Commenting on the school attendance figures published
today by the Department for Education, Geoff Barton, General
Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said:
“It’s no surprise that this set of statistics shows a further
increase in pupil and teacher absence because of Covid-19. The
situation has clearly been deteriorating through the course of
this half term with many schools and colleges experiencing huge
disruption. The Omicron variant threatens to unleash even more
difficulties. The forthcoming Christmas holidays will at least
provide a firebreak but there can be little doubt that the spring
term will be challenging.
“Schools and colleges have worked immensely hard throughout the
course of this very tough term, and throughout the entirety of
the pandemic, to keep education going as best they can in these
turbulent circumstances. But the unrelenting pressure has been
absolutely brutal. Education staff deserve huge credit for
everything they have done and are doing.
“We would appeal to the government to back them up with more
support, particularly in terms of Covid testing, ventilation, and
more assistance with the financial cost of supply cover, and to
communicate any new plans and measures in connection with the
Omicron variant promptly and clearly.”
