Skip to content

The Children’s Commissioner Anne Longfield has today (6th January) sent a letter to the Secretary of State for Education Gavin Williamson, following the start of the new national lockdown, to request further details on the Government’s plans to minimise learning loss during the national lockdown and support schools to reopen as soon as possible.

The letter is below:

Dear Secretary of State

I am writing following recent announcements, to request further details on your plans to minimise learning loss during the national lockdown and support schools to reopen as soon as possible. In particular, I would like to see a clear forward plan for how education will be delivered over the next three months in order to give children, families and schools clarity, certainty and the ability to plan. Will the Department commit to the following as part of such a plan?

It is important that there is continued commitment for schools to reopen ahead of other sectors of society and the economy, with primary schools being the highest priority to reopen as quickly as possible, ideally after February half term. In order to achieve this, could you set out what the Department is doing to deliver:

I would welcome the opportunity to discuss these matters with you further.

All best wishes,

Anne Longfield OBE

Related News Articles