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Year 6 students could be the first to return to primary schools from June 1 on plans the Welsh government is considering.
Prime Minister Mark Drakeford said those in the first year of elementary school may be the first to return, to prepare for the “rite of passage” of moving to high school in the fall.
It also seeks to prioritize students with special educational needs and those who learn in Welsh.
While the ideas are for Wales only, it hints at the path that could be taken in the rest of the UK.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed that schools will return “in stages” and is considering sending groups some years earlier than others.
(Image: PA)
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AND Boris Johnson stressed today that he wants elementary students to return “as fast as we can.”
Meanwhile, Drakeford has emphasized that he wants to take the same actions at the same time as the rest of the UK.
School principals say June 1 is the earliest date they can reopen, and that they will need a notice of about three weeks.
UK ministers have said they will give enough notice, meaning early June is the earliest possible reopening date if notice is given this week.
Boris Johnson is expected to discuss schools when he describes a “road map” to tighten the UK shutdown later in the week.
(Image: Getty Images)
Welsh Prime Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed that he is “talking about early June” as the earliest possible date for the reopening of schools.
He said the advice from unions and councils is that it would take three weeks’ “minimum” notice to reopen classrooms.
So “we are talking about early June there,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show.
He said “it could be” that children in the sixth year, who have the “initiation rite” of finishing school, return before younger elementary school students.
While the Welsh government is responsible for Welsh schools, it stressed that its “strong preference” is to follow the same plan for the whole of the UK.
“I want to do it in the UK and I still think it is something we can achieve,” he said.
He added: “We are thinking of ways in which we can bring young people with special educational needs back to education.
“We are thinking of particular age groups, Year 6 children in primary schools, children going to secondary school.
“We know it is an initiation rite, you do it with your classmates and yet you will not have seen those friends in a few weeks.
“So it could be bringing those kids back to school before others.
“We have a bilingual education system here in Wales. Children who are learning through Welsh and may not speak Welsh at home, so we need those children to go back to education sooner.
“That’s the kind of thing we’re working on right now.”
He said the distancing was necessary for public health reasons, and to reassure parents, schools are safe.
Drakeford added: “You certainly cannot reopen schools as they did before and maintain social distancing.”
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