Over 50 Islanders have put their names to a letter urging the Isle of Wight council’s cabinet to reconsider plans to send all early years and primary school students back to school from Monday 4th January 2021.
Jump to comment from Isle of Wight Conservative MP, Bob Seely and Cabinet member for education, Cllr Paul Brading, below.
The Isle of Wight is now operating under Tier 4 restrictions (with instructions to ‘Stay Home’), and following the Education Minister’s announcement yesterday (read in full), the Isle of Wight council posted an update to their Website with details of the planned return to school (this was not sent to the media to distribute).
From 4 January 2021
- All early years, infant, junior and primary phases return to school as normal across the Isle of Wight
- Secondary school and sixth form college age children will remain at home and access remote learning from their school or college, with the exception of vulnerable children or the children of key workers.
From 11 January 2021
- Years 11 and 13 return to face to face education
- Other year groups, with the exception of those who are vulnerable or the children of key workers, remain at home and access remote learning from their school or college.
From 18 January 2021
- All pupils in all year groups return to face to face education
- Unless unwell, every child should be back in education in all key stages.
Call for IWC to reconsider return to school plans
The letter to the council’s cabinet members reads:
We are parents and residents of the Isle of Wight who are very concerned about the levels of virus on our Island. The number of positive cases, hospitalisations and deaths are rising at an alarming rate – we have seen the risk from the virus escalating as we moved from the medium risk status of Tier 1 to the highest ‘Stay at Home’ status of Tier 4 in only the last seven days.
This is a record unmatched anywhere else in the United Kingdom. It is exceptional. The rapid rate of infection on the Isle of Wight is a huge cause of concern for all of us.
Whilst there are positive developments in terms of the offer of vaccinations, the vast majority of us will not see the benefit until Easter – which is over 3 months away. Meanwhile, the Tier 4 ‘Stay At Home’ order is completely inadequate as it does not include our Isle of Wight schools – in particular our Primary and Special schools who are instructed to be fully open from Monday 4th January.
If it is not safe for our shops, leisure centres and businesses to be open; if our NHS is being overwhelmed; if our Secondary students are being instructed to learn from home – then it is *not safe* for our Isle of Wight Primary and Special school pupils to be mixing together with dozens of households inside our school buildings for several hours a day.
As responsible parents and residents, we wish to follow the government’s instructions to Stay At Home to save lives and protect the NHS. We know that the Isle of Wight Council also wants us to follow the rules. We request that you please support our Island families during this height of the pandemic by taking the following actions:
1. Close our Isle of Wight Primary and Special schools from Monday (4.1.21) to all but the vulnerable and the children of keyworkers.
2. Keep all our Isle of Wight Primary, Special, Secondary and Colleges closed (apart from vulnerable and keyworkers) during the next critical weeks of January to ensure that we can reduce transmission of the virus
3. Publicly confirm that no parents keeping their children home will be fined by the Isle of Wight Council. They are protecting their children, families and the wider Island community by ensuring that learning is completed at home during this heightened time of risk.
We know that the Isle of Wight Council want to Keep The Island Safe during this national crisis and hope that you can reassure the public by announcing that you will be taking these steps, as soon as possible.
Shreeve: “Astonishment, disbelief and growing anxiety”
Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union told News OnTheWight,
“Within minutes of Gavin Williamson’s late statement Island support staff and teachers were contacting district NEU officials expressing their astonishment, disbelief and growing anxiety.
“Eminent scientists warn of an ‘imminent catastrophe’ unless the whole of the UK is locked down.”
Shreeve: Lack of scientific guidance on the risks
He went on to say,
“With NHS hospitals at crisis point the Secretary of State is sending the majority of primary pupils and staff back on Monday to potentially risky working environments.
“The Government has not, despite being repeatedly asked, published the scientific guidance on the risks involved in reopening schools. This information is desperately needed – particularly as the new variants of the virus are 50% more transmissible. The local district has written today to those responsible for Island schools urging for a longer run-in time and setting out reasons why.”
