Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what the evidential basis is for the decision to have all school pupils return on 8 March 2021 rather than a staggered approach.

The Government’s wider decision making is set out in the Government’s ‘COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021’ Roadmap, where the step by step plan to ease restrictions in England cautiously, starting with schools and colleges, is set out. It can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-response-spring-2021.

SAGE regularly publishes minutes and papers, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/scientific-evidence-supporting-the-government-response-to-coronavirus-covid-19. In addition, a summary of the evidence in relation to children, young people and education settings is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/evidence-summary-covid-19-children-young-people-and-education-settings.