So how WILL schools reopen? Unions, teachers and parents are left baffled as Boris Johnson fails to explain how secondaries will work with 30-strong class 'bubbles'

  • Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said classes would return to full sizes from the September term 
  • Department for Education says schools in England won't find out how to prepare for new term for two weeks
  • Blueprint from Northern Ireland tells schools to keep pupils one-metre apart under new distancing measures
  • They include lunches being delivered to classes, school bags being banned and teachers walking to classes
  • Pupils who flout social distancing rules or cough at teachers and other pupils could be excluded
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

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Schools in England face waiting a fortnight to find out how the government expects to bring every child back to school in September with unions and teachers baffled over how a bubble of 30 children per class will work. 

Boris Johnson and Gavin Williamson said on Friday they intend to speed up pupils' return to the classroom, with the Education Secretary saying the government was looking at expanding bubbles of 15 'to include the whole class'.  

The Department for Education has offered no guidance on how schools can plan their return to the new academic year, but it will likely involve cutting the gap between pupils to one metre and following similar guidance from elsewhere.

Unions are up in arms over the lack of clarity, but a 53-page document from Northern Ireland's Department of Education could offer a glimpse inside daily life for schools come September, it involves: 

Stay in one classroom:

Secondary school pupils could be asked to stay in one classroom throughout the day, with teachers moving between lessons. There's a possibility meals could be delivered to classrooms to save space and stop 'bubbles' from spreading germs. It's not clear what will happen to art, science and technology equipment, such as canvases and Bunsen burners. Primary schools have followed similar measures, with pupils heading out for staggered, supervised breaks that are often more organised than normal playtime. 

Don't bring anything to or from home:

Pupils will be encouraged not to bring bags into school and will also be told not take anything room from the classroom. Equipment that is hard to clean could be placed in storage, which has been done with toys in younger years classes in England. It's not clear what will happen for children bringing books to school or doing homework.

Lessons in dining halls:

To ensure schools have enough room to teach classes, the DoE says dining halls and assembly halls can be temporarily converted to make room for multiple classes. Where there still isn't enough space, schools are being encouraged to make remote learning a possibility. There have been calls, including from Labour leader Keir Starmer, to use empty libraries and leisure centres as makeshift schools to create extra space.

No need for PPE:

The guidance says children should not wear PPE in school and staff should only wear it in very limited circumstances, such as giving medication to a pupil. 

Pupils to stay one metre apart  

Pupils to stay one metre apart in classrooms. In Northern Ireland, some principals have said a one-metre social distancing requirement would prevent them from accommodating all pupils at the same time. Scientists have told Boris Johnson to relax the two-metre rule. 

Pupils at a school in Corringham, Essex, are obeying new social distancing rules, with classroom sizes limited to 15 students at a time

Pupils at a school in Corringham, Essex, are obeying new social distancing rules, with classroom sizes limited to 15 students at a time

Northern Ireland's Department of Education published guidance on Friday explaining how classrooms could be set out from the start of the autumn term

Northern Ireland's Department of Education published guidance on Friday explaining how classrooms could be set out from the start of the autumn term


Schools should be ready to exclude pupils who do not follow new Covid-19 rules.

The Department of Education warned schools should 'make provision to be able to sanction, up to and including exclusion, pupils who wilfully refuse to adhere to arrangements of social distancing and deliberately cough or spit at pupils or staff, putting them at risk.'  

Speaking during a visit to a Hertfordshire primary school on Friday, Boris Johnson said: 'To be absolutely clear, I'm absolutely signed up to the fact that we want to bring every child back, in every year group, in every school.

The PM said it was 'absolutely' his aspiration that pupils of all ages will be back in the classroom for a full five days a week in September.

With detailed plans being released in Northern Ireland, teaching unions are calling for greater clarity from the government on how classes will return to their full size in England. 

Children's Commissioner Anne Longfield told The Sun: 'With Ireland reducing social distancing to one metre in schools, it seems like a good opportunity for Government to look whether schools in England can do the same.

'Children and parents have sacrificed to help battle this virus. 

'The wellbeing and education of millions has been turned upside down and the most disadvantaged kids are at risk of falling further behind.' 

In other coronavirus news: 

  • The government has been accused of underplaying the coronavirus death toll during the height of the crisis
  • Scientists have cleared the way for Boris Johnson to reduce the two-metre rule down to one-metre 
  • Pubs have been given the green-light for drinking outdoors - but punters aren't allowed to drink at the bar  
  • Labour leader Keir Starmer has called on the government to create a 'coherent plan to reopen our classrooms
  • Smaller schools in England are preparing to open to all pupils on Monday, but still with classes of 15 
  • Kevin Courtney, of the National Education Union (NEU), says: 'The Prime Minister's hopes are not enough.' 
In his most categorical statement yet, Boris Johnson said it was 'absolutely' his intention for all pupils to be back at school full-time by September

In his most categorical statement yet, Boris Johnson said it was 'absolutely' his intention for all pupils to be back at school full-time by September

All pupils returning to school are being encouraged to wash their hands regularly, it remains a key part of the guidance issued by Northern Ireland on Friday

All pupils returning to school are being encouraged to wash their hands regularly, it remains a key part of the guidance issued by Northern Ireland on Friday

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said: 'The desire to bring everyone back is correct but we need to know what the Government is thinking and the scenarios they are planning for.

