All schools across the Isle of Wight will close on Friday (20th March) – 2 weeks before the Easter Half Term – and will remain closed until further notice, the Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has announced.
Isle of Wight schools were due to close for the 2-week half-term break at the end of Friday 3rd April. Now, almost all children will finish school at the end of the day on Friday 20th March – effectively introducing the half-term holiday early and extending it from 2 weeks to an indefinite period.
Children of ‘key workers’ (such as NHS staff, police and supermarket delivery drivers) and the most vulnerable with ECHP’s in place will still be able to attend school. However, it is unknown when the vast majority of children will return to classrooms and therefore families should prepare for long-term disruption.
Children should not be left with older grandparents or older relatives.
The Prime Minister has not been able to say how long the school closures will last, but that the Government will try and keep the closures to an absolute minimum.
Nurseries, independent schools and private schools are being asked to follow state schools by closing their doors, so are colleges and sixth forms.
Exams will not take place as planned in May and June, but the Government will ensure children get the qualifications they deserve. It is unclear what exactly this means. Furthermore, SATS have also been cancelled.
The move is likely to have an impact on families across the Island, especially those on a low income with extra childcare and meal costs to meet. However, meal vouchers will be made available for those eligible for free school meals.
The Bay CE Secondary School has already been feeling the effects of COVID-19 this week with a partial closure due to staff shortages. Medina College and Carisbrooke College followed suit today with confirmation that Year 10 students were not expected to attend school on Thursday or Friday. This has now been superseded by this evening’s announcement.
It is thought that students will be asked to carry out online learning from home, although it is unclear how this will be enforced.
UPDATE @ 19:58 – An Isle of Wight Council spokesperson has said:
“Headteachers and their staff have been magnificent over the past couple of weeks keeping schools open across the Island. The response of school staff has been outstanding.
“The local authority will be analysing the Prime Minister’s statement and will be working with school leaders to ensure that educational provision can remain in place for the vulnerable groups outlined in the speech and key workers who are needed in health, emergency services, social care, education and delivery of vital goods.”
Those defined as key workers generally include:
Clinical National Health Service staff (except doctors and dentists)
Teachers and nursery nurses
Police officers, Community Support Officers and some civilian police staff
Prison officers and some other Prison staff
Probation Service staff
Social workers, educational psychologists, and therapists
Local Authority Planners
Firefighters
Connexions Personal Advisers
Some Ministry of Defence personnel
Environmental Health Officer
Highway Agency Traffic Officers
What about Isle of Wight college? Open or closed?
Grandparents can’t look after children not allowed to go to school but bet nothing is said about the Easter holiday. My Grandson and his parents live with me and I can’t have him with me during school hours but it’s ok afterwards absolutely ridiculous. If it wasn’t for a lot of Grandparents looking after kids a lot of parents wouldn’t be able to work
What school is open to those with key worker parents?