The Government is set to reveal plans on how it will get children back to school this week

The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has revealed that the Government is still consulting on how to get children back to school but said plans will be announced this week.
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The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said this morning (Monday, June 29) that the Government was still consulting on how to get children back to school but confirmed the plans would be revealed this week.

Mr Williamson would not confirm if social distancing requirements could be removed to allow all pupils to return in September but highlighted that a plan will be in place very soon.

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He said: “We’re going to take the opportunity to spell out exactly as to how we will see a full return for all children back into school before the end of this week.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has confirmed that plans will be announced this week to get children back to school in September. Photo: PA.Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has confirmed that plans will be announced this week to get children back to school in September. Photo: PA.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has confirmed that plans will be announced this week to get children back to school in September. Photo: PA.
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“As I’m sure you’ll understand and appreciate at the moment, we’re consulting and talking with different people, whether it’s headteachers, whether it’s unions, whether it’s representative bodies.”

It comes a day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that all pupils will be back to school in September and that parents could face fines if they do not comply with this.

Speaking this morning, the PM revealed that he was frustrated that the Government has not got as many pupils back to school as it would have liked.

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Mr Johnson also called on local councils and teaching unions to deliver the message that “schools are safe”.

He said: “The fact that we haven’t got enough kids back in school is a source of deep frustration for me.

“We need everybody to understand school is safe, the years that can go back should go back.

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The leader of the Labour Party, Sir Keir Starmer was critical over the Prime Minister’s handling of getting children back into school.

He accused the Government of being “asleep at the wheel” and that he believes that “we could have had all our children back in school by now”.

Sir Keir said: “Responsibility isn’t with the civil service, responsibility is with the Prime Minister to get our schools open.

“There has been a total lack of planning. From the day the schools were shut down, it was obvious what needed to happen to get them back open again.

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“Had there been work on this from the day the schools closed down, I genuinely think we could have had all our children back in school by now.

“But the Government was asleep at the wheel, didn’t get to this until too late in the day and now we’re in the situation where children will be able to do other things this weekend, but not be in school on Monday.”

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