More than 640,000 children in England were absent from school last week due to Covid, as the government announced its plans to sweep away the current system for containing Covid outbreaks within schools, colleges and nurseries.
In a statement to parliament, the education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said that from 19 July grouping pupils into protective bubbles within schools, colleges and nurseries in England would no longer be required, along with several other preventive measures, with the use of self-isolation for children with close contacts to end in mid-August.
“I do not think that it is acceptable that children should face greater restrictions, over and above those of wider society, especially since they have given up so much to keep older generations safe during this pandemic,” Williamson told MPs.
Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, accused Williamson of trying to “wish away” the challenges facing schools.
Read the full article in the Guardian here.
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