The head of England’s most successful academy trust has called on the government to set a date for the reopening of schools, as parents across England anticipate national offer day for primary schools.
Hamid Patel, chief executive of Star Academies, which runs a string of outstanding state schools in London, Birmingham, Manchester and other cities, said setting a date would provide a sense of purpose and put a stop to the distraction of endless speculation.
He was speaking on the eve of national offer day, when parents across England find out if their child has got a place at their primary school of choice for this September. This year it has been overshadowed by the continuing uncertainty about when schools will reopen following the Covid-19 lockdown.
“Confirmation of a date will of course be subject to medical advice – but having a date in mind is essential,” said Patel. “This could either be in mid-May or immediately after May half-term.
“Setting a date will provide a clear sense of purpose and avoid the confusion and distraction of endless speculation. People will be more likely to maintain compliance with social distancing measures if there is an end point in sight.”
There has been increasing speculation about when schools will reopen. The government has already had to clarify they will not open straight after the Easter holidays, while some school leaders have suggested a return in July for a few weeks before the school holidays are due to start.
A number of ministers are reported to be pushing for a much earlier date, suggesting that younger pupils should be allowed to return to school as early as 11 May to enable other lockdown restrictions to be relaxed.
The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, calling for the government to set out its plans for lifting the lockdown, said he thought reopening schools and mass testing should be among the first priorities.
The government has said it will only reopen schools when the scientific evidence says it is safe to do so. Ministers will, however, be watching other countries closely as they grapple with the same dilemma. In Denmark, where there have been far fewer deaths and lower rates of infection, children up to the age of 11 are returning to nurseries and schools this week.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, suggested a phased approach to reopening, with certain year groups going back first. “The reality is that a vaccination against Covid-19 could be 18 months or more away. So, we are going to need an interim plan,” he said.
“That could be built around social distancing measures – such as limiting class sizes and staggering break times, the use of protective equipment such as face masks, and regular cleaning of premises.”
Commenting on national offer day, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of National Association of Head Teachers, which represents the majority of primary school leaders, said: “It is vital that no child going through the primary admissions process this year should be disadvantaged.
“For those families not getting their first choice of school, the appeals process will be going ahead, albeit virtually. This process must be as robust as ever and be made clear to parents.”
Last year, 90.6% of pupils were offered their first choice of primary school and 97.5% of pupils were offered one of their top three choices.
