Coronavirus: Boris Johnsons' plan would make classrooms unsafe for children, teachers say

Children could be put at risk if government moves ahead with plans to increase class sizes following a widespread epidemic of coronavirus in the UK, warned teachers and teachers. nurserymen.

Rules on staff-to-student ratios in education and childcare facilities could be relaxed as part of governments' battle plan to combat the virus and ensure that schools can remain open.

Teachers and children may be allowed to change schools, and class sizes may exceed the legal limit due to emergency measures.

But the National Education Union (NEU), the country's largest teachers' union, warned that cramped classrooms would not guarantee student safety, adding that they could do more harm.

And the Early Years Alliance, which represents nursery staff, said plans to relax staff-to-student ratios could have a negative impact on workers' ability to protect the safety of children.

The warnings come after the government announced plans to rush legislation to Parliament this month to give them additional powers to fight the epidemic.

It is understood that this will give schools and boards the power to suspend laws, including health and safety, to deal with a pandemic.

Kevin Courtney, NEU deputy secretary general, said the union plans to raise their concerns with the Ministry of Education (DfE) to ensure that undue damage is not caused to schools.

He said: Schools have an important role to play, but we are concerned about suggestions made in recent days that larger classes will be recommended for indefinite periods.

These will benefit no one except that a cramped classroom will not keep students safe, potentially doing more harm than good and will likely go directly against the social distancing recommended in the action plan.

He added: Teachers will be angry at the prospect of already strained service, with fewer teaching assistants in most schools, needing to expand further.

The size of infant classes, for children aged four to seven, is capped at 30 students per teacher.

But for young children in early childhood settings, the ratios are even lower. For children under 2, an adult is expected for three children. For children two years of age, it goes to four children.

Regarding plans to relax rules for child-pupil ratios in child care, Neil Leitch, executive director of the Early Years Alliance (EYA), warned that workers would have less time to deal with each child.

He said L & # 39; Independent: Even the best practitioner has only a pair of hands and a pair of eyes, and therefore any change to the current rules can have a detrimental impact on the quality of care that providers are able to provide and their ability to protect children safety and well-being.

We hope that all decisions made will be taken into consideration and thought through, and not just an instinctive reaction that ignores the specific care needs and demands of very young children, he added.

Matt Hancock, the secretary of health, confirmed on Tuesday that 10 schools had closed across the country, but said schools should not close unless there is both a positive case of coronavirus and that the school has received advice to close Public Health England (PHE).

An academy of 1,000 students has become the last school to close its doors on the coronavirus crisis despite official government advice that students should not be systematically sent home.

Hilbre High School on the Wirral sent his students home after chief Mark Bellamy decided to close the school as a precaution after a parent with school students tested positive for coronavirus.

Other schools have asked students to isolate themselves, with many schools having students returning after the mid-term break from school ski trips in northern Italy.

The Ministry of Education (DfE) has launched a new helpline to manage the growing demands for coronaviruses and schools.

On Tuesday, announcing the government's emergency plans, Boris Johnson said: There is a need for legislation regarding things like school operations, borders, quarantine, but these are exceptional and short term. They are not intended to last beyond the epidemic.

A government spokesperson said: Our action plan sets out measures to respond to the Covid-19 epidemic that are reasonable, proportionate and based on the latest scientific evidence.

They will be continuously reviewed and the impact of all measures will be carefully reviewed.