Hartlepool primary schools begin phased reopening for more pupils as Government guidelines ease

A number of pupils have this week returned to their classrooms for the first time since March 20 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Hartlepool Borough Council previously said that the town’s primary schools would not reopen for reception, Year 1 and Year 6 classes on June 1 like other parts of the country as with coronavirus cases in the town continued to rise.

But from Monday, June 8, individual primary schools are adopting their own individual approaches, to letting children who have been in lockdown back.

A Hartlepool Borough Council spokesman said: “Each Hartlepool primary school is working with the local authority, and where applicable their Multi Academy Trust, to plan and prepare for the phased wider reopening of their school.

“The individual schools are adopting a gradual approach by welcoming children back by year group over the coming weeks, starting in some cases from 8th June.

“The schools are liaising with parents directly about their individual arrangements and if parents have specific questions they should please contact their child’s school directly.

“We are continuing to give Hartlepool schools our fullest support to help ensure the smoothest possible return to school for those children and young people in the Government identified year groups.”

Primary and secondary schools in Hartlepool have continued to be open for the children of keyworkers over the last two months.

Ward Jackson Primary School, in Clark Street, decided to defer the start of its wider phased reopening, which was due to begin on Monday, June 8, with Year 6 children, by a week.

It follows a member of the teaching staff testing positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, June 4.

The local authority said the staff member had not been in contact with any pupils for the previous three weeks and had only been in school one day last week staff training.

Meanwhile, the Government has scrapped plans for all pupils to return before the summer holidays.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said ministers were now working towards all children going back to school by September.

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