Statement from the Education Secretary about attendance in schools and self-isolation

Statement from the Education Secretary about attendance in schools and self-isolation.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said:

“The vast majority of children and young people are in school, but I am aware that sadly a minority are experiencing disruption at the moment.

“Whilst pupils who are self-isolating are being immediately provided with high-quality remote education, we know that the best place for children is in the classroom. That is why I am working with the Health Secretary, alongside scientists and public health experts, to relax covid measures in schools in line with wider work to remove restrictions across society.

“I’ll be looking closely at the issues around the need for ongoing isolation of bubbles and the outcomes of the daily contact testing trial, as we consider a new model for keeping children in education.”

Further information:

• We’ve written to all secondary schools and colleges asking them to prepare on-site testing when students return for the new academic year, so that schools are ready in case it is needed to keep as many children as possible in face-to-face education.
• We will provide further details about the approach to protective measures and test and trace in education from September in due course.
• Everyone should continue testing twice-weekly even if they don’t have symptoms. Testing regularly and reporting all results is important in identifying cases and to break chains of transmission.
• We’ll continue to prioritise education as we have done throughout the pandemic, and will share details on the approach to protective measures and test and trace in schools for the autumn term in due course and as soon as we can.
• The government’s Contingency Framework for Education and Childcare describes the principles of managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare settings.
• We will set out arrangements for protective measures, testing and isolation for the next academic year in due course.
• Schools across the country continue to have robust protective measures in place, including regular twice weekly testing for pupils, staff and their families to break chains of transmission and keeping pupils in smaller group bubbles.
• We are also taking additional measures in areas where there is a high prevalence of the virus, including increasing the availability of testing for staff, pupils and families and working with Directors of Public Health on further measures to reduce local transmission. Where students have to self-isolate, schools are providing high-quality remote education.
• The trial of daily contact testing in secondary schools and colleges as a replacement for self-isolation is coming to its conclusion and we will soon see the data and evidence which will be used to support next steps and any wider rollout, subject to the findings.
• We are of course aware of the disruption a minority of young people are experiencing at the moment and continue to work closely with scientists and public health experts to get things back to normal as soon as possible.
• Throughout the pandemic we have done what was necessary to keep everyone across society safe and protected from the virus.