Contact bubbles, masks, testing and facing to the front in classrooms will continue in some schools across Wales as pupils return after half term.
With restrictions in wider society eas ing, schools will still retain measures such as one way systems. Assemblies remain suspended although some schools are starting to plan trips and even overseas visits for next academic year.
Pupils and staff in different local education authority areas are starting back after half term on a variety of alert levels from high to low under the Welsh Government’s school opening framework. l
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Wales-wide restrictions, brought in when the Omicron Covid variant struck – such as masks in lessons for children aged 11 and over, and staggered start and end times – have been lifted. But others will remain, including masks in communal areas.
The level of restrictions needed will be up to councils and schools to decide based on local risk assessments. Measures can be ramped up or down, as judged necessary, according to the Welsh Government’s school guidance.
While most councils have given guidance on what local risk levels are, Powys has left it up to individual schools to judge based on risk assessments.
Covid risk alert levels councils have advised for their schools range from high/very high in Carmarthenshire to high in Swansea, moderate in Pembrokeshire and low in Gwynedd .
The Association of School and College Leaders Cymru said headteachers were taking a “cautious” approach and the most important thing was to keep schools open and pupils learning face to face.
ASCL Cymru Director Eithne Hughes said school leaders must not be left with all the decisions about assessing risk levels and restrictions for their individual school. She said it was difficult for headteachers imposing restrictions not deemed necessary in other schools nearby and more official guidance was needed. With exams on the way it was vital to keep children in school and she warned that GSE and A level year attendance remained “stubbornly” low.
“We need clear communication from the Welsh Government about what is expected of headteachers in the next phase. Is it expected they will use their own discretion on masks for example?,” she said.
“We need a cautious approach. What school leaders want to do is keep things steady but cautious and get as many learners into school as possible. We need children in schools. The last thing we need is children sent home.”
Heads are concerned about low attendance and some children and teenagers might be too scared of Covid to come in, she said.
“What we don’t want to see is schools looking like they did pre-Covid. That would not give confidence to learners and staff that schools are safe places.
“We don’t want a big bang of everything back to normal when we still have clusters of local outbreaks.”
The Welsh Government said it was “strongly recommending” face masks in communal areas for all staff and secondary age children as well as twice weekly testing.
It is understood the vast majority, though not all, children, were learning face to face in the week before half term. Some were learning remotely because of staff absence and Covid. The Welsh Government said it was not aware of any anticipated school closures next week.
What councils are saying about their local risk levels for schools
Swansea
Alert level: High
All Swansea schools will be at the high level on the framework when they return next week, the council said.
This will mean that there is no longer a requirement for face coverings to be worn in the classroom and class bubbles are no longer required in primary schools.
Canteens, breakfast clubs and after school clubs were operating where possible before the holiday and will continue to do so when pupils return.
We will continue to keep the situation under review with headteachers and make further changes as and when necessary.
Caerphilly
Alert level: Moderate
A councils spokesperson said: “Risk assessments for Caerphilly schools will be directed to moderate level and schools will select mitigations appropriate to the local context.
“ Teaching will continue to be face to face unless staff absence triggers remote learning. Secondary phase pupils will be asked to wear masks in communal areas. LFT tests twice a week for staff and for secondary phase pupils.
Cardiff
A Cardiff Council spokesperson said: “In line with the Welsh Government’s move to relax coronavirus restrictions, schools in Cardiff are now following the latest version of its Local Infection Control Decision Framework, updated to reflect the move to Level 0.
“Supported by the local authority’s education department and health and safety department, schools have put measures in place that are tailored to their individual circumstances and specific needs.
“This means that each school’s operations are specific to them, ensuring the most appropriate measures are in place.
“Cardiff Council has created interactive forms to guide parents and pupils through the different self-isolation recommendations for school age children and young people.
“As the guidance varies, depending on things like age or whether or not someone has been vaccinated, the interactive forms ask a short series of questions, to suit individual circumstances. The interactive forms can be found on the Cardiff Council website.
“All staff in schools and childcare settings, as well as secondary aged learners, have been advised to take a lateral flow test twice a week. This is in addition to other advice on testing, for example advice for contacts and those self-isolating.
“Special schools staff are advised to take a daily lateral flow test, before going to work. However, Welsh Government is planning to reduce the testing required during the remainder of the term, and the local authority will communicate those changes to headteachers once they have been finalised.
“Face coverings should be worn by all secondary school pupils, staff, and visitors when moving around indoor communal areas, where physical distance cannot be maintained.
“Schools that have assessed their settings as very high risk under the Local Infection Control Decision Framework, can continue to recommend face coverings in classrooms.”
Find out about coronavirus cases in your area:
Rhondda Cynon Taf
Alert level: Low
Schools will continue to follow the local Covid-19 infection control decision framework for schools . This will allow schools to tailor interventions and reflect local risk and circumstances
No contact bubbles, unless school risk assessment deems the school to be very high risk.
One way systems and asking pupils to face the front in lessons will depend on school individual risk assessments.
Masks to be worn in communal areas by secondary school pupils and all staff/visitors in areas outside classrooms where social distancing can’t be maintained.
No masks unless school risk assessment deems the school to be very high risk Twice weekly testing to continue to be requested. Canteens, breakfast and after school clubs are fully open.
A council spokesperson said assemblies and school trips resuming would depend on school individual risk assessments.
Pembrokeshire.
Alert level: Moderate
Pembrokeshire County Council said it would be at moderate in the local decision making framework and would follow those mitigations in full.
There will be no contact bubbles in schools.
