Image source, Google

A Wrexham primary school’s reopening has been delayed with teachers forced to stay away due a positive coronavirus test.

Although St Mary’s Church in Wales school in Brymbo said it was not a staff member who had tested positive, the case had resulted in a large proportion of them being unable to work, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Parents received a letter on Friday informing them the “check in, catch up and prepare” sessions were being put on hold.

In the letter, head teacher Austin Bowers said the school had “worked with the contact, track and trace team and followed advice from Public Health Wales”.

“We appreciate that this may cause disappointment to the children who were due to access the sessions and will cause a difficulty for the key worker families, but it is with the best interests of all children that we delay the opening for one week,” she wrote.

Caleb Spencer
BBC Wales News Online

School breaks are staggered at Marlborough Primary School with reception and Year 2 taking their break at 10:10, followed by Years 4 and 6 at 10:30.

A maximum of 24 children are monitored by six members of staff with pupils “discouraged” from getting too close to each other.

There were fears that children, particularly the younger ones, would be unable to abide by social distancing rules.

But there is a “fine balance” between keeping children physically safe from the virus and keeping them mentally well, according to deputy head teacher Leah Crew.

It’s not only children who are finding their feet in this “new normal”.

Staff have had to make conscious efforts to stop doing things which seemed instinctive just a few months ago.

Among more vulnerable children and those with special learning needs, children gain comfort and reassurance through touch - hugging or holding - but that has had to stop.

Ms Crew said school staff had benefited from opening as a hub - for children of key workers - where they had learned how to maintain social distancing.

People who were seriously ill in hospital with coronavirus need to be urgently screened for post-traumatic stress disorder, leading doctors say.

The Covid Trauma Response Working Group, led by University College London and involving experts from south-east England, said those who had been in intensive care were most at risk.

The experts said regular check ups should last at least a year.

More than 100,000 people have been treated in hospital for the virus.

In other news, 95-year-old Megan Williams received applause as she was welcomed back into her care home after spending seven weeks in hospital with Covid-19.

She spent four weeks in Ysbyty Penrhos Stanley on Holyhead, Anglesey, and three weeks in Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

Now she has returned to Rhos Care Home in Malltraeth on Anglesey.

Her daughter Mair Lynch said it had been awful not seeing her mother since early March but was very relieved she has recovered and her grandson John Griffith said she “deserved all the credit” for being so strong.

Image source, Reuters

There will be a return of full class sizes for primary and secondary schools in September in England, five days a week, the UK education secretary has confirmed.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Gavin Williamson said existing class bubbles of 15 would be expanded to 30 once schools return in September.

But Mr Williamson said it would be “more complex within secondary schools”.

In Wales, Education Minister Kirsty Williams said she would grab a full return for schools in September "with both hands" if scientific advice said it was safe.

The new normal at schools across Wales sees class sizes dramatically reduced to ensure pupils have enough space to remain 2m apart.

And there is plenty of signage advising about social distancing, as theses pictures show from Ysgol Gwaun Gynfi, Deiniolen, Caernarfon.

Here are some of the changes you can expect as children return to class:

• Smaller class sizes, with about a third of pupils in school at any one time
• Staggered starts and breaks
• Social distancing, with fewer desks and pupils sitting apart
• Pupils working in smaller groups
• More learning outdoors
• More cleaning
• Pupils being encouraged to walk or cycle to school
• Extra handwashing and hand sanitiser stations
• Some schools may not provide lunches - pupils should take packed lunches

Caleb Spencer
BBC Wales News Online

It was an emotional arrival for many parents, children and staff at Marlborough Primary School on Monday morning.

Having been apart for more than three months, children were clearly excited to see their teachers and best friends.

Parents spoke of relief tinged with some trepidation, but there was clear admiration for the way the school had acted to reassure them that their children would be safe to return.

“The school have communicated really well what they are doing, how they were managing it,” said Zoe, whose daughter Olivia returned to school on Monday.

“As a result I’m not very anxious about it.”

For teachers, this day has been a long time coming.

“I got really emotional seeing them running up the road, excited to come back,” said head teacher Geraldine Foley.

“And it was emotional seeing parents as well. Teachers were drying their eyes. It was lovely.”

Caleb Spencer
BBC Wales News Online

Marlborough Primary School had a 90% take-up of the offer for children to return to school.

Staff take that rate as proof they have gained parents’ trust through outreach work during lockdown.

The school has two “wellbeing dogs” - Rollo and Maisy - which head teacher Geraldine Foley has taken around the area to speak to about 150 families.

“In a really difficult situation, Marlborough has been at the centre of the community - we have really realised that the parents have needed us and the community do," said deputy head Leah Crew.

Sarah-Jane, whose daughter Martha, seven, returned to school on Monday, praised the school’s approach.

Martha said she was a "bit nervous but excited".

Rhondda Cynon Taf council says buses will carry a fifth of the usual number of pupils on the school run as part of social distancing rules.

Caleb Spencer
BBC Wales News Online

At Marlborough Primary School in Roath, Cardiff, social distancing measures have been developed with the building's narrow corridors in mind.

The school is split into three zones - rainbow, dream and heart zones - where pupils can only walk in one direction.

There are hand sanitiser stations on all building entrances and stickers guide children around the school.

Tables and chairs in classrooms have been arranged to allow social distancing.

The school was a "hub" - for children on key workers - until Friday, so all the measures have been put in place in the space of a couple of days.

More than 2,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Welsh Government to ensure that preparations are made so that pupils receive a full-time education in September, even if social distancing is maintained.

