Education Minister Jeremy Miles has written to all headteachers and principals in Wales to provide more clarity on how schools and colleges can continue to operate safely when they return in September.

 

As the Welsh Government continue to monitor covid case rates across Wales, and how they relate to hospital admissions, the success of the vaccine programme gives cause to be optimistic about the future. As restrictions are eased across wider society, so too should educational settings see a similar pattern.

Three main changes are being proposed to bring some normality back to education ahead of the new autumn term. They are:

face coverings will no longer be routinely recommended in classrooms

contact groups will no longer be required for school pupils or full-time learners in colleges. We will use our TTP system in order to identify close contacts of learners who have tested positive

normal session times will resume

The Minister said: “By the end of September all adults in Wales will have been offered both vaccinations, providing greater protection for our education workforce. A growing body of evidence also shows that children and young people are more at harm from missing school than from covid.

“Lots of young people I have spoken to have said that they don’t believe the current system is proportionate. They just want to be treated the same as everyone else – and that sounds fair to me.

“We will publish ‘The Local Covid-19 Infection Control Decision Framework’ at the start of the autumn term so that schools have time to embed new systems during the weeks that follow. The framework will enable schools and colleges to tailor some of the interventions to reflect the level of risk identified locally. They will be supported by public health officials and local authorities to ensure measures are appropriate to their circumstances.

The Minister also said: “Before you embark on a well-earned break this summer I want to take this opportunity to express my gratitude for all your hard work and effort over the last academic year. I hope the break will offer you, and your staff, a chance to look back over the last year with immense pride – you have shown immeasurable determination and resilience in supporting learning and keeping education settings as covid-secure as possible.”

Face coverings to remain elsewhere

Ministers have confirmed face coverings will continue to play an important role in helping keep us all safe from coronavirus in Wales.

As the Welsh Government prepares to publish an updated Coronavirus Control Plan, setting out what will happen beyond alert level one, face coverings will continue to be required in certain settings, such as public transport and taxis, and health and social care, as a minimum, while coronavirus remains a public health threat.

Active further consideration is being given to whether face coverings should also be required in other settings, such as retail, if restrictions are relaxed further.

Wales is currently at alert level one – face coverings are mandatory in all indoor public places at alert level one and above.

Next week, Ministers will hold the regular 21-day review of the coronavirus regulations, which will set out whether restrictions can be relaxed in some indoor places, including people’s homes.

They will also publish new plans setting out how Wales will move beyond alert level one to a new alert level zero, with fewer legal restrictions.

But Ministers confirmed face coverings will continue to be required by law in some places while coronavirus remains a public health threat.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “We will need everyone’s help to keep coronavirus under control as we continue to respond to the pandemic – this virus has quite certainly not gone away.

“We know many people are still worried and anxious about going out. We will maintain the requirement to wear face coverings in certain places – on public transport and health and social care settings, and others where necessary – to help keep us all safe.

“Scientific evidence supports the use of face coverings, alongside other measures, as a way of reducing the transmission of the virus.

“They largely protect other people, rather than the wearer, against the spread of infection because they cover the nose and mouth, which are the main sources of transmission of virus. They are particularly useful in busy or crowded, indoor and poorly-ventilated areas.

“Public transport vehicles are usually enclosed spaces. If a train or bus is crowded it may not be possible for people to choose not to get on as it could be their only route to work.

“Health and social care settings can be high risk environments where sick patients and staff could be at increased risk of exposure to the virus. Wearing face coverings in these areas can help protect others.”

Health Minister Eluned Morgan added: “Wearing face masks is an effective way of reducing the transmission of coronavirus.

“We all have a duty to help to protect each other. Keeping everyone safe has been the Welsh Government’s priority through the pandemic and will continue to be the priority in future.”

The First Minister will make a statement to Plenary on Wednesday setting out the outcome of the 21-day review and providing further details on the new alert level zero.