Today, as part of the next stage of the National Education
Union’s campaign to keep our schools and communities safe, we are
launching a new website.
The website is www.schoolcovidmap.org.uk .
It presents accurate, accessible and up-to-date information about
the Covid-19 rate in the locality of every school in England.
Updated weekly, the data will show the number of Covid-19 cases
in a school’s surrounding area, the trend since last week (an
increase or decrease in case numbers), whether or not the school
is on a watchlist, and links to any local restrictions in place.
In much of the country the map will offer reassurance that case
numbers are quite low. In others, it will reinforce public health
messaging from local authorities and Government that cases are
higher. In all situations it will encourage members of the public
to follow all public health guidance.
Where cases are higher, it will support head teachers in
encouraging parents and other visitors to school sites to
maintain social distancing and hygiene.
In recent weeks, the Government has increased the amount of data
available about local Covid-19 cases. This is welcome and useful
to all public health efforts. The NEU website will make the data
easily available to parents and school staff.
Commenting on the launch, Kevin Courtney, Joint General
Secretary of the National Education Union, said:
"Everyone in the education sector has worked hard to make full
opening of schools, colleges and universities as successful as
possible this autumn, but they have been let down by the
Government which hasn't even ensured that Covid testing has kept
pace with need.
“The NEU School Covid Map presents up to date information on the
Covid rate in every part of England. This website will support
public health messaging everywhere. We believe it has the
clearest information. We hope that it will encourage ongoing
conversations about school safety, and how everyone can play
their part.
“But this website will also encourage parents to support our asks
of the Government that they help to support safety in our schools
and colleges.
“We have written to the Prime Minister calling for much quicker
testing for staff and students, Nightingale sites for smaller
classes, guaranteed home working for vulnerable staff, and more
funding for already strained schools and colleges to maintain
Covid-security.
“Parents, students and staff also need urgent answers on next
year’s exams, and how fit for purpose they will be. This is in
light of not only the past summer’s fiasco, but also the
disruption of local lockdowns in the months ahead.”
ENDS
Editor’s Note
The full methodology is here: https://schoolcovidmap.org.uk/methodology
