Education Minister Kirsty Williams has announced that all Schools in Wales will reopen to all pupils on 29th June, after they were closed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some schools have remained open during the lockdown, but only for children of key workers.

Schools will be open to pupils from all year groups for limited periods during the week, with only a third of pupils in school at any one time, Kirsty Williams said.

Individual Schools and councils will make their own decisions over managing the return.

Year groups will be split into smaller classes with staggered starts, lessons and breaks. It is expected this will mean, at most, a third of pupils present at any one time, though schools may need time to reach this level.

The summer term has been extended by one week to 27 July, and the autumn half-term holiday will be stretched to two weeks.

All children will have the opportunity to “check in, catch up, prepare for summer and September”, Ms Williams said.

“My announcement today gives schools three-and-a-half weeks to continue preparing for the next phase.

“We will use the last weeks of the summer term to make sure pupils, staff and parents are prepared – mentally, emotionally and practically – for the new normal in September.”

Parents who choose not to send their children to school will not be fined and children who fall into the shielding category will carry on with online learning.

The key points of the plan to reopen schools in Wales

  • Schools in Wales will re-open to all pupils on June 29
  • Pupils will not be in full time
  • The phased return will see around one in three children in school at once
  • The summer term will be extended by one week ending on July 27
  • Autumn term half term will be extended to two weeks
  • Some remote teaching will continue into the start of next term in September