Days after the government announced another national lockdown to
suppress the spread of Coronavirus, it has issued guidance which
fills some schools almost to capacity running counter to the
Prime Minister’s stated objective.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT,
said: “Our members have reported to us that there has been
significant additional demand for school places this time around.
“Of course, schools will be trying to offer the maximum number of
places to families, but they have been put in an impossible
position. They cannot meet the demand created by government and
reduce social mixing in the way the Prime Minister announced”
“The government acknowledges that schools do play a role in the
transmission of the virus. Therefore, there comes a point when
occupancy levels might be so high that they work against the
efforts to bring down infection rates in communities, as is the
national aim. This could result in prolonging the amount of time
pupils are away from the classroom, which we are all anxious to
avoid.
“Equally, if all staff are fully utilised teaching classes in
school who is left to deliver the home learning for the few not
covered in the definition?
“Given the national priority to supress the virus, we believe
that the government should offer guidance to schools so that
reasonable levels of attendance can be set from school to school.
In short, we would urge the government to be clear about how many
pupils on-site is too many, if the virus is to be suppressed.”
