The Department for Education has published the latest data
on attendance
in education and early years
settings.
A Department for Education spokesperson said:
“It is a national priority to keep education settings open
full-time, and that remains equally as important in the weeks up
to the end of term as it was when young people returned for the
new school year.
“Schools, colleges and early years settings across the country
have worked extremely hard to remain open, implementing safety
measures and scaling up remote education provision for those
children who are self-isolating. Thanks to the dedication of
staff, at least 99% of schools have been open each week since the
start of term.
“Everyone must continue to play their part in driving down cases
across society, helping keep education open, in light of the
damage of closures to children’s education, development and
mental healthhighlighted by the Chief Medical Officer.”
Background
- The level of infection rate in the community means some
absences are to be expected, and these latest figures show both
staff and young people doing the right thing and following the
correct procedures in place. Schools are working incredibly hard
to make sure that remote education is in place for pupils who
have to self-isolate.
- We recognise this is a challenging time and are hugely
grateful to the school leaders, teachers and staff for ongoing
extraordinary work to ensure children continue to receive the
education and support they deserve.
- Pupils who are self-isolating should be provided with remote
education from the first full school day that they have to remain
at home to ensure they do not fall behind.
- Schools, colleges and early years settings across the country
have worked extremely hard to put protective measures in place
that are helping reduce the risk of the virus being transmitted
and where they have become aware that someone who has attended
has tested positive for coronavirus, they have responded well and
taken swift action in line with public health advice.
- The data from 19 November shows most of the groups of
children sent home to self-isolate are relatively small, the
average (median) size of the group was around 14-15% of the total
number on roll in state-funded primaries and 8-9% in state-funded
secondaries.
- Schools are providing remote education for pupils who are
self-isolating, in line with what pupils would be receiving in
school. Earlier this month the Government published a Temporary
Continuity Direction, regarding the provision of remote education
in schools, under the Coronavirus Act 2020.
- The Direction means schools have a duty to provide education
to children at home, as they do when children are in the
classroom. This should help provide assurances to both pupils and
parents that if pupils have to self-isolate at home their
education will not be disrupted.
- We are supporting schools to ensure remote education is in
place. We recently purchased an additional 96,000 devices which
brings the total to over 340,000 laptops and tablets being made
available to schools this term to support disadvantaged children.
- The Chief and Deputy Chief Medical Officers have been clear
the balance of evidence is firmly in favour of schools remaining
open, and have highlighted the damage caused by not being in
education to children’s learning, development and mental health.
- Children are at very low risk from the virus, and staff are
not at higher risk than those working in other sectors. We have
strengthened the already rigorous measures schools are following
to reduce transmission of the virus, including requiring face
coverings in all secondary schools in communal areas outside
classrooms.
- SAGE papers on education published recently are clear that
any closure of education does particular harm to the life chances
of disadvantaged and vulnerable students, who have already felt
the effects of the first lockdown.
- Public Health England collects data on infection, incidence
and COVID-19 cases overall. PHE publishes weekly data on COVID-19
incidents by institution, including educational settings.
- On 19 November, 99% of state-funded schools were open, with
approximately 83% of pupils on roll in state-funded schools in
attendance.
- On 19 November, attendance in state-funded primary schools
was 87% and attendance in state-funded secondary schools was 78%.
