Children back in school in England after Covid-19 lockdown

Society 19:43 08.03.2021

Children return to school in England on Monday (8) for the first time since January, as the government begins to ease tough restrictions, thanks to a mass vaccination drive against the coronavirus.

Throughout the latest lockdown since the start of the new year, schools have remained open to children of key workers and the most vulnerable.

But all other youngsters have been at home, causing a headache for working parents, and fears about the effect on their learning.

Pupils aged five to 11 go back to the classroom Monday, with a staggered return over the coming week for secondary school students aged 11 to 18.

Relief for parents
 
Parents have welcomed the return to the classroom after two tough months of home-schooling and juggling their own work during lockdown.
 
Lisa Tyler, 41, from Northamptonshire, central England, said having her six and 10-year-old daughters back in class would be “the biggest relief in the world”.
 
Trying to manage supervision of schoolwork and her job as a university administrator had been hard, particularly on her youngest, she said.
 
Julie Williams, 49, from Essendon in southeast England, said she and her husband had struggled to prioritise care for their three sons as they both work for the state-run National Health Service.
 
“The job throughout the pandemic has got busier and worse. So it’s been quite tricky for us,” she said.
 
Vaccine hope
 
The government has been able to plan to ease its Covid-19 restrictions as around 23 million people in Britain have received at least a first vaccination jab, helping to bring down case numbers and ease pressure on hospitals.
 
Prime minister Boris Johnson has outlined plans to lift stay-at-home curbs in England. Britain has suffered more than 123,000 Covid deaths and is banking on its mass vaccination drive to lift all restrictions possibly as early as June.
 
Under further plans for reopening, the government has said it will ease limits on social interaction outside on March 29, with the reopening of non-essential retail from April 12.
 
Returning students will face regular testing to curb the spread of infection, while older children will have to wear facemasks indoors until April.
 
Education secretary Gavin Williamson said the school return would “mark a moment of joy for millions”, and it was important for children to be in class “not only for their education but for their mental health and wellbeing”.
 
Different plans for school returns have been unveiled across the other nations of the UK — Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — where devolved governments have powers over education policy.
 
In Scotland, children aged four to seven returned last month and older students are due to follow — part-time — from March 15.
 
A similar timetable has been outlined in Wales, starting with those preparing for exams on the same date.
 
Youngsters aged four to eight in Northern Ireland are also back on Monday, with secondary pupils aged 13 to 18 on March 22. Others have to wait until April.
 
IEPF issued a statement regarding Azerbaijani children at the UN Human Rights Council

News line

Building collapse in Pakistan kills 15
19:45 05.07.2025
Turkish FM Fidan to attend 17th BRICS Leaders Summit in Rio de Janeiro
19:30 05.07.2025
Australia pledges $283M for green energy project by explosives maker
19:10 05.07.2025
OPEC+ speeds up oil output hikes, adds 548,000 bpd in August
18:45 05.07.2025
Inter completes signing of Ange-Yoan Bonny from Parma
18:20 05.07.2025
Turkish president sees Zangazur corridor 'as part of the geoeconomic revolution'
18:00 05.07.2025
Turkish president urges Azerbaijan, Russia to show restrain amid tension
17:45 05.07.2025
China says war 'not a solution' to Iranian nuclear issue
17:15 05.07.2025
At least 18 people injured after fire alert on Ryanair plane in Majorca as passengers abandon jet & leap from wing
17:00 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani PM meets with UNESCAP executive secretary
16:45 05.07.2025
Lebanese president affirms coordination with Syria, warns against sectarian tensions
16:15 05.07.2025
21 killed in Israeli strikes on tents, school-turned-shelters in Gaza Strip
16:00 05.07.2025
Turkish construction sector takes on international projects worth $6.2B in first half of 2025
15:45 05.07.2025
Azerbaijani woman wrestler becomes European champion
15:30 05.07.2025
Mayor: Death toll in Russian attacks on Kyiv reached two
15:15 05.07.2025
Texas floods kill 24 people and leave many missing from girls' summer camp
14:45 05.07.2025
Conor McGregor has interest in White House fight after Trump's UFC idea
14:30 05.07.2025
Netanyahu era sees 40% surge in Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank
14:15 05.07.2025
Equatorial Guinea sues France in UN court to block sale of Paris mansion
14:00 05.07.2025
US president 'disappointed' over phone call with Putin
13:45 05.07.2025
Academy of Azerbaijan`s State Security Service hosts graduation ceremony
13:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan and Pakistan ink memo in Khankendi
13:15 05.07.2025
Trump says there could be Gaza deal next week
13:00 05.07.2025
First flight from Türkiye to Syria launched
12:45 05.07.2025
US marks its 249th anniversary of independence
12:30 05.07.2025
Azerbaijan's role in regional integration discussed at London conference
12:00 05.07.2025
Uzbek Minister: Mirziyoyev's visit to Azerbaijan crucial for dev’t of transport links
11:45 05.07.2025
Trump says US will start talks with China on TikTok deal this week
11:30 05.07.2025
Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif concludes visit to Azerbaijan
11:15 05.07.2025
Pakistani premier proposes low-emissions corridor at Economic Cooperation Organization summit
11:00 05.07.2025
Rwanda pledges to deliver on its part of US-brokered peace deal with DR Congo
10:45 05.07.2025
Hezbollah rejects calls to disarm before end of Israeli ‘aggression’ against Lebanon
10:30 05.07.2025
Trump says Gaza ceasefire deal may come next week after ‘positive’ Hamas response
10:15 05.07.2025
Taiwan's ruling party launches campaign to oust opposition lawmakers
10:00 05.07.2025
EU says situation around GHF food distribution centers in Gaza 'untenable'
21:30 04.07.2025
UN nuclear watchdog pulls its inspectors out of Iran after Tehran suspends cooperation
21:10 04.07.2025
Afghanistan offers to host next ECO Summit
20:45 04.07.2025
Court hears testimonies on Armenian armed forces firing on civilians and children during Kalbajar occupation
20:35 04.07.2025
German, Dutch spy agencies claim Russia is increasingly using chemical warfare in Ukraine
20:20 04.07.2025
State of emergency declared after devastating wildfire in eastern Crete
20:00 04.07.2025
Hamısı