Last-minute guidance hardly builds confidence but at least schools now have a plan B

It hardly inspires confidence that the government’s guidance to schools in England on how to respond to outbreaks of coronavirus was published late on the Friday before the new term. Nor did it help that a crucial paragraph, about requiring all pupils in a “bubble” to self-isolate if any tested positive, was deleted after publication without explanation.

However, the important thing is that all those involved agree that the priority is to get pupils back to school at the start of term, and are working hard to make it happen. The main discordant note comes not from the teachers’ unions, or from parents, but from Matt Hancock, the health secretary, who has chosen this moment to give an interview to The Times in which he warns of the possibility of “very extensive local lockdowns” or “further national action” in the case of a second wave of coronavirus.

Of course, the government is right to be prepared for the worst – or for the reasonable worst-case scenario, as it tends to be described now – and to be open about it. But, given the problem throughout this crisis of mixed messages from ministers, it would have made more sense to focus this weekend on the urgent practical questions of schools reopening.

That is why it would have been better to have had the contingency plans for local outbreaks in place at an earlier stage, so that heads, staff and parents could have concentrated on opening schools knowing what was expected of them.

Mr Hancock would be better advised to devote his energies to building confidence in the NHS Test and Trace system, which is such a crucial part of convincing parents, teachers and pupils that it is safe – not so much for them but for the wider community – for them to return to school.

As we report today, 68 per cent of head teachers say they do not have confidence in the test, trace and isolate system. Either this is a communications failure, in that Mr Hancock has failed to convince one of his key audiences that the system is effective, or, more likely, it is a failure of organisation, in that NHS Test and Trace is not yet operating at a level that provides the reassurance required.

Given that quick testing and effective tracing will be essential in controlling outbreaks as they occur – in schools and elsewhere – it is disappointing that we still seem to be so far from the “world-beating” system that was blithely promised months ago.

Fortunately, the prevalence of the virus remains low throughout the UK, so the risk from schools spreading the disease also remains low. But the prime minister and his colleagues must work harder to gain people’s confidence that they know what they are doing.