ASCL comment on Week 21 school attendance statistics

Commenting on the Week 21 school attendance statistics, Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:

“While Covid-related pupil absence is said to remain low overall, we are increasingly concerned about the dearth of public health information about the impact of the Indian Covid variant in schools and colleges.

“Despite repeated requests for data on its incidence in education settings, this has not been forthcoming from the government. We now learn that the government is advising people not to travel into and out of areas hardest hit by the new variant and this will inevitably further raise concerns among staff, students and families.

“The government has to understand that many members of staff in schools and colleges are either unvaccinated or have not yet received a second vaccination, while the vast majority of students are not vaccinated at all.

“It is essential that there is full transparency about the impact of the new variant in schools and colleges so that the level of risk is clear and any necessary protective measures can be taken.”