Heckmondwike head teacher preferred teachers and staff to have Covid vaccine before return to school

Mr Roberts, head at Heckmondwike Grammar School expects Covid-19 infection rates nationally to rise as schools go back but he respects the Government’s decision to prioritise those at greatest risk.

Heckmondwike Grammar is all ready for testing and a staggered return from Monday.

Mr Roberts said: “The scientists are saying infection rates will rise when schools go back and, of course, I think that all school staff, police and emergency service workers should have been vaccinated. That could have happened for schools very easily during February half-term.

“Vaccinating teachers and emergency workers, however, would mean displacing people in the top nine categories and delaying the vaccine for those at greatest risk.

“I would have preferred staff to be vaccinated but I can see the argument why they haven’t been.”

Mr Roberts said he was excited to welcome back students and wanted to congratulate students, parents and staff on the success of remote learning.

The school made a decision that all lessons would be live and he said: “The only difference between remote lessons and lessons in the building is that students aren’t in the building. Apart from that everything is the same.”

Mr Roberts was confident none of his students had fallen behind in their education though they may have missed out socially and need a little time to re-adjust back into school life.