Still no response from the Secretary of State for Education

Mayor Dave Hodgson still has not had a response from the Secretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson MP, regarding schools closures.

As previously mentioned the Council have written to all primary schools and many have already been in touch with parents to inform them if they will remain closed.

The Council's view is that primary schools should only be open for the first two weeks of term to vulnerable pupils and children of key workers due to the local and national evidence of the increase in cases and the rapid transmission of the new variant of Coronavirus.

Under the current guidance from the Department for Education, it remains each schools decision about whether they can safely open in line with their own risk assessment. The Council will support each school's decision.

Special schools should stay open and provide for as many of their children who can attend. Children with SEN in mainstream schools should be able to attend if they/their parents want them to as they are deemed vulnerable (along with children with a social worker and key worker children).

Early years settings can all stay open as the Department for Education guidance for closing primary schools in London and Milton Keynes specifically excludes early years, however this is a decision for each provider.

It has been decided that if a primary school is open but parents choose to keep their children at home there will be no fine, but we will keep the situation under review.

We will provide an update as soon as Mayor Dave Hodgson receives a response from the Secretary of State for Education.