Organiser Elfed Williams from Llanrhaeadr, Denbighshire, told BBC Radio Cymru’s Post Cyntaf programme there was “no clear idea of what will happen in September and disappointingly there is no plan”.

“Not every child has home broadband or a laptop or tablet to work from home,” he said.

“I strongly suspect that all the children will not be back in September which is why we are now calling on Kirsty Williams to think about what the plans will be.

“It's not an easy problem to solve and we need to plan now for some sort of certainty that something is going to happen.”

On Sunday, Education Minister Kirsty Williams said she would grab a full return for schools in September "with both hands" if scientific advice said it was safe.

But she said the Welsh Government also had "to plan for a range of scenarios".

Actor Steve Spiers tweets a picture to sum up his feelings...

Catrin Gwilym, head teacher at Ysgol Gwaun Gynfi, Deiniolen, Caernarfon, said about 30 children were due back on Monday in three classes; Years 6, 5 and 2.

Ms Gwilym acknowledged that it has been a “very, very difficult” decision for parents.

“We must respect those who have said that they will not be bringing their children to school - they will not lose out educationally,” she told BBC Radio Cymru’s Post Cyntaf programme.

The school will continue to work online, but she recognised that it will be difficult.

“Schools are not meant to be like this. We are doing our best,” she said.

The school secretary will take everyone's temperature as they arrive at the school, said Ms Gwilym.

Image source, Google

Our reporter Caleb Spencer is at Marlborough Primary School in Roath, Cardiff, this morning, which is welcoming back 95 of its 530 pupils on Monday.

Pupils from reception class and Years 2, 4 and 6 are attending in the morning, and Years 1, 3 and 5 in the afternoon.

Harrison’s mum Jade says she didn’t feel nervous about him returning to school.

And seven-year-old Harrison, in Year 2, was “really excited to show his cast off” after breaking his arm falling off his scooter.

She said he was "most excited" to see his friends again.

Deputy head teacher Leah Crew arrived to find social distancing stickers had been dislodged by the weekend’s rough weather.

The school has been a hub during lockdown for the children of key workers across Cardiff, and 20 such pupils will continue to attend this week.

Headteacher Geraldine Foley said it was “really emotional” on Friday having to say goodbye to the hub pupils.

“I’m glad we could come back before September although we wished it could be for longer,” she added.

Schools have erected signs outside school and posted messages on social media to welcome back pupils

Some of the messages also include guidance about the new normal in and around school buildings with changes to start times, access points and lunchtime arrangements.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said it was “a choice for parents” if they wanted their children to return to school.

“Schools have worked hard to ensure that they provide a safe and secure and a very welcoming environment for children,” she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast with Claire Summers.

“Nothing in life is 100% safe, but I know schools will have done everything they possibly can for schools to be as safe as they can be.

“There is also a risk in not opening our schools. We know from discussing with child psychologists and paediatricians that a prolonged period away from school has potential disbenefits for children.

“That's why I wanted to grab this opportunity at the end of the summer term to get children back into school and not wait until September where we would have children not stepping into a class room for six months."

Classrooms will look very different due to the coronavirus pandemic. Here are some of the changes you can expect as children return over the next few weeks:

• Smaller class sizes, with about a third of pupils in school at any one time
• Staggered starts and breaks
• Social distancing, with fewer desks and pupils sitting apart
• Pupils working in smaller groups
• More learning outdoors
• More cleaning
• Pupils being encouraged to walk or cycle to school
• Extra handwashing and hand sanitiser stations
• Some schools may not provide lunches - pupils should take packed lunches

Welsh Government guidance says there is "no need" for staff or pupils to wear personal protective equipment" (PPE) unless a child shows symptoms.

The Welsh Government said it expects that most pupils will have the chance to go to school at least three times before the summer break, but this depends on the individual school.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams said she would grab a full return for schools in September "with both hands" if scientific advice said it was safe.

But she said the Welsh Government also has "to plan for a range of scenarios".

Ms Williams told Sunday's BBC Politics Wales programme that Wales was "planning for a variety of scenarios for September" including following one and two metre social distancing rules and if a "normal" routine could return.

"And what do we do if... the virus comes back with a vengeance and we have to close schools again?" she said.

"We need to have a plan to do that systematically and to support children's learning at home."

Five schools in Blaenau Gwent are unable to reopen as planned because of issues with their water supplies.

Brynmawr Foundation School, Blaen-y-Cwm Primary School in Brynmawr and Ystruth Primary School in Blaina will stay closed for two weeks after "a localised contamination" was found, the council said.

Water supply issues were also found at Tredegar Comprehensive and Willowtown Primary School in Ebbw Vale.

The council said it was hoped the schools could open some time next week.

Where contamination is suspected, water cannot be used until chlorination and re-testing has been carried out and it is deemed satisfactory.

Image source, Google

Julia James, from Porthcawl, will be waving off her daughter for lessons on Monday.

She is concerned “the loss of education in the last three months is really going to have a significant effect on her development” as she is in her first year of studying for GCSEs.

“There are going to be large parts of the curriculum that won’t even have been covered,” she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast with Claire Summers.

Rachel Meredith, from Blaenau Gwent, said she would not be sending her daughter back to school after a health scare last year and until she was sure she was “100% safe”.

"It's just too risky for her. We had a massive scare last year when she had pneumonia and I just can't risk it,” she said.

“Now my son's school is a bit easier, as he is in a class of only six so social distancing is a bit easier. But because he has special needs he doesn't understand it.”