SCHOOLS in Wales have opened today after the Christmas holidays – for staff to prepare for online or in-person learning.

The schools have two days to prepare before an expected return for pupils on January 6 (with some schools in Wales returning by January 10 at the latest). The schools will consider a number of factors and situations and provide pupils and parents/guardians with the relevant information ahead of the return to school.

On New Years Eve, new guidance for schools to implement in the new year was issued by the Welsh Government – with the hope that there would be a majority of in-person teaching when schools returned.

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A spokesman for the Welsh Government said: “Updated guidance has been provided to schools ahead of their planning days, which will give them the opportunity to assess capacity and put additional resources in place, where needed.

“This includes planning for remote learning if and where required – although we continue to priorities in-person learning, where possible.”

The Welsh Government have asked schools to consider:

  • Staffing capacity
  • Plans for moving to remote learning if needed
  • Provision for children of critical workers and vulnerable learners
  • Contingency plans for learners in exam years
  • Operational arrangements
  • Lateral Flow Test (LFT) supplies.

They have also issued the following new rules to help to reduce the spread of Covid-19 in schools:

  • Face masks to be worn by staff and high school pupils.
  • LFTs to be done by staff and high school pupils on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays before going to school.
  • Close contacts aged five and over of anyone who has tested positive for Covid-19 must take LFTs for seven days. It is recommended this is done before arriving at school.
  • If the LFT returns positive or the person develops symptoms, they must book a PCR test.
  • Unvaccinated adults who are close contacts of someone who tests positive should isolate for seven days.
  • Children under five are not required to isolate or get tested as contacts.
  • Staff working with clinically vulnerable or higher clinical risk students should test daily in line with social care guidance.

NAHT Cymru director, Laura Doel, said: “The availability of staff is the biggest threat to education in January. Without the workforce fit and well, learners cannot go back to the classroom.

“If LFTs for close contacts need to be taken for seven days, there must be a supply available for schools. If track and trace are supposed to support the system, we must ensure they have the capacity to do so and if parents are to understand what is required of them, there must be clear communication.

“All of these elements need to be up and running to ensure the return to school is the success we want it to be. The pressure on the TTP system is an ongoing concern and therefore we maintain that classes should be designated as contact groups for testing purposes to bring consistency across all LA areas and relieve the added pressure to trace close contacts, particularly in primary schools which is extremely difficult.

“Given that staff availability has been a key area of concern for months, NAHT Cymru believes prioritising the workforce for booster vaccinations was an opportunity missed. It is too early to tell whether the new measures announced will be enough to keep schools open in January, but we welcome the reintroduction of staggered session times and the planning days that will help schools manage their local situations.

“Remote learning will remain a last resort, with staff absence and risk levels being the determining factors but be assured that school leaders remain committed to doing all they can to support their learners and their families.”