Welsh Government policy shift on schools means no face to face learning until 18th of January at earliest

School children in Wales wont return to face to face learning until 18th of this month at the earliest, in a change to a policy announced by the Welsh government.

Pupils at some schools in Wales were to return as soon as Wednesday (January 6), with others following on January 11 after ministers agreed a “flexible” approach with local authorities.

However, with a new coronavirus variant spreading across Wales, teachers’ unions wanted face-to-face teaching to be suspended until schools are able to review their risk assessments.

All schools, colleges and independent schools will move to online learning until January 18th.

Schools and colleges will remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners, as well as for learners who need to complete essential exams or assessments.

The move by the Welsh government mirrors a decision taken by Flintshire council before the Christmas break when Chief officer for education, Claire Homard and the leader of the council Cllr Ian Roberts issued a joint letter on December 17 outlining the plans.

In the letter they said: “Flintshire schools will not reopen for face-to-face learning for the week beginning 4th January 2021 and will provide online learning for all pupils.”

“The decision when to move schools back to face to face learning will not be made until the 6th January when the local data around the virus has been analysed and the level of risk determined.”

“This will be communicated to parents as quickly as possible.”

The letter goes on to say: The expectation is “that all schools will be back to delivering face-to-face learning by the 18th January, unless exceptional circumstances exist.”

The Wales wide decision on schools reopening was announced by the Education Minister this evening:

Important: @WelshGovernment, in consultation with the @WelshLGA & @ColegauCymru, has just agreed that all schools and colleges will move to online learning until Monday January 18th.

Please watch & share this video to help make others aware.

Further information in thread below. pic.twitter.com/wmb9B3T1zn

— Kirsty Williams (@wgmin_education) January 4, 2021

The full written statement by the Minister has been released, copied in full below:

The situation in Wales and across the UK remains very serious. Today, the four UK Chief Medical Officers have agreed that the UK is now at the highest level of risk, Joint Biosecurity Council level 5.

In the light of that decision the Welsh Government, in consultation with the WLGA and Colegau Cymru, has agreed that all schools, colleges and independent schools should move to online learning until January 18th.

As a government we will use the next two weeks to continue to work with local authorities, schools and colleges to plan for the rest of term.

This is the best way to ensure that parents, staff and learners can be confident in the return to face to face learning, based on the latest evidence and information.

Schools and colleges will remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners, as well as for learners who need to complete essential exams or assessments. On this basis Special Schools and PRU’s should remain open if possible.

We had initially given schools flexibility in the first two weeks of term to decide when to reopen based on local circumstances.

But it is now clear that a national approach of online learning for the first fortnight of term is the best way forward.

We know that schools and colleges have been safe and secure environments throughout the pandemic.

However, we also know that education settings being open can contribute to wider social mixing outside the school and college environment.

We are confident that schools and colleges have online learning provision in place for this immediate period,

Universities in Wales have already agreed a staggered start to term. Students should not return to universities for face to face learning until they are notified that they can do so.

Wales remains in the highest level of restrictions. Everyone must stay at home.

I will continue to update members.

This statement is being issued during recess in order to keep members informed. Should members wish me to make a further statement or to answer questions on this when the Senedd returns I would be happy to do so.

Reacting to the announcement that schools in Wales will be shut until January 18, Suzy Davies MS – the Conservative Shadow Minister for Education – said: “With many children having been due to begin a ‘staggered’ return to school from Wednesday onwards, this news has come late for them and for their parents.”

“The closure will affect all primary and secondary schools, and additional learning needs (ALN) bases will remain open ‘if possible’.

“However, schools and colleges will remain open for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners, as well as for learners who need to complete essential exams or assessments.”

“Because of the planned staggered return, we were told that teachers were preparing online, blended learning. I hope, and I’m sure all parents and pupils feel the same, that these systems can be adapted for this full closure.”

“What parents, pupils, and teachers across Wales need is reassurance from the Minister as to what conditions must be met for schools to re-open, because while a prudent measure, to read that the next two weeks will be used to plan for ‘… rest of term’ offers little reassurance.”

“This announcement, however, reinforces our calls for teachers to be prioritised to receive the new vaccine, because this virus has damaged our young learners’ education enough.”