How Wales is setting a roadmap for children to return to primary schools

  • Video report by ITV News Wales and West Correspondent Rupert Evelyn

Primary school children in Wales could be back in the classroom in less than a month - alerting homeschooling families across the UK to the prospect of a possible wider return.

First Minister Mark Drakeford confirmed on Friday afternoon that schools could reopen on February 22 at the earliest as the nation's target date.

It comes as the weekly Covid-19 infection rate falls below 200 cases per 100,000 people, according to Public Health Wales.

Boris Johnson has already confirmed schools in England will stay closed until at least March 8, despite suggesting other lockdown restrictions may be eased earlier, by February 22.

  • Watch ITV News Wales Correspondent Rupert Evelyn with more on this story:

The Prime Minister had planned to reopen schools after the February half term, but high infection rates and uncertainty over the effectiveness of the vaccine meant the date was pushed back. He told MPs reopening schools was a "national priority".So parents and guardians in England will no doubt look to the Welsh example as potential evidence for the case to get primary school age children back into the classroom.

Mark Drakeford is set to announce further details on the school return in a press conference on Friday afternoon. Credit: Welsh Government

How likely is the February 22 date for primary schools reopening in Wales?

The short answer is the date is not set in stone.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said opening up education is the Welsh government's "top priority", but only "when conditions allow".

Teaching union National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) criticised the decision to reopen schools.

Laura Doel, director of NAHT Cymru, said there are "still too many unknowns, such as the effectiveness of the vaccine and the pace at which infections are falling, to put the 22 February date firmly in the diary yet".

But Ms Doel added talks between the Welsh government and trade unions have already begun to make sure there is a workable plan for lifting the lockdown.

What might need to happen for schools to reopen?

  • Infection rates continuing to fall

The Education Minister said whether schools will reopen will depend on infection rates continuing to fall and the public "doing our bit to keep Wales safe".

  • Safety measures need to be reviewed

Union leader Ms Doel said safety measures at schools will need to be considered and reviewed to make sure they are still effective.

Mr Drakeford similarly said during the briefing on Friday afternoon that there will be an intensive discussion next week.

  • Parents need to be reassured

The Welsh government will also have to put effort into reassuring families it is safe to send their children back to school, she said. She described this as a "confidence test the government must pass to make the return a success".

  • Vaccines for teachers

Mr Drakeford did not confirm whether school staff would be added to the vaccination priority list, saying the government will need to follow the advice of the chief medical officer and the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation.

However, Ms Doel said it is important that teaching staff are prioritised for vaccinations. This would "give confidence as well as providing a better chance that once lockdown measures are lifted, children’s education is less likely to continue to be disrupted by staff absence and illness," she said.

Asked by a journalist during Friday's briefing about teachers refusing to go back to school until being vaccinated, Mr Drakeford said he understood the anxieties of staff but would work to put measures in place to make schools a Covid-safe place to be.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford is expected to announce that primary schools could reopen after the February half-term. Credit: Joe Giddens/PA

What is the schedule for the decision to reopen schools?

Mr Drakeford said during the briefing on Friday afternoon that schools will be given two weeks' notice of the final decision. This means intensive discussion on the practicality on what can be achieved will take place next week.

If schools are given the go ahead to reopen, it will be a phased reopening, starting from the youngest children in primary schools. Secondary schools and colleges are unlikely to reopen right away.

The Education Minister also emphasised there will be flexibility for different local areas.

Attendance will not be mandatory when schools reopen.

Wales has been in lockdown after a surge in coronavirus cases just before Christmas.

Public Health Wales figures show that 336,071 people have received their first dose of the vaccine.

Among the top priority groups, just over 62 per cent of over-80s have received their first vaccine. That figure is higher for care home residents, with seventy-two per cent having now been vaccinated.

The findings suggest that it is the time between doses and not the dosing level which has a great impact on the efficacy of the vaccine. Credit: PA Images

Top of the priority list - as has always been the case - are care home residents and staff. Next in line are health and social care workers, and people aged 80 and over.

On Thursday, a further 56 suspected coronavirus deaths were reported in the latest Public Health Wales data, with 705 new confirmed cases.

Public Health Wales said that, despite being "increasingly confident" case numbers were heading in the right direction, the NHS remained under immense pressure.

Dr Eleri Davies said: "We are increasingly confident in the data which is showing a consistent downward trend in the numbers of positive cases in Wales.

"However, the number of cases is still extremely high, and this is placing extreme pressure on our NHS Wales hospitals."