Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary, Isle of Wight – National Education Union, shares this latest update in relation to school attendance figures during the Coronavirus pandemic. Ed
The school attendance figures for last week nationally show a shocking increase in the disruption coronavirus is causing to our schools.
Almost two thirds of secondary schools had pupils self-isolating, up from 38% the week before. The proportion of primary schools doubled from 11% to 22%. More than 600,000 pupils did not attend school for coronavirus related reasons and 1 in 6 secondary pupils were not in school last week.
Yet again the Government has failed to publish the national figures for the number of staff self-isolating.
Shreeve: Rapidly increasing disruption
Commenting on the latest attendance figures, Peter Shreeve, Assistant District Secretary of the National Education Union said:
“In the last two weeks there have been at least 18 reported cases locally in schools. Isle of Wight Council figures reported 12th November in the media show 403 pupils and 16 staff are currently self-isolating.
“Now, these numbers are likely higher as several schools have since reported cases. Island schools and families are now having to deal with the reality of rapidly increasing disruption in Island schools.
“A further example from yesterday being Christ the King College, who announced they had “reached the threshold of staff absence which necessitate a year group working at home for the rest of the week.”
Shreeve: Opportunity to reduce infection squandered
He added,
“The Government squandered the opportunity to get the level of Coronavirus infection down in schools by including them in a circuit breaker and some of this increase should be laid at their feet.
“They have failed to make testing available quickly enough. Indeed, the latest planned widely touted and more accurate twice weekly LAMP saliva test for patient-facing NHS staff has not yet reached all hospitals. If and when it reaches school staff or pupils is anyone’s guess.
“Look at Hull, today on the ‘brink of collapse’ according to its Chief Education Officer. A local Councillor there said, ‘Schools will be forced to close on mass if infection rates cannot be brought under control within the next week, because so many staff are being taken ill or having to self-isolate‘.”
Shreeve: Let’s plan for the worst and hope for the best
Mr Shreeve finished by saying,
“Government has done nothing to reduce class sizes to reduce transmission networks. They have not even begun to prepare for the possible introduction of school rotas, so that schools are better able to remain open throughout the winter, should the situation worsen even more.
“Will the Hull scenario soon be repeated on the Isle of Wight? It’s possible, so let’s be prepared. Let’s plan for the worst and hope for the best.”
