Commenting on research from the Sutton Trust conducted with
Teacher Tapp revealing that state schools are being more heavily
impacted by Covid-related staff absences than private schools,
Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and
College Leaders, said:
“This informative report from the Sutton Trust throws the
spotlight on some of the practical issues schools are facing at
the start of what is already another term laden with challenge
and disruption.
“It is understandable that disruption caused by staff absence is
lower in independent schools as they often have smaller class
sizes and this is likely to reduce the risk of transmission to
other pupils and staff, whilst state schools serving the most
disadvantaged communities tend to be located in urban areas where
infection rates are often higher.
“The Omicron surge means that many schools are dealing with very
high levels of staff absence and this means having to take steps
which are clearly not ideal, such as support staff covering
lessons and combined classes. However, we would emphasise that
schools are doing everything possible to minimise the impact on
their pupils.
“It is very frustrating to see that staff have been unable to
come into school because of lack of access to Covid tests and it
is essential that the government ensures that there are adequate
supplies of tests available.
“It also beggars belief that almost two years on from the first
lockdown there are still many schools, most notably those in
areas of deprivation, that do not have access to the devices
their students need to be able to study at home. The government
made great play of its efforts to provide laptops to schools last
year but it seems it did not see the job through. The use of
technology in education has been one of the few positives to come
from the pandemic but it is of little use if young people cannot
access lessons when they are self-isolating.
“This report provides further evidence that the impact of the
pandemic follows socio-economic lines, with those most severely
impacted being disadvantaged young people.
“The government needs to urgently address the serious issues
raised by the Sutton Trust. It must provide more financial
assistance to schools and colleges facing massive costs for
bringing in supply cover for absent staff, and it must also
address the longer-term effects of the Covid crisis and
significantly increase its investment in education recovery.”
