Jersey parents and teachers promised 'as much notice as possible' before schools reopen
Parents and teachers have been promised they will be offered as much notice as possible before schools in Jersey reopen, with students offered well-being checks as part of their return to the classroom.
The Education Minister today (15 May) described efforts to reopen schools as “a really complex situation”.
Senator Tracey Vallois said her officers were working on a “safe exit education project” to find ways to open schools and nurseries, following medical advice, and learning from the experiences of other countries where reopening had begun.
When asked if it would be a staggered reopening, with different year groups at different times, she said that was possible.
Education department officers are meeting daily, seven days a week, to work on the project, and are meeting with unions and headteachers.
Visits are being made to individual schools to measure spaces to work up bespoke plans. In primary schools it has shown an average year six class would need to be split across three or four classrooms.
Today, the minister confirmed that of the 2,047 employees in her department, 546 workers had declared an underlying health condition and 129 staff are currently self-isolating because of the severity of it.
Senator Vallois confirmed any of those with health conditions who did want to return when schools reopen would need to undergo an individual risk assessment to ensure their safety.