Boris Johnson’s ‘safe’ schools and the education gap

It is increasingly clear that a large number of schools are to remain shut for the time being to all except the children of key workers and those who are vulnerable (Parents face week of uncertainty over school reopenings in England, 3 January). Schools cannot, however, wait for vulnerable children to come to them. As we saw during last spring’s lockdown, far too many did not show up.

It is imperative, therefore, that school leaders, teachers, social workers, council staff – and where necessary, police community support officers – work together to ensure that those children most at risk are in school, being fed, cared for and, where possible, learning.

If the most disadvantaged are supported through this crisis, it will help to mitigate the hunger, abuse and neglect that far too many are suffering. It will also help reduce the education gap that is widening daily between the haves and have-nots. Fiona Carnie Alternatives in Education

• Boris Johnson has yet again insisted schools are safe. During the Christmas holidays, my wife’s school has confirmed that nearly half of her fellow teachers recorded positive Covid tests – my wife, an asthmatic in her early 60s, among them. She has endured a terrible time. The virus must have been omnipresent among the school’s inhabitants. Mr Johnson must be referring to the many private schools that, at considerable cost, have provided testing for all staff and pupils. Neal Gordon London

• John Harris bemoans the lack of preparedness in our schools to cope with the Covid crisis (‘Open all schools!’ ‘Close all schools!’ What England really needs is creative thinking, 3 January). Perhaps we should add the word “state” between “our” and “schools”, because I bet that most private schools are doing pretty well.

I wonder how many Tory MPs and ministers are still products of public (aka private) schools or have sent or still send their offspring to one? There won’t be a shortage of laptops or a decent wifi connection in their households, or the necessary support if needed. Yet again, privately educated students stand to continue that advantage into the round of examinations this summer. So, let’s start by cancelling them in England as well. If there’s any levelling up to be done, why not start in the classroom, either real or virtual? John Marriott North Hykeham, Lincolnshire

• The most startling realisation emerging from reading John Harris is that, after more than 10 months of national pandemic, we do not have adequate data about the safety of schools as workplaces. It would not be very difficult or time-consuming to collect weekly figures from schools and colleges on infections of students and staff. Yet all we have is anecdotal evidence of children transmitting the virus and staff becoming ill, disabled and dying. Nigel Gann Former headteacher and school governor, Lichfield, Staffordshire

• It is clear we need another national lockdown, as Keir Starmer proposes, but this does not need to be at the expense of our children’s education. Why not rearrange the school timetable? Lock down and close schools for January, but then make up the lost time by cancelling half term, reduce the Easter break to two days, Good Friday and Easter Monday, and push exams and the end of summer term back by three weeks, reducing the summer break to three weeks. Football has a winter break – let’s copy it for schools. Phil Tate Chester