Coronavirus: Schools guidance on reopening for more pupils.
Schools guidance on reopening for more pupils.
Last week Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, our Director of Public Health, advised that schools and other early years settings that it was not yet safe in Lancashire to reopen to more children from Monday 1 June.
Dr Karunanithi will review his advice on Monday 8 June, and if it changes, schools will be encouraged to take the decision to reopen to more pupils from 15 June. If the advice does not change, the guidance will be reviewed again on 15 June.
Dr Karunanithi's advice was based on the concern that two of the government's five tests were not being met in the county. Having reviewed the statistics which showed there had been an increase in confirmed positive cases of coronavirus at a time when the NHS Track and Trace system had launched, but was not fully operational, his professional opinion was that it was not yet safe for schools to open to more children.
The decision to welcome back more pupils to Lancashire's schools lies with head teachers, in consultation with their board of governors, taking into account their individual circumstances. The county council works closely with schools to provide advice and support. As has been the case throughout the emergency, all schools are encouraged to admit vulnerable pupils and those of key workers as long as their risk assessments suggest it is safe to do so.
We are working closely with our local partners and the NHS and Public Health England to build a responsive and effective track and trace system for the benefit of not just our children, but all Lancashire people.