The Coventry schools which haven't reopened today

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Some schools have confirmed they are closed



Earlsdon Primary and Allesley Primary Schools are both closed today (January 4) as many schools in the city were supposed to return following the Christmas break.

Both schools were due to open today, but parents were informed of the closure late on Sunday (January 3).

Parents at Allesley Primary School said they received the following message stating the school would be closed because of a lack of staff.

There has been plenty of speculation surrounding the reopening of schools amid the current concern about rising cases of Covid-19.

Other schools in the city that haven't opened to pupils today are Radford Primary and St John Vianney Catholic Primary School.

The city has recorded its highest coronavirus rate since the start of the pandemic.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson recently advised primary schools in the area would open as planned on the first day of term, though many of those in the South of the country would not. Secondary schools in the local area are also due to remain closed until January 18.

Though the above schools have not confirmed the reason for the closure, or how long they will close for, one teacher's union, which has around 2,600 members (including retired staff) across the city, have told their staff to refuse to teach full classrooms of children.

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Most if not all are closed for 'staff training' in any case.

You could hear a pin drop around here this morning and I suspect it will be the same tomorrow.

[dutchman]

Coventry primary school to close for two weeks due to 'significant staff shortages'



A Coventry primary school is closed after a teaching union told its members to refuse to work in classrooms full of children.

Coventry City Council said that John Gulson Primary School in George Street, is expected to remain closed until January 18 due to staff shortages.

In a letter published on the school’s social media pages, headteacher Ms V Sumner said it was a decision she had taken “with a very heavy heart”.

The letter states that a decision about the school reopening from next week, Monday 11, will be taken later this week.

The school remains open to children classed as vulnerable and children whose parents are both key workers.

Daily online learning is also taking place for those children who have to stay at home and teachers will be uploading a video daily of them reading a story chapter which pupils will be able to access.

In the letter to parents, Ms Sumner said: “You will have seen the ongoing discussions in the media in recent days about the opening of primary schools in light of the increase of cases with the new strain of Covid-19.

“Unions have been liaising with their members accordingly.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I have had to take the decision to close the school to the wider community – I will review plans for week commencing January 11 later this week.

“This is due to the significantly reduced number of staff available to be on site and provide the required ratios of adults to children, as well as numbers of site staff available to ensure the entire site meets our cleanliness expectation as stated in our risk assessment that was approved by the LA last half-term.”

In other words they're on-strike!