Blaenau Gwent Council is working closely with our schools to safely and effectively re-open to all learners from Monday, 7th September 2020.
From Tuesday, 1st September we have agreed with schools to hold a combination of planning days for staff; and transition days, when pupils of key year groups will be asked to attend – please look out for more detail on this from your child’s school.
All learners will return from Monday, 7th September 2020.
The Council is working closely with all our school leaders; trade unions and other partners, using the latest Welsh Government operational guidance, to provide Covid secure environments for children and young people and staff to return to this autumn term. In order to do this, we have agreed a series of overarching key principles for re-opening, recognising that arrangements will differ on a school by school basis. There is also Blaenau Gwent specific guidance that has been issued to all schools that places a local context on whole school re-opening.
One of the keys to helping keep schools safe will be a full participation in the Government’s Test Trace Protect Strategy, which help to identify and track cases of Covid-19 within the local community.
Councillor Joanne Collins, Executive Member for Education says:
“Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the Education of our children and young people and so we are pleased to be working with our schools to provide safe and reassuring environments for them to return to in September, not only for the obvious learning benefits but for the good of their emotional, physical and social well-being. Learners have really missed the comforting familiarity of school life and spending time with their teachers and friends.
“We understand that some families will be anxious about sending their children back to school and we can reassure parents that we are working closely in partnership with all schools to implement locally the comprehensive guidance issued by Welsh Government. This includes a range of measures designed to help keep school pupils and staff safe. We will also be working closely with families of vulnerable pupils to address any particular concerns they may have.
“The response from the Education sector to Covid-19 has been outstanding. We’ve worked well with our schools to provide childcare for key workers and organise the ‘check in catch up’ sessions for groups of learners at the end of the summer term and we continue to work together on a safe, effective return to whole school working. Covid-19 has and continues to be a very dynamic situation and moving forward we will work with our schools to review the planning arrangements accordingly.”
To find out more about what will be happening when Blaenau Gwent schools re-open go to - https://www.blaenau-gwent.gov.uk/en/resident/emergencies-crime-prevention/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-education-information/
The Welsh Government has issued comprehensive guidance for all those involved in the re-opening of schools & childcare settings, and this can be accessed here –
• https://gov.wales/operational-guidance-schools-and-settings-autumn-term-covid-19