Another Powys u-turn as schools to remain closed this week

Powys County Council has performed another u-turn and decided not to open the schools on Wednesday after all.

The threat of the new Covid-19 variant sweeping into Montgomeryshire has forced Powys County Council to concede that the majority of learners will not return to school before Monday, January 11, despite saying only last week that they would.

It is a similar scenario to before Christmas when the council announced that schools would remain open until the end of term but then changed their mind at the eleventh hour.

Schools will only open this Wednesday for children of primary school, Years 7 and 8 whose parents and carers are key workers, as well as vulnerable learners.

But for the majority, schools will offer blended learning from this Wednesday onwards for those learners who will be at home.

Maintained 3+ settings and also childcare for key workers with school-aged children will continue.

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education, said: “Our intention was for our learners to return to school later this week following the Christmas holidays.

“However, we continue to be in the grip of this pandemic that continues to raise a number of challenges which we have to adjust and adapt accordingly. Things are moving rapidly across Wales and the UK, and we need to ensure that we are responsive so that our pupils, families and staff are as safe as we can make things.

“This decision has not been taken lightly but given the new coronavirus variant and that Wales is still in tier 4 restrictions, it is only right that we delay the return of all learners to schools.”