The head of England’s school’s watchdog, Ofsted, Amanda Spielman, has said that it is in the best interests of children for them to “return to school as soon as possible”.
She told a panel of MPs that home and online learning were “imperfect substitutes for school”.
But she did, however, cknowledge that adult health and infection risk needed to be considered.
Ms Spielman also said that she expected to see a risk in the number of children needing some form of social care in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
England’s Education Secretary, Gavin Williams, said that no date has been set for schools to reopen for pupils other than for children of key workers, as well as those considered vulnerable - certain thresholds in the fight against coronavirus will have to be met.
The United Kingdom’s Chief Medical Officer, Chris Whitty, said that the reinfection rate was near to 3 where schools were closed to children in March.
Now it is below 1.
Professor Whitty said that experts were currently trying to establish what the impact of children returning to school would be on the reinfection rate.
He said: “Whilst it remains the case, we think that the contribution of children at school is probably less than, for example, for flu, we certainly do think that it contributes”.
“Children are losing education”, Ms Spielman said, “and it’s not just the children who are disadvantaged or behind academically – it is children without motivation.
She added: “We need to make sure that parents get the assurance they need that schools are looking after their children properly and educating them well”.
