Commenting on figures for week 23 published today, Kevin
Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education
Union, said:
"Attendance figures for the week before half-term show troubling
levels of Covid-related absence among both pupils and staff in
areas affected by the new Delta variant of Covid-19. In Bolton,
almost a third of secondary pupils (31%) and over a fifth of
primary pupils (21%) were absent for Covid-related reasons on 27
May. And 8% of teachers and support staff were absent for
Covid-related reasons on the same date. Figures in other
variant-hit authorities like Blackburn with Darwen were lower,
but still well above the national averages.
"These figures are deeply concerning for the communities
concerned and also provide a warning for the rest of the country
about the potential spread of Covid in schools for the rest of
the academic year, and the resulting disruption to education if
the Government does not get a grip on the situation.
"In order to keep face-to-face learning on a sustainable footing,
Government must take the rising secondary school case numbers
seriously. The requirement for staff and students to wear face
coverings should be reinstated, and the encouragement for pupil
testing must be kept up."
ENDS
Editor’s Note
Dataset for Local Authorities:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/p9bj1v0e6jfn9qb/Education%20attendance%20for%2027%20May%202021%20by%20LA%20and%20region.xlsx?dl=0
