CHANGES to the academic year could be made as Welsh Government looks at ‘creative solutions’ getting students back into classrooms.

Education Minister Kirsty Williams confirmed that talks are ongoing with students, teachers and local education authorities which have been ‘very productive’.

At the Welsh Government press conference Ms Williams was asked when and how schools would realistically open.

Currently, schools remain closed for face-to-face learning until at least the February half-term but would only re-open if there was a significant fall in Covid transmission.

The Education Minister said they were unable to offer ‘cast-iron’ guarantees about when education settings would re-open properly.

Ms Williams said she wishes she ‘had a crystal ball’ and the principles guiding her is that they want to maximise face to face tuition but they need to be ‘open to new approaches’.

She said she was keen to have conversations about ‘more creative ways of learning’ across all sectors.

Attempts to extend the school summer term ran into previous difficulties but Ms Williams said everyone is determined to be as flexible and creative as possible to maximise face-to-face learning.

She added that they are looking at who may be able to go back sooner rather than later and what they can do to make schools and colleges more covid secure.

Ms Williams was asked about a phased return for schools and said they need to ensure the virus is ‘under control’ and case numbers in the community are dropping before considering face to face learning.

Similar conversations were ongoing with universities and unions.

Ms Williams confirmed the measures could include changing the academic year and lengthening term times and said we have to ‘move away from the sterile debate’ on whether schools should be ‘fully open or fully closed’.

The Education Minister said universities have been working hard to provide ‘high quality blended learning’.

She also said the Welsh Government has supplies more than 100,000 devices to schools since the start of the pandemic and a further 35,000 are due to be delivered in the coming weeks.

Pupils have also been given free access to Microsoft software and there had been a ‘step change’ in the quality of online education.

This week, Ms Williams revealed a new £40million package of support for students who are struggling to pay for accommodation costs and urged students to apply to their university.

She said although refunds have been given to students in half of residence, the situation is ‘more complicated’ for those in private rented accommodation.

However, when asked whether students would get a refund from tuition fees, she said that if students ‘have concerns’ about the quality of blended learning then she urges them to speak to their local National Union of Students and universities.

She added they needed to be ‘mindful of the public health crisis’ but students are ‘entitled to a quality experience’ although this will be a ‘different experience than perhaps they envisaged’.

Ms Williams urged students not to drop out of university due to financial issues, instead make an application to the university as now is still a good time to ‘invest in your future’.

A design and delivery group has been looking at school assessments and Ms Williams confirmed they have been meeting to discuss what will happen there.

However, speaking in Cardiff, she confirmed that whatever the outcome, students in Wales would not be at a ‘disadvantage’ compared to students elsewhere in the UK as results would factor in the current crisis.

She said more information on this will be revealed on Wednesday but assessment regimes should be ‘refer and reflect’ the disruption to face to face learning