Braeburn and Filey primary schools give details on their plans for reopening next month

Ebor Academy Trust, which is responsible for Braeburn, Filey Nursery and Infants schools and Filey Ebor Academy has today (May 19) sent letters home to parents about their plans for reopening schools next month.

The letters state that plans are coming together to open their schools to more children next month, providing the government's criteria for controlling Covid-19 are met and that risks have been minimised according to government guidelines.

Gail Brown, Chief Executive of Ebor, said: "The health and safety of staff and pupils is a guiding principle in every decision we make.

"Our initial plans – subject to the government’s key criteria being met – are that most of our schools will be closed early in week commencing June 1 (other than for those priority children currently accessing schools) in order for all settings to be thoroughly organised, safe and ready for what will be a very new scenario."

Mrs Brown explained than when more places are made available for children these will be on a part-time basis due to the need for children to attend in small groups.

Because of this the Trust's schools anticipate they are likely to be closed – other than for critical worker children, vulnerable children and children with educational health care plans - initially for up to a day a week in order to carry out ongoing preparatory work and a deep clean.

She added: "Looking ahead, we will continue to prioritise, above all others, those priority children who are still coming to school.

"We are working to explore ways where we can, if conditions allow it, gradually and in a phased way reintroduce children to school, in our primaries first from early years classes, then Year 1 and Year 6.

"Our secondary school in Filey is initially planning for five Year 10 groups to attend school for one day each week. However I want to emphasise these measures will be taken extremely cautiously, year group by year group, and only when we are confident to do so and in accordance with government guidelines.

"At the same time, we need to acknowledge that available capacity in our schools will dictate this pace and it is perfectly feasible that in order to maintain satisfactory distancing, there will be limits to the number of children who can attend."