A ‘safety first’ approach to re-opening our schools

The government has asked schools to prepare to begin to open for more children from 1 June.

The council is working very closely with our schools and their staff teams, trade unions and governors to ensure that this wider reopening of schools happens safely.  

I would like to reassure our residents that the most important factor for us is the safety and wellbeing of our children, teaching and support staff, and the wider community including parents, grandparents and carers.

We have strongly advised our schools that they should only reopen to more children when their risk assessments indicate it is safe to do so.  

It is likely that wider re-opening will happen at different times for different schools and for different numbers of children, given each school’s particular circumstances. 

The welfare and safety of our children, school staff and wider community remains our priority.

Councillor John Allcock

Chair of the Children, Young People & Skills Committee