Education Secretary
said:
“The vast majority of schools are open, as has been consistently
the case since the start of term, with a two per cent increase in
the numbers of pupils attending to more than 7.4 million pupils
last week. Attendance in fully open primary schools is now
consistent with what we would have expected before coronavirus.
“We will continue to work with schools to ensure all appropriate
steps are taken to keep pupils and staff safe.”
Background:
- Our estimates show that more than 7.4 million pupils attended
state schools last week.
- Around 78% of schools and colleges responded to the education
settings survey. Before being published, the figures are adjusted
to provide a national picture.
- On 1 October, 99.8% of state-funded schools were open to
pupils.
- Local public health protection teams are working with the
0.2% of schools which are completely closed to support them to
reopen as soon as possible. We continue to monitor these cases
closely.
- 92% of state-funded schools were fully open on 1 October.
Schools are considered fully open if they are able to provide
face-to-face teaching for all pupils on roll for the whole school
day and they have not asked a group of pupils to self-isolate.
- Schools that are not fully open will still be teaching the
majority of their pupils on site, and providing high-quality
remote education to the pupils that are self-isolating, in line
with what they would be receiving in school.
- We are in daily contact with local authorities to monitor the
very small number of schools that are closing to some or all of
their pupils, to ensure they have only done so on advice from
their local Health Protection Team, and to support them to reopen
to some or all of their pupils as soon as is appropriate.
- As set out by the Chief
Medical Officers of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and
Wales, coronavirus is rarely serious in children.
- Our guidance for a full opening of schools, which includes
expectations around remote education, is available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#res
