LOCAL parents have raised fears that pupils won’t be back in school full-time in September.

A petition has been set up by a campaign group UsForThem, calling on schools to reopen fully “without delay and without disproportionate social distancing measures”. It has attracted 9,000 signatures so far.

One of those who signed the petition is Aberystwyth mum-of-two Regina Hellmich. She told the Cambrian News that the current system is “failing working families with young kids”.

The group has a Wales branch - UsForThemCymru - launched by Cardiff mum-of-one Kate Hughes. They say the Welsh Government is planning to continue blended learning next year, which could include only one or two days a week in class. They would like Wales to follow Scotland in giving parents a choice and dropping social distancing.

Regina added: “I joined the group because I believe the current Welsh Government approach is failing working families with young kids, the socially vulnerable and those with social caring needs.

“It’s fine if you don’t have to work for a living or where only one parent needs to work. But I can’t see how families are supposed to return to full-time workplaces when schools are only partially open. Not to mention how they will be able to afford childcare with lots of people out of a job because they can’t work or have lost their jobs due to the crisis.”

She added: “I signed the petition and strongly support the idea that parents should at least be given the option to send their kids to school full-time from September.

“I think it is appalling how very little support has been given to children throughout this crisis. The playgrounds are closed, but pubs and restaurants will reopen soon. I think there should be more media coverage on the low risk for and from children. Data from EU countries shows that R rates change little to not at all where schools have been reopened.

“No one says all kids need to be back full time. Those shielding or vulnerable should be given the option to make use of more online material and special support. Others should be given a choice.

“Unless you happen to be a key worker, your kids have already been without school for almost four months. Now they have dropped even the one day that was planned for Ceredigion’s reception and nursery children. I think that’s unacceptable.”

A council spokesperson told the Cambrian News: “The council is eager to ensure that pupils can return to school fully when it is safe to do so. We are still awaiting Welsh Government guidelines regarding the expectation for September and therefore it is difficult to comment on any blended learning approach for the autumn term until that information is available.

"Non-statutory school aged children will continue to be supported by their school with learning activities.

“Our evaluation of the first week back in school is extremely positive, however it is apparent that younger pupils are finding the two-metre social distancing regulation difficult to adhere to within a school setting.”

This week, shadow minister for education Suzy Davies MS said schools were being left in the dark. She said: “Two weeks to go before the summer break and families, schools and councils still don’t know where they stand when it comes to the autumn term.

“I’ll be looking for a full return to school, subject to the need to quickly respond to localised outbreaks.

“Schools and councils need to know now how those quick responses should look.

“Given plans have already been announced in England and Scotland, this is simply unfair that the Welsh Government is leaving our pupils and teachers in the dark by not providing them with any clarity of what the autumn term will look like. As a matter of urgency, the Welsh Government needs to answer legitimate concerns by providing the necessary details quickly to allay concerns.”