Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate he has made of the number of teachers and school staff off sick with covid=19 in the last two months for which data is available; what discussions he (a) has had and (b) plans to have with schools leaders on that matter; and what steps he is taking to support schools with staff absences.
Answered by Robin Walker
It continues to be the department’s absolute priority to support schools to deliver face to face, high quality education. School leaders and staff have worked incredibly hard to make sure pupils have been able to remain in school, while dealing with higher levels of staff absence than normal.
The Education Setting (EdSet) survey asks schools and colleges to report data such as on-site attendance and COVID-19 absence. From 7 March 2022, the survey has changed from daily to weekly. Data will be collected every Thursday and published on a fortnightly basis with the latest publication available here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/attendance-in-education-and-early-years-settings-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-outbreak.
From 7 March 2022, the department only collects data on overall absence rather than specific reasons for absence. The proportion of absent teachers and leaders, and other school staff, in the last two months can be found here: https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/data-tables/permalink/a7b7d917-0f50-4de7-ac15-9d1dd8501107.
The department remains hugely grateful to all school staff for their work, which has consistently kept over 99.9% of schools open this academic year. School leaders are best placed to determine the workforce required to meet the needs of pupils. However, we recognise that absence remains high in some schools and that this poses a challenge for staff.
To support schools experiencing the most significant workforce absence and funding pressures, the department re-introduced the COVID-19 workforce fund in the autumn term. The department had since extended the fund until Easter to cover the cost of term-time absences over a threshold from 22 November 2021 until 8 April 2022.
The department is also supporting staff wellbeing and is funding peer support, individual supervision, and counselling from experts to school leaders through the charity Education Support. Around 2,000 school leaders will benefit until March 2023.
Last November, the department launched the Education Staff Wellbeing Charter, which schools and colleges are encouraged to sign up to, it is co-produced with the education sector as shared commitments from government, Ofsted, and schools and colleges to protect and promote the wellbeing of staff.
The department is also offering state-funded schools and colleges a grant to pay for senior mental health lead training, providing skills and knowledge to implement a ‘whole school or college approach’ to mental health and wellbeing in a setting. This is part of the governments’ commitment to offer this training to all schools and colleges by 2025.
Asked by: Matt Western (Labour - Warwick and Leamington)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what private sector bodies are involved in the operation of the higher education covid-19 asymptomatic testing programme.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Over 200 higher education institutions are involved in the UK Health Security Agency’s asymptomatic testing programme, operating within the Standard Operating Procedures. Due to the diversity of organisations on the programme, there is scope within the Standard Operating Procedures for institutions to engage private sector bodies in the delivery of their testing programmes.
Asked by: Christopher Chope (Conservative - Christchurch)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will amend his Department's guidance in relation to childminders and covid-19 so that childminders can operate in circumstances where someone in their household has tested positive for, or has symptoms of, covid-19; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Will Quince
Keeping children and staff safe is the government’s priority. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, the department has listened carefully to the latest scientific and medical advice when developing guidance.
On 24 February 2022, the government removed the legal requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate. However, if anyone has any of the main symptoms or a positive test result, the public health advice remains unchanged and is to stay at home and avoid contact with other people. The ‘COVID-19: people with COVID-19 and their contacts’ guidance also advises that people with symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test result should not have social visitors to the home. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts.
In light of the changes to the legal requirement to self-isolate, the department has reviewed and updated the guidance for childminders with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and it can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.
The guidance continues to be that childminders should not childmind in their home when someone living there has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19. This is because there is a higher risk of transmission to those attending the provision for childcare as they are in close proximity to the case and for extended periods of time.
In the guidance, the department has also outlined the options for childminders to continue childminding if there is someone who has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19 in their home.
The department will continue to work with the UKHSA to keep its guidance under review and make sure that the right control measures are in place for childminders.
Asked by: Desmond Swayne (Conservative - New Forest West)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will take steps to change guidance so that child-minding professionals are able to use their judgment and chose to work if a member of their household tests positive for covid-19.
Answered by Will Quince
Keeping children and staff safe is the department’s utmost priority. Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have listened carefully to the latest scientific and medical advice when developing departmental guidance.
On 24 February 2022, the government removed the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test. Public health guidance continues to advise adults and children who test positive to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least five full days. They should then continue to follow the guidance until they have received two negative test results on consecutive days. The guidance also advises that people with symptoms of COVID-19 or a positive test result should not have social visitors at home. The guidance can be accessed here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts/covid-19-people-with-covid-19-and-their-contacts.
This means that the guidance on managing positive cases for childminders has not changed. Childminders should not childmind in their home if someone in their household has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19. This is because there is a higher risk of transmission to those attending the provision for childcare as they are close to the case for extended periods of time.
Considering the changes to the legal requirement to self-isolate, the department has reviewed and updated the guidance with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). In the guidance, the department has outlined options for childminders to continue childminding if someone has tested positive or has symptoms of COVID-19 in their home. This can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic/additional-actions-for-childminders-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic.
The department continues to work with the UKHSA to keep guidance under review and ensure that the right control measures are in place for childminders.
Asked by: Munira Wilson (Liberal Democrat - Twickenham)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of school attendance targets on clinically vulnerable families attempting to shield from covid-19.
Answered by Robin Walker
Regular attendance at school is vital for children’s education, wellbeing and long-term development. School attendance is mandatory and parents have a duty, under section 7 of the Education Act 1996 to ensure that their child of compulsory age receives an efficient full-time education either by attendance at school or otherwise. No targets for school attendance are set by government, but attendance statistics are collected and published on a regular basis.
