Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what modelling his Department has done on projected staff absences in schools as a result of the omicron variant.

The department regularly reviews workforce absence data and the latest data as of 6 January shows that absence levels due to COVID-19 reasons are 4.9% for teachers and leaders and 5.0% for teaching assistants and other staff in state funded schools.

Alongside this, the department reviews data, analysis, and advice from a number of different sources including the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), and the Office for National Statistics. We also work closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and UKHSA as well as local authorities and Directors of Public Health to inform our planning and response.

The Omicron variant identified in South Africa has a clear growth advantage over Delta (the previous dominant variant) and is now predominant in all regions of England. Initial data suggests Omicron evades some immune protection from vaccines and prior infection and is more transmissible. This will inevitably lead to higher than usual school workforce absence and the department is monitoring the situation closely.

School leaders are best placed to determine the workforce required to meet the needs of their pupils. In the case of staff absence, in the first instance schools should follow their usual process for covering absences. We have reintroduced the COVID-19 workforce fund in response to higher than normal absence rates and feedback from the sector that funding may be a barrier to managing absence for a small number of schools and colleges.

The department has provided support to schools to help them to continue providing on-site education despite the operational difficulties presented by the current high case rates. This includes case studies on the flexible deployment of staff, the reintroduction of the COVID-19 workforce fund to provide financial support to eligible schools and colleges for absence costs incurred from 22 November until spring half-term, announcing a call for ex teachers to return to the classroom to cover absences and the sharing of case studies on flexible learning approaches.

The department will continue to analyse its response to COVID-19, developing activities that put the department in a strong position to support pupils and students to thrive as well as preparing to respond to future challenges that the department may face.

Vaccines remain an effective measure against COVID-19. As of 11 January, 90.4% of all adults and children over 12 years old in England have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and 83% have received a second dose. 62.3% have received a booster (or third dose). Vaccines have saved thousands of lives and the department encourages all eligible staff to take up the offer of a vaccine and booster where possible.