SECONDARY school kids won’t all be able to go back on the dot on March 8 as they have to be tested twice first, Gavin Williamson confirmed today.
The Education Secretary stressed that schools could have a few days to get all their children back in as they would need to organise dishing out the tests.
Secondary school kids are to be tested twice a week under fresh plans to get children back in the classroom from March 8 – with the first two done in schools.
They must be done at least three days apart, meaning millions may not be going back until the week after.
Breakfast and after-school clubs and children’s sport can also start again.
Primary pupils will not have to be tested or wear masks. But all secondary school children must take four tests within the first fortnight of reopening.
Teens will be free to attend class after their first negative test but must self-isolate if positive.
They will then have to swab themselves at home twice a week and inform their school of the result.
Education Secretary Mr Williamson told the BBC the timetable did mean that some kids may not be back exactly on March 8, adding: “From March 8, [for] secondary school pupils, schools will be able to bring year groups in from March 8 depending on their capacity as to how they’re best able to do that.
“They’ve got a week to bring all those pupils back, so they can be tested during that week.”
Young children headed back to school in Scotland and Wales earlier this week, and more will follow suit from March 15.
The PM said today the “best place for children is in school” as he launched a £700million catch up programme today.
Teachers will be asked to cut short holidays to help secondary kids with face-to-face lessons before the new school year starts in September.
Ministers want Year 7 pupils to get first dibs on classes, but say they will leave it up to head teachers to pick who should get priority.
England’s schools will get an extra £200million to pay teachers to staff the classes — which can also include sport and other activities.
But despite the extra cash, one source said Downing Street was braced for another “almighty row” with hardline unions over the plan.
Another £500million will go on expanding tutoring schemes.
Trending In The News understands ministers also considered lengthening the school day – but decided not to go ahead with the plan as it was deemed too complicated.
Quizzed on telly about his school plans, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson refused to rule out making the school day longer at some point in the future.
About £302million of this is for a new Covid “Recovery Premium” to support kids in primaries and secondaries, based on the pupil premium which already funnels extra cash to the most disadvantaged.
Plugging the extra cash, Boris Johnson said: “Teachers and parents have done a heroic job with home-schooling, but we know the classroom is the best place for children to be.
“Our next priority will be ensuring no child is left behind as a result of the learning they have lost.”
In a clip released this morning he said: “They are really, really keen to get back.
“There’s going to be an awful lot of testing as well.
“We have got no doubt that being in school is the best place for young people, for kids to be.”
The average primary school will receive around £6,000 more, and the average secondary school will get around £22,000 extra.
