Schools reopening plan revealed – year group ‘bubbles’, staggered breaks and no assemblies

WHOLE year groups will be put into 'bubbles', pupils will have staggered breaks & there will be no assemblies when schools fully reopen, it was revealed today.

As The Sun previously reported, bubbles will be able to be made bigger so classes can go "back to normal" and all kids can return, guidance revealed this morning.

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And the tough news rules are set to ensure that there is never a national lockdown again, the Education Secretary indicated this evening.

He said that by implementing local lockdowns and strict new rules "we ensure that we avoid the situation where we'll ever have to see a national shutdown again."

Start times and breaks will also be staggered - to minimise germ spread - and fringe subjects can be dropped at the start of the school year, it was confirmed today.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed the plan this morning to get kids safely back to school in September.

He said in the Commons today: "It is critical to ensure that no child loses more time in education, and that from September all children who can be in school, are at school.

"We have got to bring all children back into school at the earliest possible opportunity."

He said tonight: "We will make sure their hopes and dreams of the future will not be knocked off course."

And he took a pop at Labour for helping to block schools return with unions, blasting: "It shouldn't be about trade unions dictating what to do best for our children."

The plan in full includes:

• Staggered breaks and start times
• Year group 'bubbles' to minimise spread and whole schools could have to isolate
• They even have to stay in their bubble on the bus to and from school
• Fringe subjects can be dropped to focus on Maths and English at the start of the year
• Kids will HAVE to go back to school from September, or their parents will face a £120 fine again.
• Nursery class size limits scrapped
• All kids can attend summer clubs but only in groups of 15
• Adapted class rooms to social distance
• No school choirs or assemblies
• A £1billion plan to include a tutoring programme for disadvantaged kids to catch up

Speaking today, Mr Williamson reassured parents and said "nothing can replace being in the classroom". 

He said: “I want to reassure parents and families that we are doing everything we can to make sure schools, nurseries, colleges and other providers are as safe as possible for children and staff, and will continue to work closely with the country’s best scientific and medical experts to ensure that is the case.”

Double bubble

Current 15 person restrictions on bubbles will be lifted to 30, as the infection rate continues to fall.

For nurseries, childminders, and other early years providers, restrictions on group sizes will be lifted from 20 July, increasing capacity from the start of the summer holiday.

Stay apart if you can

Schools should implement class or year sized bubbles, as well as encouraging staff and pupils, where they can, to keep their distance from each other and avoiding touching.

But strict social distancing won't be possible in schools, the Government has said.

For those pupils travelling on home to school transport, pupils should sit with others from their group and remain in their class or year group “bubble” wherever possible, the guidance says too.

Mr Williamson said today: "Schools will continue to minimise contact as much as possible, and encouraging older children to distance.

"This will mean keeping whole year groups in schools and colleges separate."

Isolating kids

Where there are two or more confirmed cases in a two-week period, health protection teams may ask a larger number of other children or young people to self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure.

That could mean that whole year groups or even schools have to isolate.

Mobile units will be sent out to the school, and testing will first focus on the person’s class, followed by their year group, then the whole school if necessary.

Schools will be sent home test kits for any kids who fall ill to be able to take them as quickly as possible.

Any local outbreaks would see schools shut for everyone but key workers again - like in the early days of the pandemic back in March.

If a child has covid symptoms they should wait to be picked up in a room on their own with door closed and window open.

Teachers should wear PPE if they have to get close to someone who has suspected symptoms.

Mandatory attendance

Kids will HAVE to go back to school from September, or their parents will face a £120 fine again.

For the last few months of the pandemic, the Government has turned a blind eye to worried parents who don't want to sent their kids in.

Only if a child or young person is unable to attend school or college on medical advice or they are living in a household with someone who is extremely clinically vulnerable, will they not be fined.

They should discuss that with their school first.

No assemblies or singing

Groups should be kept apart, meaning that schools should avoid large gatherings such as assemblies with several bubble groups, the guidance says.

Singing, wind and brass playing should not take place in larger groups such as school choirs and ensembles, or school assemblies, either.

Lunch time back to normal - and breakfast clubs back

Ministers expect that kitchens will be fully open again from the start of the autumn term, they said today.

Every kid who is allowed free meals during school will be able ot get them.

Kids will be able to bring a packed luch or have a hot meal as they used to before the pandemic.

School kitchens must abide by new guidance for food businesses to stay safe.

Schools should consider resuming any breakfast and after-school provision, where possible, from the start of the autumn term, too, it was confirmed today.

Staggered breaks

Schools should also consider staggered break times and lunch times (and time for cleaning surfaces in the dining hall between groups).

Kids can sit exams in autumn if they disagree with grades

Exam boards will be providing students with calculated grades this summer.

But there will be an opportunity for students to sit exams in the autumn if they don't agree with their grades - and Ofqual has confirmed these exams will be available in all subjects.

Exams are set to go ahead as normal in summer 2021, it was confirmed today.

Full Ofsted inspections will return from January, too.

Curriculum switch-up

Schools will be able to ditch subjects like art and drama to focus on catching kids up on core subjects in the first few months and weeks back.

But all schools should aim to return to the normal curriculum in all subjects by summer term 2021.

Extra cleaning

Like other workplaces which have reopened, schools will need to have extra cleaning, and reduce sharing items.

Kids will need to have minimal contact with each other in corridors - and hanging around outside school gates will be discouraged too.

Pupils should have their own pens and pencils and not share.

Sports equipment and art supplies must be cleaned regularly.

Classrooms being used by different classes must be cleaned in between.

Regular handwashing must take place too - such as more hand sanitizer at the school gates, kids must wash their hands after breaktime, whenever they move rooms, and before and after eating.

Toilets should be cleaned more often too, and schools might want to put in extra sinks.

School trips back - but not overnight

Kids will be able to go on days out to museums and to visit theme parks at the end of term from September.

But 'Parents Get Lost' and other overnight stay trips are still cancelled for the time being.

Clubs back on

Ballet and football lessons are back on with kids allowed to return to after school clubs from summer.

Under the guidance, community activities such as holiday clubs, tuition and extra lessons can run from this summer, as long as they follow basic safety protocols.