One day a week in school at primary level if two-metre guideline in place in September

The government has said it is working towards a full return to school in September, despite a Department of Education report today that warned that public health distancing would make it impossible.

Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh at a press conference today said it was “not a runner” to have children home schooled for part of the week in September.

He was responding after the Department of Education and Skills report issued a stark warning that if the two-metre public health distancing advice remained in place for the new school year, primary school students would generally only be attending school for one day a week and secondary students for two days.

The department added that if the physical distancing requirement is reduced to one metre, it would mean that primary school students would attend school for only 50% of the week and at secondary school levels, some year groups would be attending school 50% of the time and other year groups attending school at or near a full-time basis.

The assessment is included in a special roadmap for the return of education published by the department this lunchtime.

It says: “If distancing requirements are required in a classroom setting in September, then there are clear impacts arising from infrastructural constraints such as class sizes, teacher and other staff availability and the physical space available in a school setting.”

The document ‘Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening society and business – a report for Government’ acknowledges that physical distancing requirements “are a function of public health advice intended to reduce the risk of infection at particular times and current guidelines are being kept under review”.

The impact of the two-metre requirement on students education and well-being are “most extreme.”

It says: “Engagement in face to face in school provision of one day per week is detrimental to the delivery of meaningful education. Students will be at home 4 out of 5 days and expected to engage in blended learning.

Regarding the impact of the one-metre requirement, the department says: “Engagement in face to face in school provision of 50% in school and 50% blended learning has very serious impacts to the delivery of meaningful education. Students will be at home half of each week and expected to engage in blended learning.”

It concludes: “The requirement to observe physical distancing imposes a direct constraint on plans to reopen schools. The physical size of our schools, and the number of individual classrooms within them, represents the most significant constraint to achieve a physical distance between students in the classroom. Teacher supply will also be a significant consideration.”

It is suggesting that the Government consider having a different approach to physical distancing in schools compared to other parts of society or business.

It said emerging evidence regarding infection transmission by children to adults may also mitigate some of the risks.

“Attention is drawn to the WHO Guidance where there is a question on whether the physical distance between students can be maintained throughout the school day given normal student behaviour (particularly for younger students) and how supporting measures can be taken to minimise risks within the school community and the wider community.”