London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 16, 2025

Schools will be ready for September - minister

Reopening schools is a priority for the government and it will be safe, a cabinet minister says.

Reopening schools in September is an "absolute priority" for the government and it will be safe, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has said.

It comes after teaching unions called for clarity amid a rise in the number of coronavirus cases and the decision to pause lockdown easing in England.

"We have to get children back to school in September," said Mr Jenrick.

Schools are due to open in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to all pupils at the start of next term.

They closed in March, except to the children of key workers, but some reopened to certain year groups before the summer holiday.

However, unions have raised questions over the plans to reopen schools, after England's chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty warned the country is "near the limit" for opening up society.

And earlier this weekend, two scientists advising the government said there may need to be trade-offs around lockdown easing - for example some restrictions may need to come back into force to allow pupils back into the classroom.

Asked about the issue by the BBC, Mr Jenrick said it was "so important" that children have face-to-face contact with their teachers.

"We're working very closely with headteachers and the teaching unions to make sure that all the steps necessary are put in place over the summer so that the children can go back in September and it is an absolute priority for the government," he said.

Mr Jenrick said he believes that schools "will be safe in September".

"We published very detailed guidelines and of course we're going to keep working with headteachers over the course of August as they finalise their own plans as to how their schools can operate safely in accordance with the guidelines."

Mr Jenrick added that parents know that remote learning "isn't a substitute for getting children back into the classroom".

'Be transparent'


On Sunday, Patrick Roach, the general secretary of the NASUWT teachers' union, told the Observer ministers will have to convince staff and parents that it is still safe to reopen schools next month.

"The warning from the chief medical officer that a fine balance has to be struck in ensuring public health at this stage of the pandemic, and that the country may have reached the limits to the easing of lockdown, will no doubt prompt questions for many parents as well as for those working in schools," he said.

Mr Roach warned that, if schools are to reopen safely, the government needed to give teachers clarification around the latest scientific advice "as well as sufficient time to review and, if necessary, adjust their reopening plans".

The National Education Union also issued a statement, saying the government needs "to monitor the situation nationally and in each region" and "be transparent about what the picture means for schools".

"It is clear, however, that [the] government needs a plan B in the event that restrictions have to be increased in or before September," said the union's deputy general secretary Avis Gilmore.

Boris Johnson has previously pledged that both primary and secondary schools in England will return in September "with full attendance".

The school term in Northern Ireland and Wales also begins in September, but in Scotland the autumn term begins in August.

Prof Graham Medley, chairman of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) sub-group on pandemic modelling, said that pubs or "other activities" in England may need to close to allow schools to reopen next month.

"It might come down to a question of which do you trade-off against each other, and then that's a matter of prioritising. Do we think pubs are more important than schools?"

Prof Calum Semple, who also advises the government, said there would need to be "some hard decisions" about which restrictions may need to be reintroduced, adding: "Whether that's potentially the pubs and the hospitality sector taking a hit in preference to education will be a political decision."

A Department for Education spokesman said: "We have set out the controls schools should use, including cleaning and hygiene measures, to substantially reduce the risk of transmission of the virus when they open to all children from September."

Mr Jenrick also dismissed newspaper reports that there were plans to introduce shielding for people above a certain age as "speculation".

"You would expect the government to be considering all of the range of options that might be available," he told Times Radio. "That's not something that is being actively considered."

On Friday, the PM announced further easing of the lockdown would be delayed.

Measures due to come in this weekend, including the reopening of casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks and some close-contact services, as well as the return of indoor performances and pilots of large gatherings in sports venues and conference centres, have been postponed for at least a fortnight.

Mr Johnson said on Friday he needed to "squeeze the brake pedal" on easing restrictions following a rise in coronavirus cases.

A further eight deaths were reported in the UK on Sunday, taking the total number of people who have died after testing positive for the virus to 46,201. However figures tend to be lower at the weekend due to reporting delays.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. and Britain Poised to Finalize Over $10 Billion in High-Tech, Nuclear and Defense Deals During Trump State Visit
China Finds Nvidia Violated Antitrust Laws in Mellanox Deal, Deepens Trade Tensions with US
US Air Force Begins Modifications on Qatar-Donated Jet Amid Plans to Use It as Air Force One
Pope Leo Warns of Societal Crisis Over Mega-CEO Pay, Citing Tesla’s Proposed Trillion-Dollar Package
Poland Green-Lights NATO Deployment in Response to Major Russian Drone Incursion
Elon Musk Retakes Lead as World’s Richest After Brief Ellison Surge
U.S. and China Agree on Framework to Shift TikTok to American Ownership
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
×