'This will give school communities what they need to get through this term and plan for the new academic year in September.'

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), added: 'The Prime Minister's hopes are not enough.'

'If the requirements of social distancing - in order to stop a second peak - are reduced even to 1m, then most schools could not have 30 children in a classroom,' he added. 

Labour leader Keir Starmer told The Mirror the government must develop a 'coherent national plan to reopen our classrooms safely together with those who know our schools best: parents, teachers, unions and local councils'.

Mr Starmer called on the government to repurpose empty libraries, leisure centres and town halls into schools, along with reversing any gaps in attainment that the coronavirus lockdown has worsened.

He added: 'None of this beyond the capability of government. It simply requires focus, leadership and determination.' 

General secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders Geoff Barton told The Times: 'Everybody wants to see all children back in schools full-time from September. It would not be possible to do this while limiting class sizes to 15. You would need twice as many classrooms, and twice as many teachers. 

Tables have been used as barriers to enforce two-metre distancing rules at Orfu Gable Hall School in Corringham - but the Department of Education in Northern Ireland is preparing for classes to return with a reduced one-metre gap between pupils

Tables have been used as barriers to enforce two-metre distancing rules at Orfu Gable Hall School in Corringham - but the Department of Education in Northern Ireland is preparing for classes to return with a reduced one-metre gap between pupils

Plans in Northern Ireland encourage keeping a two metre gap between pupils and staff - similar to current conditions in English classrooms (above)

Plans in Northern Ireland encourage keeping a two metre gap between pupils and staff - similar to current conditions in English classrooms (above) 

'The education secretary has indicated that there will be further guidance in the next two weeks. It is very important that this guidance is supplied to schools and colleges as soon as possible. They are doing their best to put in place plans for September but they have so far had to do this in the dark without any input from the government.' 

Academy heads are calling on the government to give clear guidance within the next two weeks.

The letter, signed by the likes of The Harris Federation and Future Academies, read: 'The current situation, where schools are partially open to some of our pupils some of the time, is achieving very little to address the widening attainment gap,' The Telegraph reported.

'We urge the Government to announce a clear plan in the next two weeks for how they plan to make it compulsory for all students to return to school in September full time.' 

Calling on her government to get children back into schools, Conservative MP Lucy Allan said: 'There is a very real risk that if schooling is disrupted for much longer, a whole generation will suffer long-term detriment to their education and future prospects. This Government cannot let this happen.'

Some smaller primary schools in England are preparing to fully reopen on Monday, albeit with smaller class sizes.

The Eleanor Palmer Primary School in North London has installed a special trough for children to wash their hands in the school's playground. Children can turn the taps on for the long metal sink with their knees, preventing any chance of spreading germs with their hands.

Boris Johnson tried out an outdoor sink during his visit to Bovingdon Primary School in Hertfordshire on Friday. The sinks are part of new measures being taken across schools to improve cleanliness in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic

Boris Johnson tried out an outdoor sink during his visit to Bovingdon Primary School in Hertfordshire on Friday. The sinks are part of new measures being taken across schools to improve cleanliness in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic

The school has just one class per year group and has managed to reopen the school by separating each class into morning and afternoon sessions.  

In a newsletter to parents shared by The Times, Kate Frood, the head teacher, said: 'Half days are not ideal for your work we know, but we feel it is better for learning as it allows for continuity and progression in learning with no gaps.'  

Sherborne Prep School in Dorset will welcome back its pupils and will scan them with a thermometer before sending them to classes of no more than 15.

In Dartmoor, Princetown Community Primary School's 35 pupils are returning on Monday. The school only has two classes - one for children in Reception to Year 2 and the other for years three, four and five. It will split into three classes come next week. 

Speaking on plans for schools in England come September, Mr Williamson said: 'Over the coming weeks we will publish further information and guidance to help schools prepare for a full return in September. 

'We are working across Government and with the sector to ensure these plans are fully in place so that this can happen.' 

When pressed for any details on how English classes would return to full size, the Department for Education said: 'The Government announced its clear intention for all pupils to be back in school in September today, with further information and guidance being published in the coming weeks.' 

Yesterday's England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales' chief medical officers all agreed that the national Covid-19 alert level should come down.

The Joint Biosecurity Centre recommended on Friday that the Covid-19 alert could be reduced from Level 4 to Level 3

The Joint Biosecurity Centre recommended on Friday that the Covid-19 alert could be reduced from Level 4 to Level 3 

In a joint statement they said: 'The Joint Biosecurity Centre has recommended that the COVID-19 alert level should move from Level 4 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation; transmission is high or rising exponentially) to Level 3 (A COVID-19 epidemic is in general circulation). 

'The CMOs for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have reviewed the evidence and agree with this recommendation to move to Level 3 across the UK.

'There has been a steady decrease in cases we have seen in all four nations, and this continues. It does not mean that the pandemic is over. The virus is still in general circulation, and localised outbreaks are likely to occur.

'We have made progress against the virus thanks to the efforts of the public and we need the public to continue to follow the guidelines carefully to ensure this progress continues.'