Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will publish the data his Department holds on the effect of school bubble isolation following positive covid-19 cases on local transmission of covid-19.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has commissioned the COVID-19 Schools Infection Survey (SIS) which aims to investigate the prevalence of current COVID-19 infection and COVID-19 antibodies among pupils and staff in sampled primary and secondary schools in England. In addition, it aims to examine the impact of attendance of pupils and staff, school implementation measures and outbreak investigations. The first round of survey results was published on the 17 December 2020. More information is available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/covid19schoolsinfectionsurveyround1england/november2020.

The ONS has also commissioned the COVID-19 Infection Survey (CIS) which looks to identify the percentage of the population testing positive for COVID-19 and whether they have symptoms or not. The latest survey results were published on 18 December 2020. More information is available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/healthandsocialcare/conditionsanddiseases/bulletins/coronaviruscovid19infectionsurveypilot/18december2020#measuring-the-data.

When comparing data across the two surveys, prevalence figures from the SIS are lower than prevalence within equivalent age-matched groups from CIS data. This suggests that many positive cases are staying away from school, in line with COVID-19 safety guidelines. The Department continues to review data, analysis, and advice from several different sources, including the ONS, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, Public Health England, and the Joint Biosecurity Centre, to ensure our policies are guided by the most up to date scientific evidence.