Hartlepool MP backs union calls to delay reopening of schools amid coronavirus fears

Mike Hill said the Government was ‘creating chaos for parents and school staff’ with contradictory messages leading to increasing pressure to keep all schools in England closed after the break.

Last Friday, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced that all of London’s Primary Schools would remain shut on Monday - reversing a decision to keep only schools in certain boroughs closed. He said the closures were a last resort in the face of a fast moving situation.

Teaching unions have told primary school staff it is unsafe to return to work and have called for ’remote learning’ after the decision to change the advice in the Capital.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged parents to send their children back as planned, saying: "Schools are safe. It is very, very important to stress that.

"The risk to kids, to young people is really very, very small indeed.”

Most primary schools in England are expected to open tomorrow, Monday, January 4, while secondary schools are due to reopen on a staggered basis, with pupils in exam years returning on January 11 and their classmates back at their desks a week later.

Mike Hill said: “Education is important and it’s vital that our children return to a safe learning environment in schools as soon as possible, but as the new highly infectious strain of Coronavirus spreads across the country, parents will rightly be wondering what’s the difference between a Tier 4 school in London and a Tier 4 school in Hartlepool?

Related article: Call for all schools to close for first two weeks of term ahead of mass testing

“The Government truly is creating chaos and confusion by its U-turns and arbitrary last minute decisions, and the trade unions and professional bodies are right to press them to keep all schools closed in England from Monday onward for a two-week fire break period.

"The start of term simply must be delayed to allow us to get to grips with the plainly obvious problem of increased transmission in the school environment; a problem which is self evidenced by the Secretary of State’s interventions over London’s schools this weekend.”

Support your Mail and become a subscriber today. Enjoy unlimited access to local news, the latest on Pools and new puzzles every day. With a digital subscription, you can see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe.