The start of the academic year is always an exciting time for pupils and students as well as for proud parents. It’s been a tough couple of years for all education settings but with more vaccinations done, regular testing and having learned more about Covid-19, we can all have confidence this new academic year will be better.
Our Conservative government has launched its back to school and college campaign, that sets out the experience that students can get back to from September, with restrictions such as bubbles eased to allow a full return to sport, music, drama, science experiments, as well as course being with their friends.
The campaign features the brilliant Tokyo 2020 gold medal-winning swimmer Matt Richards, who draws on his own experience of regular Covid testing as part of Team GB, to encourage secondary and college students to continue testing from September. The campaign also features Dr Ranj Singh, NHS consultant paediatrician and popular TV presenter, who reassures students and families about the return to school. Students and teachers are appearing across social, digital and radio adverts, talking about everything they are looking forward to during the new school term.
Schools and colleges are maintaining proportionate protective measures such as testing, ventilation and extra hygiene precautions that help keep children and staff safe and minimise disruption to face-to-face education. Secondary schools and colleges are offering two tests on-site at the start of term, followed by continued regular testing at home. Students aged 16 and 17, as well as younger children aged 12-15 in certain eligible groups are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine. I am hopeful that all 12–15-year-olds will be offered Covid vaccines in due course.
The launch of the campaign comes as the government invests £25 million in providing Carbon Dioxide monitors to state-funded education settings, helping them take action if they identify poor ventilation, or to be reassured that ventilation is sufficient across our classrooms and staff rooms. Parents are being encouraged to visit gov.uk/backtoschool for information and practical guidance to help them plan for their children’s return to school.
Councillor Duncan Crow, Leader of Crawley Borough Conservative Group
1st September 2021