Shreeve: “Covid loves a crowd”
It was mentioned on BBC Radio 4 this morning that the highest group spreading the new variant of Covid-19 was the 10 to 14-year-olds.
Mr Shreeve went on to add,
“Covid loves a crowd. Yet uniquely school staff are being required to work in overcrowded buildings, with no effective social distancing, no PPE and inadequate ventilation.
“We would like Gavin Williamson to explain, if schools are not centres of transmission why school age pupils are now the most infected age groups? Perhaps he should liaise with the Prime Minister, who in Wednesday’s briefing repeatedly announced ‘schools are safe’ and then went on to explain, because of the mixing of households that naturally takes place in schools, they weren’t.”
Highest infected of all age groups
Mr Shreeve say that primary children are the second highest infected of all age groups and that levels of infection amongst secondary have multiplied by 75 times since the start of September.
He says that in the present circumstances,
“Schools are becoming less safe for education staff to work.”
Nationally, the NEU has called for:
- A review of all risk assessments in the light of the far higher transmission of the new variant.
- Social distancing of 1 metre between pupils in all schools to replace the current practice of cohort distancing which allows whole year groups to mix without any social distancing.
- Masks to be worn by pupils and staff in secondary school classrooms.
- School staff to be made a top priority for vaccination – along with health care staff and starting with the most vulnerable.
- Until vaccinated, Clinically Extremely Vulnerable staff and other high-risk groups to work from home, supporting children who are at home.
Lateral Flow Testing
The Isle of Wight council also say,
“The Government also announced (30 December 2020) its intention for all schools and colleges to make testing available for all secondary aged young people in schools, more details are to follow on this.
“We expect more information and detail to follow from the Department for Education.”
Mr Shreeve said,
“Questions remain about lateral flow testing in secondary schools. How effective are they in identifying infection in pupils who are highly likely to be asymptomatic, when being supervised by non-medically trained volunteers?
“Looking at the evidence, we understand cases will continue to rise and that the question of school opening will have to be re-visited but in a far worse situation than now. The reasons are obvious. Cases are dramatically rising. It takes around two weeks for new ones to emerge, so there logically will be a spike two weeks after Christmas Day.
“Assuming some people gather during New Year, there will be a further spike.”
He finished by saying
“Therefore, we again call on the Government to engage with us and with the suggestions we have made. We reiterate that even with these steps we are concerned that cases will continue to rise making the spread of the virus in our communities more dangerous.
“We repeat our call on the Government to release its scientific advice and modelling.”
Seely and Brading: Support schools reopening
Bob Seely MP and Cllr Paul Brading said,
“We fully support the decision for Primary schools to reopen on 4th January, and for the phased return of secondary schools over the following two weeks. This phasing will allow secondary schools the time to put in place the arrangements for the COVID testing that the Government announced before Christmas. This in itself is a very positive step forward.
“The education of our young people is vital, and whilst some may have benefited from remote virtual learning, the classroom is the best place for learning and for their mental health.
“We would like to personally thank every member of school staff for the brilliant work they have done, and continue to do, in adapting to COVID requirements, always focusing on what is right for the young people of the Island.”
Stewart: Decision to fine is for Headteachers
Responding specifically on the question of fines for non-attendance Isle of Wight council leader, Dave Stewart, said,
“Teachers are well aware that the decision to fine anyone is made by the Headteacher themselves, with the Local Authority completing the administration on their behalf, without making any profits.
“That said, I would be surprised if any Head Teacher would look to impose fines for anyone with real COVID concerns, so my message is for any concerned parents to have a conversation with the Headteacher to discuss their concerns before making any decisions.
“We know the importance of children returning to school but we also know the importance of doing so in a safe environment. Care of our community includes all our school staff as well as pupils and I know our lead member for Children’s Services, Cllr Paul Brading, is in constant dialogue with our senior officers to ensure everyone is kept safe.”
Article edit
4.20pm 31st Dec 2020 – Comment from Seely and Brading added
4.45pm 31st Dec 2020 – Comment from Dave Stewart added
Image: Markus Spiske under CC BY 2.0
