With 93% of eligible primary school pupils having returned to school on Monday, Jersey’s experience has been in marked contrast to England, with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson yesterday abandoning plans for all primary pupils to return before the end of the summer term.
Education Minister Tracey Vallois said Jersey’s attendance figures were ‘really positive’ and that the department was ‘now starting to plan for the next phases of the safe re-opening of nurseries, schools and colleges.’
Marina Mauger, a union representative for NASUWT Jersey, is predicting that Year 5 is likely to be the next group to return, alongside the potential expansion of secondary school teaching.
Unions have reacted positively to the developments, which saw pupils in Years 6, 10 and 12 return to school.
Private nurseries have also reopened, with strict safety measures in place.
Mrs Mauger said attendance was well beyond the 75% figure that her union had hoped for.
‘The overall impression is that parents and teachers have been very reassured by the intensive preparations to ensure all necessary precautions were in place,’ she said.
‘Parents were able to see videos showing the measures that had been adopted and this gave them confidence, and pupils were so happy to be back.’
Mrs Mauger said that although the next stage was not confirmed, she envisaged that Year 5 pupils may return on 22 June.
Older pupils in secondary school year groups may also be able to return, but Mrs Mauger said that this could depend on the requirement for physical distancing. This remains at two metres in Jersey, with no indication yet from government about any plans for a reduction. Distancing of one metre has been adopted in many jurisdictions.
NEU president Brendan Carolan said that site managers at schools had played an important role in ensuring schools had been ready, and most head teachers were willing to incorporate feedback from staff.
‘The risk assessment is evolving all the time, but at the moment we are happy that the reopening has been done well,’ he said.
Senator Vallois said: ‘These figures are really positive. I would like to say a huge thank you and appreciation to all the staff, students and parents for the first phase of return to school in Jersey, which has been successful.
‘We are now starting to plan for the next phases of the safe re-opening of nurseries, schools and colleges. This involves meeting with the Science and Technology Advisory Cell (STAC) as well as ongoing engagement with the headteachers, unions and public health experts.
‘I am hoping to make an announcement early next week on the next phase of returning to school.’
Yesterday’s announcement about primary schools in England came after Health Secretary Matt Hancock admitted on Monday that secondary schools in England may not fully reopen until September ‘at the earliest’.
Teaching unions and parents in England were reported to be unhappy with the plans, leading to the government’s U-turn.
‘I think they went too quickly and were too flexible, and they are paying for that now,’ said Mrs Mauger.
Schools in Wales will reopen from 29 June to all age groups for limited periods during the week, while Scottish schools are to reopen at the start of the autumn term on 11 August, with some continued home-learning.
In Guernsey, which has reported no new Covid-19 cases since the end of April, all schools reopened fully this week.
