THE LEADER of Wokingham Borough Council has pledged to support schools as they prepare for the new school term.
As we went to press, there was pressure on the government to delay reopening due to the surge in coronavirus cases.
At the moment, primary school and Years 11 and 13 pupils will return as normal on Monday, with the rest working from home for a week. Lateral testing will be introduced to check if pupils have Covid-19.
In a statement issued on Christmas Eve, Cllr John Halsall said: “Children’s education is extremely important, and I know it’s been a huge joint effort to ensure that our education settings were able to stay open throughout the last few months.
“Everyone has had a role to play and I appreciate how much pressure you have been under.
“We, as a Borough, will continue to support you in whatever decisions you take, which under the current circumstances will be difficult, as you balance the wish to continue education for all with the need to do it safely.”
He added that the council had experience in setting up the testing facilities needed after launching a visiting scheme for care homes and that the council was in a “strong position” to help schools.
“We will continue to make regular contact with our schools, as we have been, and work together to protect our community,” he said.
“Thank you again for your hard work, commitment and resilience during these challenging times.”