Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what research the Government has (a) commissioned and (b) completed on the correlation between rising covid-19 infection rates and schools; and on what date that research was commissioned.

The Department continues to review data, analysis, and advice from a number of different sources including the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), Public Health England, the Office for National Statistics (ONS), and the Joint Biosecurity Centre to ensure our policies are guided by the most up to date scientific evidence.

The ONS COVID-19 Infection Survey published results between 2 September (the start of the academic year) to 16 October 2020 that showed no evidence of differences in the positivity rate between primary and secondary school teachers, other key workers and other professions.

This evidence was endorsed at SAGE 65. More information is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/935102/sage-65-meeting-covid-19-s0863.pdf and https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/6november2020#age-analysis-of-the-number-of-people-in-england-who-had-covid-19.

The SAGE 65 meeting also commissioned the National Statistician to lead a working group to assess data on transmission in children and schools. Work involving the Children’s Task and Finish Group is ongoing to address these issues.

On 26 November the ONS published additional analysis on the number of school workers, key workers and other professions in England who had COVID-19. This also shows no clear evidence from the survey as to whether there is a difference in the level of individuals who would test positive for COVID-19 between teachers and other key workers. More information is available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/news/statementsandletters/onsstatementaddressingquestionsaroundtheanalysisofthenumberofschoolworkerskeyworkersandotherprofessionsinenglandwhohadcovid19.

The ONS has also commissioned the COVID-19 Schools Infection Survey (SIS), which aims to assess the role of schools in COVID-19 transmission and how transmission within and from school settings can be minimised. More information is available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/surveys/informationforhouseholdsandindividuals/householdandindividualsurveys/covid19schoolsinfectionsurveysis#about-the-study

Results from the COVID-19 SIS Round 1 were published on 17 December and are available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/covid19schoolsinfectionsurveyround1englandnovember2020.