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14 April 2026

Tag: bubbles

Covid: Government ‘allowing mass infection of children’, scientists warn

Scientists have warned the government’s back to school plans are “reckless” and allow the “mass infection of children”. An open letter, published by the British Medical Journal today, accuses education secretary Gavin Williamson of endangering the health of hundreds of thousands of pupils and not following medical advice. The letter, signed by scientists, parents and […]

DfE U-turns on masks for pupils travelling to school

The DfE has made a rapid U-turn over plans to relax face covering guidance for pupils on public transport and school buses. Guidance for schools about step four of the relaxation of Covid restrictions was revised on Tuesday, just eight days after it was published and before the changes even take effect next week. The […]

Pupils three times more likely to be self-isolating in north-east than London

Secondary pupils in parts of northern England are more than three times as likely to miss classes while they self-isolate as their peers in London, according to new figures. The average pupil between year 7 and year 10 in a sample of north-east schools missed more than a third of their time in school last […]

Long-read: The evidence behind the government’s Covid classroom ‘gamble’

A raft of Covid protective measures look set to be removed in schools on “freedom day” later this month. Schools Week takes a look at the evidence behind the government’s “gamble”. From July 19, when the country will likely move to Step 4 of the roadmap out of lockdown, keeping pupils in bubbles and rules […]

Bubbles and masks go at step 4, but isolation rules in place to end of term

Schools will no longer be told to keep pupils in consistent “bubbles” from step four of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, but isolation rules for close contacts will remain in place until the end of term. Updated guidance issued by the Department for Education states that at step four, “we will no longer recommend […]

Government to remove school bubbles on July 19, says Javid

The government plans to remove bubbles and end routine contact tracing in schools on July 19, the health secretary has said today. On July 19 it is our plan to remove bubbles and to end the requirement for early years settings, schools and colleges to routinely carry out contact tracing Education secretary Gavin Williamson is […]

Unions tell Williamson schools cannot run on-site Covid tests themselves

Heads’ and teachers’ unions have warned Gavin Williamson schools cannot be responsible for running daily on-site Covid testing themselves from September. The general secretaries of school leaders’ unions NAHT and ASCL and teachers’ union NEU have written a joint letter to the education secretary, voicing their “anger and dismay” over the government’s treatment of school […]

Revealed: How whole year-group bubbles could work

Top academy bosses have suggested “bubbles” of full year groups may be the only way to get all secondary pupils back in the classroom next year – aligning with government plans being formulated. One trust is exploring cordoning off sections of schools for each year-group bubble in a bid to reduce the risk of transmission […]