Some schools, depending on layout, will continue to enforce one way systems and some will have pupils facing to the front in lessons.
There will be masks in communal areas but not in lessons.
Staff and secondary pupils will continue to be asked to take a lateral flow test twice a week.
Canteens, breakfast and after school clubs will be open but there will still be no school assemblies. The council said assemblies could resume once the risk level was judged to be low. School shows can resume when schools have “appropriate community risk assessments”.
Schools are planning trips for the summer term and beyond, but not the rest of this term.
Blaenau Gwent
Alert level: High
Following the half-term break schools will be operating at the high risk level within the Local Covid-19 Infection Control Decision Framework. This is slightly decreased from the very high level that Gwent (and all Wales) was operating at until recently.
Schools will operate within their own agreed risk assessments, and whilst the local authority had given guidance on some measures, schools are able to modify to suit their own logistical requirements.
There will be no contact bubbles in schools, but physical distancing will still be encouraged where possible.
Schools will be encouraged to have one way systems in place, accepting that this is not always possible.
Pupils will be encouraged to face to the front in lessons, where practically possible. Masks are encouraged for secondary pupils in indoor communal areas and for primary and secondary school staff in indoor communal areas. Masks will not be worn in lessons, unless it is an individual choice.
School staff and secondary learners will be strongly encouraged to carry out LFT tests twice a week.
Canteens, breakfast and after school clubs open fully open.
Assemblies can’t resume until risk is judged to be low. School shows will be a matter for schools, but as they would be classed as a large scale gathering the local authority would continue to advise against.
Schools wanting to run any type of educational visit will be asked to continue to undertake the usual risk assessment process.
Carmarthenshire
Alert level: High/Very High
Carmarthenshire schools will continue at the high/very high mitigations for the first week after half term as Carmarthenshire had amongst the highest number of cases in Wales prior to half term. We will consider the data after half term and decide if we revert to the moderate or low level.
Powys
Alert level: For individual schools to decide. No council direction.
All schools will need to follow Local Intervention Framework. They will decide what restrictions can be safely lifted but this depends on the circumstances of their setting
Schools will revert to following the Local Intervention Framework as announced by Welsh Government. We have a system in place which rates schools against the LIF levels, and they will be able to take account of these.
However, we will also maintain a comprehensive risk assessment toolkit for all schools which will look at all aspects of school operations. Schools will be able to make their own local decisions on what is appropriate to them in regards to wider measures. There will be no direction from the local authority, unless there is a change in the Covid situation nationwide or a particular issue across Powys as a whole.
Gwynedd
Alert level: Low
Gwynedd schools have been advised to plan to use the mitigations listed under low level of the Local Infection Control Decision Framework from the start of the next half term.
Schools have also been advised to follow the current national guidance with regard to asymptomatic testing and use of face coverings in schools.
Individual schools do have flexibility to retain certain higher-level mitigations if their local risk assessments highlight that as a need. Therefore, arrangements across the county’s schools will vary according to each individual school’s needs and situation.
Schools have been advised to communicate their plans for the new half term to parents/guardians.
Any school events (assemblies, shows, trips) are subject to risk a assessments which will help decide whether or not the events should go ahead, and if so, what steps need to be taken to continue to keep the risk to pupils, staff and the wider community as low as possible.
Ceredigion
Alert level: High
A spokesperson said: “Following a discussion with the Local Health Board, the risk level for schools has been set at high for the time being. This will be regularly reviewed.
“Contact groups have been relaxed and masks will be worn in busy communal areas within secondary schools, and on school transport.
“Twice weekly LFD testing remains for all staff and secondary school pupils, with daily testing for staff working in ALN units. All canteens are fully open.”
Denbighshire
Alert level: Moderate
A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “Denbighshire schools will return after half term at the moderate level as per the Local Covid 19 Infection Control Decision Framework for schools, with the addition of the high rating regarding the use of face coverings as per the advice of the Minister.
“This position will be reviewed at the start of term based on case rates with further advice being provided to schools in due course.
“In terms of individual activities referenced these will be a matter for individual schools to consider based on the Welsh Government guidance and the application of risk assessments at the school level on individual activities.”
Conwy
All Conwy schools plan to return with face to face learning next week, schools will consider arrangements in line with their individual risk assessments and Welsh Government guidance.
Merthyr
All schools will be back to face-to-face learning. Secondary schools will be recommending face coverings in communal areas only. Staff and students will be asked to undertake lateral flow tests.
A spokesperson added: “All schools are operating breakfast clubs. Schools will undertake risk assessments on assemblies etc but it is expected they will return within the next week or so. Schools will undertake their own risk assessments. It is unlikely that contact bubbles will be rigidly enforced.”
The Welsh Government responds
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “When they return after half-term, schools will be using the Local Infection Control Decision Framework. This sets clear guidance to enable schools to tailor any interventions to protect learners and staff from the risk of catching and spreading coronavirus in line with local circumstances.
“Schools will be supported by public health officials and local authorities to ensure measures are appropriate and based on evidence. Schools have contingency plans in place to respond to varying levels of staff absence. At this point in time we are not aware of any anticipated class closures.
“We strongly advise staff in schools and childcare settings, as well as secondary-aged learners, to continue using lateral flow tests twice a week for the time being. Staff working in special schools continue to be strongly advised to undertake a lateral flow test every day before they go to work.
“Face coverings will no longer be routinely recommended in classrooms. However, as a minimum, they should be worn by staff, secondary-aged learners and visitors when moving around indoor communal areas.
“We continue to keep our guidance for schools under review, based on the latest evidence and information.”
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