BEFORE Christmas, the government’s advisers, SAGE, recommended that schools should not reopen in January.
Instead, on the day the term ended, the government announced that secondary schools would have to launch lateral testing on their return.
Headteachers and senior staff spent much of their festive break organising this major logistical operation.
They were then told on Wednesday, December 30, that the reopening of secondary schools would be delayed to January 18, earlier for those who have exams. Primary schools would reopen as planned from Monday, January 4.
Despite concerns from parents and teachers, Boris Johnson appeared on the BBC on Sunday to say schools were safe.
Just over 24 hours later, and one day at school for many youngsters, the prime minister announced a new lockdown, the closure of schools and the cancellation of exams.
The days before lockdown felt like a re-run of last March, where the nation stepped up to lockdown days ahead of the Boris Johnson.
Our teachers work incredibly hard. Juggling the demands of Covid-19 means they’ve worked even harder. That their holidays were ruined is a disgrace: they needed that break.
Those that have stood in support of schools should be praised.
Teachers have been left to navigate a mess.
But it should never have come to this. Our brilliant teachers deserve better.
This week’s editorial for Wokingham.Today
