Kirsty Williams gives update on return to schools in Wales

Teaching unions in Wales have called for a re-think on the planned return to school, which sees some schools opening next week.

The calls come as a new, more transmissible, coronavirus strain has entered circulation.

Education minister said that the Welsh Government's science advisory group were due to meet this week.

She said: "We agreed before Christmas a flexible return to school in January, so that local decisions can be made based on local circumstances.

"Some schools return next week, with the majority open fully by January 18, with remote learning until then.

"We continue to monitor and publish the latest evidence, and our science advisory group TAG meets again this week.

"As ever, you will hear any updates directly from me."

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Neil Butler, NASUWT national official for Wales, has called on education minister, Kirsty Williams, so suspend face-to-face teaching in Wales.

He said: "The whole of Wales is in Alert Level Four and yet there are schools in Wales planning to open this week to full face-to-face teaching.

“There is chaos and confusion in the education service in Wales as the buck has effectively been passed to Local Authorities and some Authorities have passed it down to individual schools.

“The Education Minister has made teachers in Wales the promise that the safety of education workers would be a priority.

“We need to hear from the Education Minister that face-to-face teaching is suspended until schools can review their risk assessments to be able to cope with the new strain.

“During that time teachers can finally get the time to develop distance learning resources that are so desperately needed."

While NAHT Cymru have also called for the Welsh Government to re-think its plans.