- 94% of primary school children and 89% of secondary school
students in class as of Monday 15 March
- Secondary school attendance at highest level since the start
of the pandemic
- 99.9% of schools open and welcoming students back
Over seven million children were back in schools and colleges
last week, as new data released today (Tuesday 16 March) shows
the full scale of national school returns.
Primary schools opened to all pupils on Monday 8 March, and as of
Monday 15 March, 94% of children were back in the classroom with
their teachers and friends.
Secondary schools had the option to stagger the return of their
students over the week beginning 8 March to help facilitate
testing for students before they returned to education.
As of 15 March, 89% of secondary school pupils were in school,
the highest rate of attendance since the start of the pandemic.
The asymptomatic rapid testing programme is helping stop
outbreaks in their tracks and reducing transmission within
schools.
Students, school staff and families can have confidence in the
lateral flow tests used in the rapid testing programme, after new
analysis published last week found the tests result in fewer than
one false positive for every 1,000 tests carried out.
Education Secretary said:
“It is fantastic to see the overwhelming majority of children
have now returned to the classroom, with all the benefits that
face-to-face contact with their teachers and friends is proven to
bring.
“I do not underestimate the preparation that has taken place to
ensure our children could return safely and continue with their
education and I am so grateful to the teachers and school staff
who have made the transition so seamless – as well as managing
testing and maintaining all the wider protective measures still
in place to help keep everyone safe.”
The rapid testing programme in secondary schools and colleges is
in place to help find the people who have the virus but who, in
one in three cases, do not have symptoms.
After the first three tests have been taken in school or college,
students will be provided with tests to use at home on a
twice-weekly basis.
Parents and carers of all primary and secondary school children
should test themselves via twice-weekly home tests, as the
government continues to encourage everyone eligible to access
testing to help break chains of transmission and reduce cases of
the virus.
Rigorous safety measures remain in place in schools and colleges,
including maintaining distance between staff and students where
possible, good ventilation and regular hand washing.
Secondary school and college students are also being asked to
wear face coverings indoors wherever social distancing cannot be
maintained as an additional safety measure, until a review at
Easter.
Data published today also shows the department has delivered just
under 1.3 million devices, helping children and young people
across the country while they were learning remotely and
supporting schools with technology for the months and years to
come.
All remaining devices are available to order for schools that
have not yet done so.
