Coronavirus: Early school summer holiday plan 'abandoned'

Plans for Wales' school summer holidays to be brought forward a month have been abandoned, a union has claimed.

It was the most "radical" of three options being considered by Education Minister Kirsty Williams to re-open schools during lockdown, according to National Education Union (NEU) Cymru.

The union said it had raised concerns about the option, which would have seen pupils return to school in August.

The Welsh Government said it would provide an update next week.

Schools in Wales have been shut since 20 March and Ms Williams has since been in discussions with unions, local authorities, teachers and scientists about plans to get children back to school.

In a statement on its Facebook page, NEU Cymru said there were two other options being considered.

One is to "consider reopening" on either 22 or 29 June, although no decision had been made about which year groups would return or how a phased return would work in practice.

The other would be to wait to reopen schools in September.

It was also suggested the summer term could be extended for a week and the autumn half-term would be extended to two weeks, according to NEU Cymru.

The minister is also considering "preparation weeks" which "would occur every three weeks" in the autumn term, the statement added.

The decision to rule out the least popular option was welcomed and reflected the positive relationship between Ms Williams and the union, David Evans, Wales secretary of the NEU, said.

A Welsh Government spokesman said: "As the education minister confirmed today, the situation for education in Wales has not changed.

"The Welsh Government is working closely with unions, local authorities, scientists and head teachers to decide on the next steps for education in Wales, and the minister intends to update further next week."