Commenting on the Week 26 school attendance statistics published
by the Department for Education today, Geoff Barton, General
Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“These figures show another big week-on-week increase in
Covid-related pupil absence.
“Each confirmed Covid case has a huge knock-on effect because
schools are then required by government rules to trace all close
contacts and ask them to self-isolate. This is why the vast
majority of Covid-related pupil absence is among close contacts
rather than confirmed cases of the illness.
“Identifying close contacts and asking them to self-isolate is an
incredibly time-consuming process for schools and colleges, and
involves yet more educational disruption for the young people
concerned.
“It is clear that a different approach is needed in the autumn
term but what we have heard so far from the government amounts to
no more than vague aspirations and there is still no robust and
coherent plan in place.
“Schools and colleges need to know the arrangements for next term
and the government must ensure that there is sufficient support
in place to help them deliver whatever is planned. Staff, parents
and pupils deserve clarity, certainty and an end to the
disruption that has taken place over the past 15 months.”
