Michael Gove ‘guarantees’ that children and teachers ‘will be as safe as possible’ when schools return

CHILDREN and teachers will be as "safe as possible" in schools, Michael Gove promised this morning.

The Cabinet Office minister said earlier he could guarantee that "we are confident that children and teachers will be safe" going back from June 1.

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It comes after a long row between unions and the Government about whether or not it's right for kids to return to classrooms from next month.

Critics say it's not enough time and are concerned having kids back will see the rate of the virus spread creep up again.

Ministers hope reopening schools will be a key step in getting Britain moving again as the country emerges from almost two months of coronavirus lockdown.

Kids will have classroom limits, spaced out desks and staggered classes and year groups in on different days.

And Mr Gove told the BBC today: "Yes, teachers will be safe in schools.

"I talked to the chief scientific adviser yesterday.

"Running through the figures, the R number, we are confident that children and teachers will be safe", providing the right measures are in place.

He added that it is "extremely unlikely" that any school will be the source of a Covid-19 outbreak.

"We know that school settings are not the source of infection that some have feared; we know that they can be made safe and appropriate working places," he said.

But when grilled on the claims he stressed: "you can never eliminate risk" and added: "There is always, always, always, in any loosening of these restrictions, a risk of people catching the coronavirus."

It came as five former education secretaries joined forces today to advise head teachers to allow kids to return to schools.

Former Labour education secretaries Alan Johnson and Charles Clarke, together with Tories who also held the post, Nicky Morgan, Damian Hinds and Justine Greening, are all backing the phased reopening of schools, according to

Ministers have released reams of documents for schools to help them get ready for the return, advising that classes be limited to 15 and desks be kept apart.

It accepts that younger people can't be kept two metres apart but uses the idea of small "bubbles" that don't mix with others to keep contact limited.

Boris Johnson has said schools can return from June 1 onwards - but only if it's safe to do so.

But Mr Gove said today they couldn't guarantee that no one would get Covid as a result of returning to the classroom.

He told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday: "We can guarantee that steps are being taken to ensure that children and those who work in schools are as safe as possible.

"The only way you can ensure you don't get Covid is by staying at home with no social contact with anyone."

He explained that kids are less likely to get the virus seriously and show symptoms.

He said "We know that children contract coronavirus but the impact is significantly less.

"They are less likely to have symptoms, less likely to have serious symptoms than older citizens."

And having too much time off will have a damaging effect on kids' futures.

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The Cabinet Office minister said he has "been assured that a staged and careful return is the best way to make sure the people most in need get the education they need".
The longer schools remain shut, the more the divide between the privileged and less privileged will grow, he stressed.

The government has already said it will not impose fines on those mums and dads who continue to keep their children out school due to the coronavirus.

Gavin Williamson, the education secretary, said: "There is a consequence to this, the longer the schools close the more children miss out.

“Teachers know that there are children out there that have not spoken or played with another child their own age for the last two months.”

Today the head teachers' union the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) has now said it will be advising its members to reopen schools on June 1, reports .

The National Association of Head Teachers has also suggested it would back reopening primaries if it was given the government’s full scientific advice.

It comes after its leaders met with the government's chief medical officer and chief scientific officer on Friday, but most of them demanded more answers to their questions before advising members to return to schools.

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Other teaching unions have advised their members to not engage with the government's plans.

Some plans are also being drawn up to have schools open throughout the holidays with "summer camps" to get kids' education back on track, it was reported yesterday.

And Gavin Williamson hinted it was being looked at nationwide yesterday, to help some kids catch up if needed.

Other countries in Europe have already begun to reopen their schools, such as Denmark, France and Germany.

Mr Gove said today: "If progressive countries like Denmark can have children back in schools, then so should we."

Yesterday Jenny Harries said kids would be allowed to take their own lunchboxes back to school - but probably not their own pencil cases.