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More children return to the classroom as schools begin to unlock

Reuters
Reuters

Thousands more London children returned to school today but the situation across the capital is patchy with the majority in some areas waiting until next week before reopening.

About 90 per cent of schools in some London boroughs including Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea are open today, but in some — including Ealing, Haringey and Tower Hamlets — most will not reopen until next week at the earliest.

There is also confusion over when other primary year groups will return, with the Government’s aim of having all primary children at school for a month before the summer holidays now said to be “under review”.

It comes as Victoria Playford, head of the Mulberry House school in West Hampstead, warned that schools must be careful not to frighten young children with strict social-distancing rules.

Her school reopened yesterday — with 66 per cent of eligible children returning. They were welcomed by an arch of colourful balloons on the school gate.

She said schools should still be places of fun, and warned too strict rules could damage children’s relationships with others. Children’s charity Coram is also calling for more emphasis on emotional and social wellbeing. Mrs Playford, said: “School should be safe, yes, but it should also be exciting, fun and full of challenges and opportunities.

“Let us not forget that. I am concerned that we need to get these very impressionable young children back into a routine as soon as possible which does not involve frightening them about a pandemic and allowing them to become institutionalised. The social distancing message is important but so are their relationships with others.”

Ginny Lunn, director of education and early years at Coram, a charity which helps vulnerable children and their families, said: “Children won’t be returning to a ‘normal’ school environment. They will need time to adjust to this transition period, to feel safe and to re-build relationships with their teachers and fellow pupils.”

The new safety rules include limiting contact between groups of children, staggered lunchtimes and drop-off times, no soft toys and more handwashing.

In some areas, some schools have found a lack of demand from parents.

Parents will not be fined and schools will not be held to account for absences.

A poll by the National Governance Association found that three in four governors said it was unlikely that pupils would be back for a full month before the summer.

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