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Full school re-opening? One-metre rule change makes little difference, DfE told

Legislation and guidance Government policy Trade unions Pupil wellbeing Coronavirus Health & Safety
School leaders and teachers have warned that the move to a social distancing standard of one metre will make little difference to the capacity of schools to re-open fully in September.


The Department for Education (DfE) has also been accused of “lacking a coherent strategy” for schools as we slowly emerge from the coronavirus lockdown.

On Tuesday (June 23), prime minister Boris Johnson said that from July 4, the two-metre rule would be relaxed, saying that it “effectively makes life impossible for large parts of the economy”.

Speaking in the House of Commons, he said that the move would help primary and secondary education to “recommence in September with full attendance”.

However, it has been pointed out that the wider re-opening of schools and the scientific modelling around this has never been based on social distancing, rather it has been enabled by creating small groups of pupils and staff who stay together within so-called “social bubbles”.

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