Dear Councillors,

We call on Blackpool Council to put the health of our children, citizens and educators first by issuing a statement that they will not allow a wider reopening of Blackpool schools until it is safe.

The current Covid-19 pandemic has hit the north west particularly hard. With a high infection rate, a high number of new cases each day and a high number of deaths, it is not safe to have a wider reopening of schools. In order for this to be done safely the pandemic must be under control and a comprehensive testing, tracking and tracing system must be up and running. Otherwise, schools will become a place where Covid-19 can spread throughout our community.

The National Education Union has developed Five Tests that the Government, and Lancashire County Council, should meet before considering whether to reopen schools:

TEST 1: MUCH LOWER NUMBERS OF COVID-19 CASES
The new case count must be much lower than it is now, with a sustained downward trend, with confidence that new cases are known and counted promptly. And the Government must have extensive arrangements for testing and contact tracing to keep it that way.

TEST 2: A NATIONAL PLAN FOR SOCIAL DISTANCING
The Government must have a national plan including parameters for both appropriate physical distancing and levels of social mixing in schools, as well as for appropriate PPE, which will be locally negotiated at school-by-school and local authority level.

TEST 3: TESTING, TESTING, TESTING!
Comprehensive access to regular testing for children and staff to ensure our schools and colleges don’t become hot spots for Covid-19.

TEST 4: WHOLE SCHOOL STRATEGY
Protocols to be put in place to test a whole school or college when a case occurs and for isolation to be strictly followed.

TEST 5: PROTECTION FOR THE VULNERABLE
Vulnerable staff, and staff who live with vulnerable people, must work from home, fulfilling their professional duties to the extent that is possible. Plans must specifically address the protection of vulnerable parents, grandparents and carers.

We believe that until these tests are met, there should be no wider reopening of schools.