TWO teaching unions in Wales have called for the reopening of schools next week to be delayed due to the new strain of coronavirus.

NASUWT and NAHT Cymru say concerns over the increased transmissibility of the Covid-19 variant and its risk to teachers mean all schools should instead move to home learning.

In December the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) said schools would use staggered returns for pupils with face-to-face learning expected to return for most by January 11 and a full return before January 18.

The WLGA said flexibility for schools when to ask pupils back would accommodate uncertainty over what effects increasing transmission levels across Wales have on school staffing levels.

But on Saturday, Dr Patrick Roach, NASUWT general secretary, said the organisation would "not hesitate” to take appropriate action in order to protect members whose safety is put at risk as a result of the failure of employers or the Welsh Government to ensure safe working conditions in schools.

Neil Butler, NASUWT national official for Wales, said: "The whole of Wales is in Tier 4 and yet there are schools in Wales planning to open this week to full face-to-face teaching.

"There is chaos and confusion in the education service in Wales as the buck has effectively been passed to local authorities and some authorities have passed it down to individual schools.

"We need to hear from the education minister that face-to-face teaching is suspended until schools can review their risk assessments to be able to cope with the new strain.

"During that time teachers can finally get the time to develop distance learning resources that are so desperately needed."

Laura Doel, director of school leaders' union NAHT Cymru, said: "We understand that the Welsh Government is seeking to strike a balance between minimising the risk of transfer of Covid-19 and providing face to face education for all children.

"However, the latest data shows that in large parts of Wales, control of infection has been lost and the lack of understanding regarding the new strain has now created intolerable risk to many school communities.

"It is simply unacceptable for schools to remain open when there is such a question mark over the impact the new variant will have and we will not sit back and let this happen without calling the Welsh Government to account, for the sake of the whole school community."