The County Has To Give Stronger Guidence In Helping Schools Decide How And When To Reopen

Liberal Democrats on Hertfordshire County Council are calling for stronger guidance to help schools decide how and when to re-open.

Because of the continuing failure to provide adequate testing arrangements, the Government has no scientific basis on which to tell Primary Schools that they should reopen on 1st June.

Each and every school has been forced to carry out its own risk assessment in deciding when it will be appropriate to reopen.

This must be based on the physical limitations of the school buildings, the number of staff who are able and prepared to come back to their classrooms, and most importantly the number of parents willing to send their children to school.

The County Council has to make it clearer to every school that it should feel under no pressure to open unless all these conditions are met.

County Councillor Mark Watkin, Lib Dem Opposition Spokesperson for Education comments: “There has never been a more important time for the County Council to give strong and clear guidance to schools and support them in whatever decision they take. Every day that our schools stay closed, our children’s education suffers. It is imperative that the Government introduces reliable testing systems as soon as possible so that Heads and Boards of Governors have reliable information on which to base their decision.

We also want to see more evidence that the County Council is actively helping schools to ensure that as much as possible is done to provide education for the pupils, and especially for those in danger of slipping behind due to prolonged absence from school.”