Teaching unions ‘got it wrong’ over reopening schools and must now back down and stop their ‘war dance’, says ex-education secretary Alan Johnson Primary schools across England will begin their phased reopening from Monday Secondary schools will reopen to some pupils in year 10 and 12 from June 15 Alan Johnson said unions ‘got it … Read more
Militant leaders of the National Education Union make it clear they will stop at nothing to prevent schools opening on June 1, using often spurious claims about ‘elf ’n’ safety’ and filing a list of 169 sometimes ludicrous demands to be met before they will consider a return. This is despite widespread fears of the … Read more
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson ditches plans to cut long summer school holidays due to ‘fierce union opposition’ Gavin Williamson wanted to scrap long summer holidays for summer camps He told friends that pressure from unions forced him to scrap his radical plans Teaching union NEU may be prepared to discuss general re-opening of schools By … Read more
Doctors U-turn on support for teaching unions and say schools SHOULD reopen if they are safe – but doubts remain over June 1 date as scientists say track and trace must be in place first Chair of BMA’s Public Health Medicine Committee said there is ‘growing evidence that the risk to individual children from Covid-19 … Read more
Schools should reopen if it is safe to do so, the British Medical Association has said, in an effort to row back from support they threw to the teaching unions. Last night a final decision on whether to reopen schools on June 1 was left hanging in the balance after discussions between Education Secretary Gavin … Read more
Union chiefs are now warning teachers it will ‘not be safe’ to mark pupils’ books when schools reopen, while casting yet more doubt on the government’s plans to bring children back to primary schools next month. Staff who are members of the UK biggest teaching union will be told to go through a 20-page checklist with … Read more
Britain’s head teachers’ union has backed plans for schools to reopen on June 1 following meetings with key government advisers. The Association of School and College Leaders claim teachers were no more at risk than any other profession heading back to work as coronavirus lockdown restrictions ease. The National Association of Head Teachers said it would … Read more
The wartime President of the United States, Franklin D Roosevelt, once proclaimed that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself. And at this critical moment, nothing could be more true – not least when it comes to the inflammatory debate about whether or not some primary-aged children should return to the classroom … Read more
Special ‘catch-up summer camps’ could be set up in the school holidays as Education Secretary Gavin Williamson hints at other ‘initiatives’ Pupils could be sent on special ‘summer camps’ to receive missed tuition Education Secretary hints of ‘initiatives’ to be rolled out during the summer Gavin Williamson outlined his plans for a phased school reopening from … Read more
Gavin Williamson piled pressure on teaching unions and local politicians today as he warned of the dire ‘consequences if children did not start returning to school. The Education Secretary made a blunt appeal to the emotions of parents tonight as he insisted planning can begin to reopen classrooms from as early as next month. Outlining … Read more