Prospect slams timing of staggered school return announcement

The timing of the government’s announcement that secondary schools will provide online teaching from 4 January before returning to face-to-face in England on 11 January for all except for exam-year students, vulnerable children and key workers’ children, has been criticised by Prospect.

Prospect National Secretary Steve Thomas said:

“Prospect welcomes the mass testing programme that is, belatedly, being rolled out and the principle behind a week of remote learning to guard against transmission is right.

“However, to announce this programme at this time, with so many questions left open on how this will be carried out, and by whom, will be like finding a lump of coal in your Christmas stocking for hard-pressed school professionals.”