PRESSURE is increasing on local authorities to end the school term early.
The Herald understands that both Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire County Councils are considering ending the school term on Monday.
If those counties close their schools, it is almost inevitable that Pembrokeshire will follow suit.
The Cabinet Member for Education, Guy Woodham, has remained adamant that Pembrokeshire will hold the line to December 18. However, faced with neighbouring councils shutting schools, logistical and staffing pressures could compel Pembrokeshire to follow suit.
Both the National Education Union and the National Association of Head Teachers have intervened in the issue. The unions have express concerns about their members’ safety and wellbeing, and that of their families.
After a positive test, a teacher in contact with a student must self-isolate pending the outcome of their own test’s result.
A teacher required to self-isolate at any point after December 11 previously faced being in precautionary measures until Christmas Day or beyond.
As things stand, some school heads face the theoretical prospect of running a Test Trace Protect procedure on Christmas Day.
In what might prove a significant move, on Tuesday (December 8) the Welsh Government reduced the period of self-isolation from fourteen to ten days.
The rising number of cases in schools and a new Welsh Government assessment has given the unions’ concerns greater impetus.
On Tuesday (December 8), David Evans, Wales Secretary of the NEU said: “Whole year groups are being told to isolate. The virus is spreading in schools, and our priority must be keeping both learners and staff as safe as possible.”
The following day, the Welsh Government’s Technical Advisory Group on Covid (TAG) published new guidance.
The TAG report said: “The best way to protect older family members is not to expose them to potential infection, no matter how well-intended the reason for contact.
“Pre-isolation may be a helpful consideration for families with children before visiting older relatives.”
The National Association of Head Teachers responded by writing to Wales’ Education Minister, Kirsty Williams.
The letter picked up on the TAG advice regarding pre-isolation.
It said: “[T]he advice on pre-isolating of families with children, in our view cuts across the government’s current position on keeping schools open. It once again risks mixed messages causing utter confusion.
“If this report is advising families to pre-isolate to protect any extended family members that they are planning to see over Christmas, surely the opportunity to do so must be supported by the government.
“Parents will undoubtedly vote with their feet, and children will be kept at home. That choice will not be afforded to school staff if school leaders are not supported in closing school sites.”
The letter continued: “NAHT Cymru urges you to review your position in light of the new advice and look, at a national level.”
It proposes a transition to blended/distance learning for the final week of term (December 14-18) in line with the TAG report advice.
NAHT says: “This week would see the closure of school sites and should be used for isolation and reducing social contacts, with a clear ‘stay at home’ message for all age groups
“This move would allow children, staff and families the opportunity to adhere to the pre-isolation advice.”
We approached Cllr Guy Woodham with our information about early closure plans in Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.
He responded: “The position remains under constant review and further meetings are happening today (Thursday, December 10) which may, hopefully, provide an agreed way forward.
“While I remain of the view that 18 December is an appropriate last day of term, this is not an entrenched position, and I will continue to listen to others while remaining focused on delivering what is in the best interests of Pembrokeshire learners during these unprecedented and extremely challenging times.”
