Downing Street issue update on primary schoolchildren wearing masks
The government have clarified the issue ahead of schools returning next week
Secondary school pupils will have to wear face masks from March 8
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Teachers are exhausted, our kids are fed up - anger over plans for longer school days and shorter summer holidays
They are among the options being considered by the government to help children catch-up on education
Updated
Several schools have announced closures (Image: Getty Images)
Parents and teachers have reacted with anger to plans being considered to help pupils catch-up on lost education. We reported yesterday how lengthening the school day and altering school holidays are said to be among the ideas being looked at by the government to counter the impact of the pandemic.
With fears over pupils falling behind, the Department for Education is reportedly considering putting on extracurricular activities and out-of-hours classes and reducing the long summer holidays.
Let cooped-up children enjoy half-term sports: Ministers are told to relax rules on exercise to help mental health during lockdown
PM has asked officials to draw up options for partial lifting of rules that limit people to meeting one other person for outdoor exercise once a day
Changes may include letting people meet a friend from another household more than once a day; permitting socially distanced exercise in groups of three or four
Mr Johnson is being urged to prioritise children by letting junior sports teams and after-school clubs resume during half-term break, which begins on Feb 15
Boris Johnson should consider tougher lockdown restrictions on the economy in order to allow schools to reopen, the chairman of the Commons Education Select Committee said.
Conservative MP Robert Halfon’s call for action to get pupils back in classes added to mounting Tory unrest about the issue and the Government’s exit strategy from coronavirus restrictions.
Mr Johnson said teachers and parents would be told “as much as we can as soon as we can”.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is widely expected to confirm this week that there will be no return to the classroom after the February half-term break as ministers had hoped.