No plans to end school term early

There are currently “no plans” to end the school term early in Monmouthshire, the council has confirmed.

Local authorities across Wales have started announcing plans for the end of the school term, following concerns from parents over the potential need for children to self-isolate over the Christmas period.

With Welsh schools finishing a week before Christmas on December 18 and the current self-isolation period being 14 days, concerns have been raised that a chance for a family Christmas could be taken away.

However, Monmouthshire County Council has confirmed there are currently no plans to change school term dates in the local authority area.

This falls in line with the joint Welsh Government and Welsh Local Government Association statement which says in-person teaching and learning will continue until the end of term and remote learning will only be used where “it is proportionate to the prevalence and impact of the virus within the locality”.

Monmouthshire is the second Gwent council to announce that schools will stay open until the end of term with Torfaen council taking the decision last week.