MUST TRY HARDER

 » Over 1,100 head teachers agree on goals  » They want science advice to be shared  » Union says safety must come first

- KEIR MUDIE

BORIS Johnson does not understand schools or the nature of children, the head of Britain’s largest teaching union said yesterday.

Mary Bousted, joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, insists parents should not send their children back to school until it is absolutely safe.

She spoke out after the Government released evidence it used when creating its reopening timetable. It said the risk to pupils was “very small, but it is not zero”.

She said the Government had “failed on every test” when it came to the way they had communicated with teachers.

Ms. Bousted added: “I can only think that’s happened because Boris Johnson and the Treasury, who I think are driving this, don’t understand schools.

“They don’t understand how complex they are. They don’t understand the nature of children and social distancing.” She urged parents to weigh up the facts before sending their children back.

And she told the Sunday Mirror: “If I was in that position, I’d be looking at the rate of infection in my region. Is it going up or down?

“Then I’d look at the school’s plans. Is it going to be clean? Is there going to be social distancing? Will my child be safe and what will their learning experience be like?

“Unless I could assure myself the science said it was safe and every precaution was being taken… no, my child wouldn’t be going back.

“If those criteria were met I may consider it. If not, I wouldn’t.” More than 1,100 headteachers have signed an open letter to Gavin Williamson, urging the Education Secretary to reconsider.