Teachers: Coronavirus

(asked on 2nd November 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, with reference to Public Health England's report entitled Covid-19: review of disparities in risks and outcomes, what additional support he is providing to teachers who are more vulnerable to covid-19 during the November 2020 covid-19 lockdown.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 5th November 2020


We have worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Public Health England (PHE) to develop specific guidance for school settings, which can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#school-workforce. DHSC and PHE endorsed system of controls outlined in our guidance sets out the measures that school leaders and all school staff should follow.

Where schools implement the system of controls outlined in our guidance, in line with their own workplace risk assessment, DHSC and PHE confirm that these measures create an inherently safer environment for children and staff where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. As a result, on current evidence, DHSC and PHE advise that schools are not currently considered high risk settings when compared to other workplace environments.

Some people with particular characteristics may be at comparatively increased risk from COVID-19, as set out in the ‘COVID-19: review of disparities in risks and outcomes’ report. These staff can attend school as long as the system of controls set out in the published guidance are in place, as set out above.

While the national restrictions introduced from 5 November are in force, those individuals who are clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to work from home where possible and not to go into work. Individuals in this group will have been identified through a letter from the NHS or from their GP, and may have been advised to shield in the past. Staff should talk to their employers about how they will be supported, including to work from home where possible, during the period of national restrictions. All other staff can continue to attend work, including those living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable.

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