Young people, parents and school staff will want reassurance about the return to school or college at the beginning of the academic year. The Government has launched our back-to-school campaign, giving students and staff the confidence to look forward to a more normal school year as we build back better.
This back-to-school campaign will reassure Great Yarmouth families about the protective measures in our schools and colleges – including testing, ventilation, and extra hygiene precautions. In the coming days, there will be a widespread information campaign providing leaflets, social and digital advertising with information about all the measures taken to safeguard young people and staff.
Parents have asked me about the vaccination of teenagers that aren’t covered by the current vaccination programme. We are also awaiting advice from the scientific experts on a potential booster programme for jabs, as well as vaccinations for 12-year-olds, and will await this advice before making a final decision. As well as offering vaccines to 16- and 17-year-olds in England, testing will remain an important part of keeping our young people safe as we go into the new school year. I urge parents to encourage their children to take regular tests, to help break chains of transmission and stop the virus from spreading.
I encourage parents to visit gov.uk/backtoschool for information and practical guidance to help you plan for your children’s return to school. I am convinced that these measures will ensure students can enjoy a more normal academic year – so they can focus on catching up on lost learning and getting the world-class education they deserve, as we learn to live with COVID.