Coronavirus: Full NI school return 'unlikely for some time'

A full return to school by all pupils "may not be possible for some time", one of NI's teaching unions has said.

The National Education Union's (NEU) Education Recovery Plan said new coronavirus variants would limit how many children could attend school.

The newly-published document said class sizes should be capped at 15 with children attending on a "rota" basis.

The executive has previously agreed that most pupils will not return to school until 8 March at the earliest.

In Scotland, pupils in P1-P3 are due back in the classroom from 22 February, and there is a similar target date in Wales.

But the NEU plan for Northern Ireland said social distancing and limits on social mixing were required for "Covid security" in schools and colleges.

"When, and if, more students return, arrangements for 2m distancing and bubbles, and constraints on mixing and crossing bubbles must be radically tightened," the NEU said.

"If social distancing in education buildings is to become a reality, then fewer students can be on site."

They said a limit on numbers of children physically in school was needed due to "increased transmissibility of the new Covid variants".

The NEU said that, as a result, children should come into school on a "rota" basis.

"Additional teaching staff and support staff should be employed, including from recently retired professionals, to support the greatly increased workload involved in teaching some students in school and others remotely," the NEU outlined.

The union also called for all pupils to be guaranteed a laptop and broadband access, and for all teachers to be trained in remote learning.

The NEU plan also wants all staff in schools and colleges to wear face coverings "at all times" and increased ventilation.

Post-primary pupils already have to wear face coverings in class in Northern Ireland.

The union also said subjects like arts, music, drama, physical education and sports which "engender confidence in pupils, improve mental health and provide creative outlets for young people who have been trapped in lockdown for close to a year" should be a priority when pupils return to school.

"Ministers have consistently set their sights on returning all pupils and students to full time education rather than planning to return them to education safely," the NEU said.

"Until the population is vaccinated, and infection rates are manageable, there is likely to be continuing disruption to schools."

On Wednesday, Northern Ireland's mental health champion Professor Siobhan O'Neill told MLAs the Executive should prioritise the safe re-opening of schools.

Some experts have previously warned of the harmful impact of school closures on children.