South West Bedfordshire MP Andrew Selous has called on the government to show flexibility and give headteachers discretion about which year groups should be going back to school from the 1st of June. Alongside children in nursery, Reception and Year 1, the government has asked schools to welcome back children in Year 6 alongside the priority groups currently at school. The government says that the three year groups within primary have been prioritised because they are key transition years.
The key transition years in the three tier system are Year 4, when children leave Lower school and Year 8 when children leave Middle school.
Andrew Selous said “I have had a number Head teachers, teachers and parents contact me to ask that children in Year 4 and Year 8 be prioritised in our three tier system over children in Year 6. If the government allowed Head teachers in Lower and Middle schools to make their own choice about taking children back from Year 4 and Year 8 , rather than Year 6 at the 1st of June, that would make much more sense in relation to the key transition years for these children. Head teachers in the three tier system tell me that they are fed up with Government guidance which does not recognise the three tier system. Children in the three tier system may be in a minority nationally but their interests must be recognised and I’m calling on the government to do so.”