Schools which are providing care for children of key workers are to remain open over the Easter holidays to ensure there are safe places for youngsters while their parents work during the national emergency.

Suffolk County Council is working with schools to enable them to stay open over the Easter period for vulnerable children and those whose parents are key workers.

Schools are a crucial part of the county’s response to the coronavirus crisis and without their work many key workers would be unable to continue delivering essential services.

Therefore, over the Easter break schools are putting in arrangements to allow children of key workers and vulnerable children who need to attend school to do so. Some schools may open over bank holidays.

They will all be delivering this in slightly different ways so parents should contact their school directly to find out more information.

Parents can also keep up to date with school closures here. The council has launched a helpline for parents which will assist them if their usual school is not open. If parents are classed as a key worker or have a child that is classed as vulnerable they should call 01473 263985 on weekdays from 8am to 5pm.

More on the corornavirus crisis

Even if you are classed as a key worker, if you are in a position to keep your child at home then you must do so. Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be. The fewer children making the journey to school, and the fewer children in educational settings, the lower the risk that the virus can spread and infect vulnerable individuals in wider society.

Mary Evans, Cabinet Member for Children’s Services said: “Once again I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone across the education sector . We are all working together to identify the best solutions for all pupils, especially the most vulnerable.

“I am extremely grateful to schools and early years settings which are able to open for vulnerable children and children of key workers over the Easter break. I appreciate that in normal circumstances the teachers, staff, leaders and managers at schools and early years settings would have been looking forward to time off now and it is a tribute to their dedication that they are prepared to come in to work.”

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In a joint statement, Tim Coulson, Chief Executive Officer at Unity Schools Partnership, Bill Holledge, Chief Executive Officer at Paradigm Trust, Jacqui Frost, Executive Officer for the Suffolk Primary Headteachers’ Association and Jane Sheat, Director of Education at St Edmundsbury and Ipswich Diocese Multi Academy Trust said: “We would like to extend a big thank you to all parents who have kept their children at home during this time.

“We understand this is an unsettling time but with the majority of parents educating their children at home we are able to focus our resources on those children who most need it. We are pleased to be able to keep our schools and Early Years Settings open over the Easter break for this small number of children and would urge eligible parents to let schools know if they wish to take up this offer.”