TEACHING unions, politicians and medical experts called on the government today to prioritise the protection of school staff and pupils as it ploughs ahead with its plan to reopen classrooms.

Ministers and the Department for Education discussed concerns over the spread of a new strain of coronavirus ahead of the return to school following the festive break. 

Scientists have suggested that the mutated coronavirus strain could more easily infect children, with Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), claiming the arguments for reopening schools were “very finely balanced.”

Sage has also reportedly urged PM Boris Johnson to keep secondary schools closed in January and order a stricter national lockdown to prevent coronavirus infections from spiralling out of control.

And trade union leaders have called on the government to delay the return of pupils to the classroom.

The National Education Union’s (NEU) general secretaries wrote to the government reiterating their call on the Prime Minister to keep schools and colleges closed for at least the first two weeks in January, with online learning except for vulnerable children and the children of key workers.  

Dr Mary Bousted and Kevin Courtney said this would allow the setting up of mass testing programmes for schools and for the beginning of vaccination of education staff. 

In an open letter to Education Secretary Gavin Williamson, Dr Patrick Roach, general secretary of NASUWT, said schools must move to remote learning for all pupils, except those deemed to be vulnerable or the children of key workers, in the highest tier areas.

The union is also asking the government to publish new safety guidance in light of the new Covid-19 variant, introduce mandatory face coverings within schools and give staff priority access to the vaccine.

Staff in high-risk and vulnerable groups should be able to work from home pending further review of the situation, NASUWT said. 

Dr Roach added: “NASUWT believes that government has a duty during this crisis to do whatever it takes to ensure that schools and colleges are, above all, safe places for teaching and learning.

“Delaying the return of pupils to schools and colleges at the start of the spring term will also enable all school and college employers to undertake and consult as required on new risk assessments and ensure that they can be compliant with any new measures or requirements contained in any forthcoming national guidance.”

Earlier this month, the government said exam-year students would go back to school as normal after the Christmas holidays, but the majority of secondary school pupils would start the term online to allow headteachers to roll out mass testing of children and staff.

Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said today that the government “hopes” the staggered reopening of schools in England will go ahead in the new year as planned.

The plans would allow primary school pupils, Years 11 and 13 in England to return next week, with the rest going back later in the month.

Labour accused the government of “failing to be honest with parents and pupils about the return of schools in January.”

Shadow education secretary Kate Green said: “Parents, pupils and staff will be increasingly worried by the drip feed of media reports saying scientists have advised the closure of schools in January, yet the Prime Minister has failed to be clear about the advice he has received.

“Labour has been clear that keeping pupils learning should be a national priority, but a litany of government failures, from a lack of funding for safety measures through to the delayed and chaotic announcement of mass testing, is putting young people’s education at risk.”