Education Unions repeatedly called for a Plan B and were deemed obstructive: including employing more teachers, particularly NQT’s to support blended school/home learning, looking for additional space to minimise disruption as well as ensuring IT access for all who need it.

Only three days before schools started in September the Gov issued outbreak guidance which addressed very few of these concerns and gave schools completely inadequate notice to make major preparations.

The concerns and advice raised by Education Unions was sensible and as we edge into a situation, in red alert, where many year groups across Salford could be forced to stop and start school attendance due to outbreaks, I urge the Government to properly act on this advice.