Since 23 March, in line with the scientific advice, nurseries, schools and colleges have remained open to priority groups of children and young people, children of key / essential workers and vulnerable children. Welsh Government have been clear that they would review this arrangement in line with scientific advice and has set out a recovery strategy, while also ensuring that safety remains the absolute priority.
The Minister has announced that from September 2020:
- Schools will return to full capacity, with only limited social distancing within contact groups.
- At full operation, a contact group should consist of around 30 children.
- Some direct or indirect mixing between children in different contact groups will be unavoidable, such as on transport, receiving specialist teaching or due to staffing constraints.
- Social distancing for adults should remain in line with regulations and guidance, where possible
- Schools will be required to minimise the risk of transmission by taking other mitigating measures using a hierarchy of risk controls.
- Every school should continue to be “Covid Protected” - having carried out risk assessments and mitigated them with a combination of controls such as hand and surface hygiene, one-way systems and so forth.
- If early warning information shows a local incident or outbreak then nearby schools should implement appropriate restriction measures.
- Each school will be provided with a supply of home testing kits.