National Education Union says lessons should be moved online for a fortnight
Union says it will allow set-up of testing scheme and for vaccination of teachers
SAGE has asked UK s vaccines authority to model secondary school jab roll-out
But Downing Street says it will continue to give vaccine to most vulnerable first
Boris Johnson tonight said school reopenings were now under constant review
It comes after Matt Hancock yesterday refused to rule out any changes to plans
Face masks in schools create a climate of fear and breach WHO advice, say medics
Many secondary schools and even some primaries are now requiring children to wear masks in class
A teacher, wearing a protective face mask
Face masks are being used in schools in a way that breaches the World Health Organisation guidelines, senior medics have warned.
The use of masks in classrooms has led to a climate of fear in schools, according to an open letter to the Prime Minister signed by a hundred academics, medics, paediatricians and clinical psychologists.
They have urged the Government to withdraw its advice on the use of face masks in school corridors as a matter of urgency , adding that masks should play no part in the life of healthy children .
Nicola Mason, head of school at Chase Terrace Academy in Staffordshire said that her staff were literally broken by the plans
A headteacher was left close to tears on BBC radio today after slamming plans for schools to roll out Covid-19 testing of children and staff in the New Year.
Nicola Mason, head of school at Chase Terrace Academy in Burntwood, Staffordshire, said in despair that her staff were literally broken by the plans which intend to see secondary school pupils return to class in England staggered in the first week of January.
Her voice breaking, she said teachers were now facing spending their whole Christmas holidays planning for remote learning with the majority of pupils expected to start the term online.