Lockdown is being extended by another three weeks in Wales, but the very youngest primary pupils could begin to return to school next month, First Minister Mark Drakeford will announce today.
The youngest learners, aged 3-7 in the Foundation Phase, will start returning to classrooms after the February half term in a flexible phased way, but only if rates of coronavirus continue to fall.
Coronavirus cases across Wales have fallen below 200 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since early November.
In its three-weekly review of the third lockdown the Welsh Government said it will work with schools and education authorities on “a phased and flexible return to school after 22 February”, if the public health situation continues to improve. That will start with the youngest pupils.
The Welsh Government has said education is a priority and schools should be the first thing to open if restrictions can be eased.
Doctors have been warning about the harm to children from schools being shut and other restrictions on their lives.
Other tier four lockdown restrictions will remain in place in Wales for another three weeks.
Although the situation in Wales is improving, lockdown restrictions must continue for another three weeks to allow the NHS to recover, the First Minister will say.
Thousands more people are getting their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine every day – the latest figures show almost 11% of the population have been vaccinated.
Alert level 4 lockdown measures came into force on December 20, 2020 across Wales.
A review on January 8, 2021 saw the restrictions extended by three weeks and strengthened including closure of schools.
All non-essential retail, hospitality venues, licensed premises and leisure facilities are closed, and people must stay at home, work from home if they can, keep two metres from other people, wear face coverings in indoor public places and not meet anyone outside their household or support bubbles.
Doctors have been warning about the harm to children from schools being shut and other restrictions on their lives.
One teaching union has raised concerns that there are still "too many unknowns" around the return to the classroom, and called for teaching staff to be prioritised for vaccinations.
Laura Doel, director of school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru, said: "It has been a challenge for families to juggle employment and home-learning, and school leaders want to see nothing more than pupils back in class as soon as it is safe to do so.
"But it is clear that there are still too many unknowns, such as the effectiveness of the vaccine and the pace at which infections are falling, to put the 22 February date firmly in the diary yet."
She said that talks have already begun between the Welsh Government and trade unions to make sure there is a workable plan for lifting the lockdown.
And added: "This includes reviewing all of the safety measures that schools have been using up to now, to make sure they are still effective.
“The Welsh Government will also have to put effort into reassuring families that it is safe to send their children back to school – there is a confidence test the government must pass to make the return a success.
“It is also important that the teaching workforce is prioritised for vaccinations. This would give confidence as well as providing a better chance that once lockdown measures are lifted, children’s education is less likely to continue to be disrupted by staff absence and illness.”
