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Birmingham schools may not open on 1 June

Birmingham schools may not open on 1 June

One of England’s largest councils says the government’s reopening plan ‘may not be possible’ for some of its schools

19th May 2020, 2:36pm

Coronavirus: Birmingham May Not Reopen Schools On 1 June, As The Government Plans

Birmingham City Council is the latest local authority to challenge the government’s aim of reopening primary schools to more pupils from 1 June.

The council - often cited as one of the biggest local authorities in England - has written to parents and school staff today advising that schools conduct individual risk assessments before taking the decision to reopen.

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A statement on the council’s website says: ”...we only support Birmingham schools opening to more pupils when it is safe to do so.”

It adds: “We all know how valuable regular attendance at school is, particularly for the most vulnerable children, and we are committed to having due regard to the guidance that has been issued by the government.

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“However, we recognise that for some schools, opening to more pupils safely may not be possible on 1 June, while parents and guardians must also feel reassured.

“Birmingham schools are undertaking risk assessments to ensure that the relevant safety measures are in place to welcome more children back to school.

“We are supporting school leaders with this very important and complex process and are aware that some schools, particularly larger schools, may need additional time to put safety measures in place.”

It adds that some schools are concerned about the disproportionate impact that Covid-19 is having on black and minority ethnic communities.

The statement also says that the council would “trust that headteachers will make the right decisions for their school communities”.

It adds: “No school leader wants their school to be closed for longer than is absolutely necessary but all will put the safety of their pupils and staff first when deciding when their school can start to admit more pupils.”

A number of local authorities are refusing to comply with the government plan for schools to open to more pupils by 1 June.

Liverpool and Hartlepool have both said schools will not open by that date. Stockport said it expected to reopen on 10 June “at the earliest”, while Wigan, Gateshead and Doncaster have said they had not taken a decision yet on when schools would reopen.