Petition to Keep Schools Closed: what is the appeal to keep schools shut until May 2021 - and how do I sign it?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced his roadmap out of lockdown, as a petition against the reopening of schools gained over 100,000 signatures, meaning it will be debated by Parliament.

The ‘Keep Schools Closed Until May’ petition is urging the Government not to commit to a total reopening of school until “we know we have had the priority groups vaccinated such as the elderly, the extremely clinically vulnerable, and those with underlying health conditions.”

Here is everything you need to know.

What does the petition want?

The petition – which at the time of writing has received around 110,000 signatures, is against the total reopening of schools, which is expected to happen in England from 8 March onward.

"Even as Covid cases are going down, students do not feel safe,” says the petition’s web page, set up by a C. Fullwood.

"Please lower the risk of the cases increasing again after we go back. Many students are scared, fearing that cases may rise again and this can be passed on to parents. This would help prevent the spread of the variants of the virus.”

Will the petition be debated?

Despite reaching over 100,000 signatures, it’s unclear whether the petition will actually be debated, and even if it is, it’s likely a decision will already have been made on whether or not to reopen schools.

That's because sittings in Westminster Hall, where petitions debates take place, were suspended in light of the coronavirus crisis, with the Government unable to make alternative, virtual arrangements.

"I am disappointed that the Government hasn’t made it possible for debates to continue virtually while Westminster Hall has to close,” said Catherine McKinnell, Chair of the Petitions Committee.

“The Petitions Committee will continue to take action on petitions, including taking evidence, speaking to petitioners and holding our own virtual sessions,” she added.

The Government says that once Westminster Hall has reopened, the Petitions Committee will reschedule as many debates as possible.

But McKinnell says a “hybrid” approach should be adopted in the meantime, “so we can ensure that the concerns of the millions of people waiting to have their petitions debated in Parliament are heard.

“Hybrid debates, with Members able to take part virtually, would ensure that the fewest number of people need to be in Westminster, while enabling more MPs to be able to take part."

Is reopening schools safe?

Though the Prime Minister is committing to a “cautious” relaxing of lockdown from March onwards, many experts say that reopening all schools at once could reverse the progress made by England’s latest lockdown.

Professor John Edmunds, an expert advising the Government, has said the vaccine rollout should turn to children “as fast as we can”, and that until everyone is jabbed, there remains a “significant risk of a resurgence” of the virus.

He told the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show: “It takes some time, it’s going to take months yet to vaccinate all of us. There will continue to be major disruption in schools until we have vaccinated our children.”

Opening schools now could see the R number come close to 1, he said, but asked if two households socialising outside was likely to have an effect on the R number, he said: “Not much, mixing outside is pretty safe.”

On a phased reopening of schools, he said that purely from an epidemiological viewpoint “it’s always safer to take smaller steps and evaluate”.

Labour leader Keir Starmer has said it is “frustrating” that the Government did not use half-term to vaccinate teachers and school staff.

“We just had half-term and I said to the Government, use that to vaccinate teachers and school staff before we go back to school. They didn’t do it and it is frustrating.”

How can I sign the petition?

If you wish to sign the petition yourself, you can do so by clicking here.