School bubbles will remain in place until the end of the summer term before being scrapped in time for the new academic year in September as Government drops self-isolation for children who are a close contact of a positive case from August 16 Gavin Williamson set out 'freedom day' plans for schools to MPs this afternoon Education Secretary said school 'bubbles' will remain in place for this term But policy will then be scrapped, replaced with testing, in time for September Pupils who are contacts of positive case no longer have to isolate from August 16 By Jack Maidment, Deputy Political Editor For Mailonline Published: 14:14 BST, 6 July 2021 | Updated: 14:26 BST, 6 July 2021 Viewcomments School 'bubbles' will remain in place until the end of the Summer term but they will then be scrapped and replaced by testing in time for the start of the new academic year in September. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the 'guidance on isolation of contacts will stay in place until the end of this term'. But from August 16 all under 18s will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are identified as a close contact of a positive coronavirus case. Responsibility for tracking outbreaks will be transferred away from headteachers, with NHS Test and Trace being handed responsibility for containing outbreaks. Pupils contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a contact of a positive case will be required to take a PCR test but they will only have to isolate if they themselves test positive. The decision to scrap 'bubbles' comes amid rising alarm at the number of pupils being sent home. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said the 'guidance on isolation of contacts will stay in place until the end of this term' The 'bubbles' policy will be replaced by a daily testing regime in time for the start of the next academic year in September Current rules state that children have to self-isolate for 10 days if another pupil in their 'bubble' tests positive for coronavirus. This has caused entire year groups to be sent home following outbreaks at some schools. Official statistics showed last week that the number of pupils self-isolating at home had quadrupled in two weeks to 375,000. Mr Williamson told the House of Commons this afternoon that changes will be made to rules in school as part of Boris Johnson's July 19 'freedom day' plans. He said: 'Having balanced the risks, I am pleased to tell members across the House the key restrictions on education and childcare will come to an end as we move to step four. ‘Though keeping children in consistent groups was essential to control the spread of the virus when our population was less vaccinated, we recognise that the system of bubbles and isolation is causing disruption to many children’s education. ‘That is why we will be ending bubbles and transferring contact tracing to the NHS Test and Trace system for early years settings, schools and colleges. ‘Where there are outbreaks schools and colleges may be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and they will also work with local health teams as they currently do now. ‘We are also setting out new rules that mean that from the 16th of August children will only need to isolate if they have tested positive for Covid-19. ‘I am also pleased to be able to say there will be no restrictions on in person teaching and learning in universities unless students are advised to isolate or impacted by local outbreaks. ‘From step four a more proportionate set of controls will apply in early years, schools, colleges and higher education institutions.’ Mr Williamson said that the current rules will remain in place until the end of the summer term, with many schools due to break up for the holidays around the July 19 'freedom day' date. He said: ‘In education settings all other existing measures, including guidance on isolation of contacts will stay in place until the end of this term in line with isolation rules for the rest of the population as more adults are vaccinated. ‘Settings will continue to have a role in working with health protection teams in the case of a local outbreak. ‘Where necessary some measures may need to be reintroduced. From August 16th those under the age of 18 years old will no longer be required to self-isolate if they are contacted by NHS Test and Trace as a close contact of a positive Covid-19 case. ‘This will balance the need to keep children safe at the same time as allowing them to get the education that they deserve and need. ‘Instead, children will be contacted by test and trace, informed they have been in close contact with a positive case and advised to take a PCR test.’ Tory MPs had demanded the Government ditch 'bubbles' as soon as possible even if that meant it was 'just for the last few days of term'. The Government is planning to replace the 'bubble' approach with daily testing to avoid pupils having to self-isolate if they are a contact of a positive case. The Prime Minister said last week that he understood the frustrations of parents and teachers over the policy but urged them to be patient. He said: 'They haven't concluded yet so what I want to do is just to be cautious as we go forward to that natural firebreak of the summer holidays when the risk in schools will greatly diminish and just ask people to be a little bit patient.' Share or comment on this article: All rights reserved for this news site (dailymail) and under his responsibility