of restrictions. Everyone must stay at home.