Gazette readers show support for schoolchildren staying home until September

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson confirmed this week that the Government had abandoned plans for all primary schoolchildren to have four weeks back in the classroom before the end of the summer term.

Last week saw children in nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 return to the classroom for the first time since March – but it is now not required for primary schools in England to welcome all pupils back before the summer holidays, as had previously been hoped.

On our Facebook page, we asked if you thought primary schools should stay closed to the remainder of pupils – who have not been attending throughout lockdown – until September 2020.

More than 600 people voted in our online poll, with 78% agreeing that primary schools should stay closed for the remainder of pupils until September.

This is what you said on our social media pages:

Maria Wilkinson: “As important as education is, our children's health and safety must take the utmost importance above anything else.”

Suze Goldsbrough: “Just listening to those on the news, complaining about the amount of schooling children are missing because schools staying closed. Children will lose a lot more if they pick up Covid or its associated inflammatory viral condition, which can have devastating effects on kids.”

Dot Wilson-Newcombe: “Would rather they miss out on education than taking the risk with their lives.”

Mandy Bruce: “I can't see why the government doesn't add a year to the school calendar, this year's leavers should leave next year after going back in September that way they can sit exams etc and no education would be lost, they will leave school at 17 instead of 16.”

Caz Rae: “Having said yes ... I do wonder if perhaps the authorities should look to starting the winter term before September since most have been out of school for over two months now, three months by the time the summer holidays start.”

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