Sheffield headteacher welcomes Goverment plans to stagger January return

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and the Department for Education (DfE) published the plans on Thursday which will see the majority of secondary school pupils start the term online apart from exam-year students who will go back to school as normal after the Christmas holidays.

This is to allow schools to roll out mass testing of children and staff in the new year.

Dean Jones, headteacher of Firth Park Academy, said the phased return will allow his school time to manage the testing scheme more efficiently.

He said: “The staggered return is good news and will mean we are able to welcome our students back and manage the process of testing in a smooth and ordered way.

“We have over 600 laptops ready to distribute to families that need them so that all children can continue with their timetable and pastoral support, albeit virtually for some. We are determined to continue being the best online school in the city.

“Our students, staff and the whole Firth Park Family have been incredible throughout this whole period and I want to wish them all a peaceful Christmas. We will be raring to go and ready to welcome them back in 2021 in the new year.”

But education unions and professional associations have jointly warned that testing will not be ready at the start of January due to the Government’s last-minute announcement of the scheme at the end of term.

The advice said: “Many of our organisations have been actively calling for such tests for some time.

“However, it is our view that due to the chaotic and rushed nature of this announcement, the lack of proper guidance, and an absence of appropriate support, the Government’s plan in its current form will be inoperable for most schools and colleges.”

The joint statement is from the NAHT school leaders’ union, the Association of School and College Leaders, the National Education Union, the NASUWT teachers’ union, the Association of Colleges, the Sixth Form Colleges Association, the National Governance Associationand the Church of England Education Office.

In a letter to parents on Thursday, Andy Ireland, headteacher of Stocksbridge High School, said his school are yet to be given further details of the testing programme.

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