Thread by @SchoolsWeek

Lib Dem education spokesperson @LaylaMoran will shortly ask an urgent question in the House of Commons about plans to reopen schools. Follow for live tweets

#urgentquestion #schools

@LaylaMoran .@GavinWilliamson says he wanted to make a statement this week but couldn't because of restrictions, so he's "grateful for the opportunity to answer questions today"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson Williamson repeats what the PM said on Sunday. Govt wants primary schools to welcome back reception, year 1 and year 6 children "in smaller class sizes" from June 1, with secondary schools asked to provide face to face support to years 10 and 12 #urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson Williamson repeats pledge in the DfE's guidance that children with symptoms and their families will have access to testing

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson .@LaylaMoran says she agrees children should go back at "earliest opportunity", but "should only reopen schools when we know it's safe". Asks for reassurance that decisions are based "solely on public health" and not getting parents back to work #urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson "Why weren't all major teaching unions consulted on the specifics of this proposal," says @LaylaMoran, referring to our story from yesterday. Also calls for further guidance on travel

schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-la…

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson Williamson says "we've actually worked very closely with all the teaching unions and the headteachers unions"

@PaulWhiteman6 said yesterday that @NAHTnews was not consulted on proposals

schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-la…

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews Williamson says the govt is bringing schools back because pupils "benefit from being educated by their brilliant teachers in front of them", and poorer pupils will suffer if they don't. Says he's happy to share advice from SAGE #urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews "We've asked the scientific advisers to give briefings for the sector," says Williamson #urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews Here's @halfon4harlowMP, who asks again whether Williamson supports proposals for summer schools staffed by graduates and retired teachers to provide catch-up tuition

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP Williamson says Halfon is "absolutely right about what we need to be doing in terms of everything we can help children who will not necessarily have the benefit of returning to school before the summer holidays"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP "We're looking very closely at such schemes," says Williamson

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP Here's @RLong_Bailey. She says Williamson "must appreciate the guidance provided so far does not yet provide the clear assurances that are needed over safety"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey .@RLong_Bailey asks if Williamson will consider changing the plan so schools are asked to meet certain conditions, "that when met would signal it was safe to open, a subtle but very important distinction"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey "Has he modelled the impact of reopening schools on the infection rate, and will he publish it?" asks @RLong_Bailey

"Will he rethink the position on PPE?"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey Williamson says he'll work with sector "at every step of the way", and "recognise the importance of supporting them".

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey Williamson: "We have said that if we are allowed, which it seems likely that we will be able to, we would like to see schools opening from June 1, giving schools as much forward notice as possible in order for them to get ready"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey MP Geoffrey Clifton-Brown asks Williamson what "face-to-face support" means for year 10 and 12 pupils.

Williamson says he wants "all children in those year groups to have the opportunity to go into school and speak to their teachers"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey Williamson says that those teachers will then "make an assessment of what learning and support that they need to have over the following weeks as we approach the summer holidays, but also making sure they set the work at the right level" #urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey "It is important to get these transition years back into schools, even if it is for not a full timetable, but this is a first step in the right direction" - Williamson #urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey .@IanMearnsMP asks @GavinWilliamson about @NAHTnews not being consulted

"When you say you're working with the sector that is partially but not completely true"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP Williamson says "at every stage" he's been meeting with union leaders and "other sector leaders" and "will continue to do so".

"We've shared our thinking very widely"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP .@RicHolden asks his former boss for reassurance on testing.

Williamson says teachers already have access, and "priority testing will be extended to all children whoattend school and if they're displaying symptoms as well as their families"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden "The only consideration behind this decision is what's in the best interest of the welfare of children and those who work in schools," says Williamson, who adds "scaremongering" is "really unfair"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden Former ed sec @DamianHinds says he wants to "commend" government's approach.

He asks for assurances that heads will be afforded "maximum flexibility to make this work for each school's unique circumstances"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden @DamianHinds Williamson says "we need to make sure that schools have the flexibility to work within these guidelines to make the proposals work for both staff and for children"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden @DamianHinds Williamson confirms that the government has looked at the approach taken by Denmark in returning pupils to schools and "mirrored" it. He says unions should speak to their Danish counterparts #urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden @DamianHinds Asked about what consideration he's given to grammar schools, Williamson says it "does present some additional challenges", especially with the 11-plus in September. He says DfE will look at "working with LAs who have grammar school systems"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden @DamianHinds Final question from @TanDhesi. He says govt guidance "raises more questions than it actually answers". Says he can attest as a parent how difficult it is to explain social distancing to children, and parents fear sending their kids back

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden @DamianHinds @TanDhesi "We will continue to work with the whole sector" says Williamson.

"But we recognise the importance of creating a safe bubble for children and teachers to operate in"

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening

@LaylaMoran @GavinWilliamson @PaulWhiteman6 @NAHTnews @halfon4harlowMP @RLong_Bailey @IanMearnsMP @RicHolden @DamianHinds @TanDhesi And that's it from the urgent question. Thanks for following

#urgentquestion #schoolsreopening