Schools need to close early to stop pupils and teachers from having to self-isolate on Christmas Day, a union has warned.
The Welsh UCAC teaching union said coronavirus cases in schools could force whole class ‘bubbles’ into quarantine over the festive break.
Most schools are due to break up in the week starting December 14 but if positive cases are found in pupils’ bubbles, children would have to self-isolate for two weeks.
This means they won’t be able to enjoy the relaxation of the rules over the Christmas holidays.
Visit our live blog for the latest updates Coronavirus news live
The leaders of the four home nations have agreed a festive deal to allow three households to mix indoors between December 23 and 27.
In a letter to Welsh Education Minister Kirsty Williams, the union said there were ‘serious concerns’ among UCAC members ‘that pupils and students will continue to attend an educational setting a week before Christmas Day’.
The union said schools should close on December 11 and move lessons online for the remaining weeks of the term.
‘If a pupil or student tested positive with Covid-19 during the last week of term, it would mean that the whole bubble would have to self-isolate, preventing them from joining their extended family for Christmas,’ General Secretary Dilwyn Roberts-Young said in the letter.
‘The same could be true for the education workforce.
‘In addition, Test, Trace and Protect could continue to contact school and colleges leaders on Christmas Day, which is totally unacceptable.’
The Welsh Government said schools would only close if there were clear public health reasons.
Pressure has been mounting on ministers to allow a switch to online learning before term ends.
A petition calling for a two week school lockdown ‘to save Christmas’ has reached over 98,000 signatures – close to the 100,000 needed for the issue to be debated in parliament.
However at a Downing Street press conference on Thursday, Boris Johnson dismissed the idea of schools closing early.
When asked by a member of the public about the matter he said ‘on the whole’ he would prefer to see children in school.
A Welsh Government spokesman said they were in regular talks with councils and unions about schools.
‘Our priority remains ensuring that all children and young people’s education continues with as little disruption as possible,” he said.
‘We would expect face-to-face learning to continue as planned until the end of term unless there was a clear public health reason for not doing so.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.