Coronavirus: Teacher training planned for first day back in North Yorkshire

Some primary schools will stay closed on 1 June for teacher training

Parents have criticised the decision by some schools to organise teacher training for the day they were due to reopen after lockdown.

North Yorkshire County Council has backed government plans to allow primary schools to open for reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils from 1 June.

Critics have asked why the training cannot be done online beforehand.

Education bosses in the county said it was a matter for individual schools to decide if a training day was needed.

The Elevate Multi-Academy Trust, which runs 11 schools in the county, said the training day was part of its "return to education plan".

Chief executive Nigel Ashley told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "This will give us time to ensure all staff are given the opportunity to understand the new classroom structures and systems, receive detailed training on health and safety, safeguarding, social distancing and the implementation of the educational plan."

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Some parents have accused schools of not understanding the pressure they face with home schooling and work.

Parent Rod Bishop said he could not understand why they needed more time to prepare to reopen.

"Just how long does it take to shift a few desks around, remove some chairs and get some tape out?"

Another parent, Roz Hubley, was equally confused: "Call me thick, but I don't understand why the teaching profession hasn't sorted out their teaching strategies post lockdown — they've had two months to sort it out."

A county council spokesman said it was up to schools to decide and it was too early to know how many would use 1 June for training.

"Training days would be something for schools to consider as they look at their assessment of when it might be possible to open," he added.

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