Following expert clinical advice and the successful rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, people previously considered to be particularly vulnerable, clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), and high or higher-risk are no longer advised to shield.
Children and young people previously considered CEV should attend school and should follow the same COVID-19 guidance as the rest of the population. This guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus. Children and young people with a weakened immune system should follow the Department of Health and Social Care and UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) guidance for people whose immune system means they are at higher risk from COVID-19, available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk/covid-19-guidance-for-people-whose-immune-system-means-they-are-at-higher-risk. If, however, a child or young person has been advised to isolate or reduce their social contact by their specialist, due to the nature of their medical condition or treatment they should continue to follow the advice of their specialist.
The NHS is also now vaccinating the most at-risk 5 to 11 year olds, ensuring they get their vital dose of protection.
As usual, school leaders continue to have discretion to grant leaves of absence in exceptional circumstances. Where a pupil is not attending school for reasons related to COVID-19, we expect the school to offer them immediate access to remote education. Schools must also have regard to the expectations for remote education published on GOV.UK: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/statutory-obligations.
Asked by: Helen Hayes (Labour - Dulwich and West Norwood)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 9 February 2022 to Question 114851 on Special Educational Needs: Coronavirus, what estimate he has made of the number of additional qualified level 3 special educational needs coordinators required by each local authority.
Answered by Will Quince
In line with the early years foundation stage (EYFS) framework, group-based early years providers and childminders are expected to identify a person to act as a special educational needs coordinator (SENCO). It is the responsibility of early years providers to ensure that they operate in compliance with the EYFS framework.
As part of the early years recovery programme, the Department for Education will fund a significant increase in the amount of training available to early years SENCOs that results in an accredited level 3 early years SENCO qualification. SENCOs working in group-based and childminder settings will be eligible for this training. It will be nationally available, targeting local authorities which have higher levels of disadvantage because these have been hardest hit by the COVID-19 outbreak and are where we know the support is most needed. We estimate that the training will achieve an increase of up to 10% in the number of early years providers with a qualified SENCO.
The training package is subject to independent evaluation to explore the effects of the training on practitioner knowledge of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), the accuracy of SEND identification, the quality of support in place and levels of school readiness. This will help develop our understanding of SEND support across the early years sector to inform any future training and development initiatives.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will make it his policy to authorise school absences of children in risk groups as defined by table 4, the Green Book Chapter 14a, until they have been fully vaccinated and obtained maximum protection.
Answered by Robin Walker
Regular attendance at school is vital for children’s education, wellbeing and long-term development. School attendance is mandatory and parents have a duty, under section 7 of the Education Act 1996, to ensure that their child of compulsory age receives an efficient full-time education either by attendance at school or otherwise.
Following expert clinical advice and the successful rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, people previously considered to be particularly vulnerable, clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), and high or higher-risk are no longer advised to shield.
Children and young people previously considered CEV should attend school and should follow the same COVID-19 guidance as the rest of the population. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus. If, however, a child or young person has been advised to isolate or reduce their social contact by their specialist, due to the nature of their medical condition or treatment, they should continue to follow the advice of their specialist. The NHS is also now vaccinating the most at risk 5 to 11-year-olds.
Schools are responsible for recording absence in the register using the most appropriate code in line with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 as amended. As usual, school leaders continue to have discretion to grant leaves of absence in exceptional circumstances. Where a pupil is not attending school for reasons related to COVID-19, we expect the school to offer them immediate access to remote education. Schools must also have regard to the expectations for remote education which are available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/statutory-obligations.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will introduce an attendance code to specifically authorise home learning whilst children in risk groups, as defined in table 4 of the Green Book Chapter 14a, are awaiting full covid-19 vaccination.
Answered by Robin Walker
Regular attendance at school is vital for children’s education, wellbeing and long-term development. School attendance is mandatory and parents have a duty, under section 7 of the Education Act 1996, to ensure that their child of compulsory age receives an efficient full-time education either by attendance at school or otherwise.
Following expert clinical advice and the successful rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine programme, people previously considered to be particularly vulnerable, clinically extremely vulnerable (CEV), and high or higher-risk are no longer advised to shield.
Children and young people previously considered CEV should attend school and should follow the same COVID-19 guidance as the rest of the population. This guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus. If, however, a child or young person has been advised to isolate or reduce their social contact by their specialist, due to the nature of their medical condition or treatment, they should continue to follow the advice of their specialist. The NHS is also now vaccinating the most at risk 5 to 11-year-olds.
Schools are responsible for recording absence in the register using the most appropriate code in line with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 as amended. As usual, school leaders continue to have discretion to grant leaves of absence in exceptional circumstances. Where a pupil is not attending school for reasons related to COVID-19, we expect the school to offer them immediate access to remote education. Schools must also have regard to the expectations for remote education which are available here: https://get-help-with-remote-education.education.gov.uk/statutory-obligations.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what recent estimate his Department has made of the rate of covid-19 infections among Further Education and Higher Education student population.
Answered by Michelle Donelan - Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology
There are a number of different sources of data which are relevant to understanding the estimated rate of COVID-19 in student populations – including both detected case rates and estimated positivity.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes daily updates of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in their official COVID-19 dashboard. This covers all individuals, not only those attending further or higher education. By the most relevant available age breakdown:
UKHSA also publishes confirmed cases of COVID-19 for various educational-aged cohorts, including those of sixth form age (years 12 and 13), and university age, and for people reporting attending university settings in their weekly national flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports. In the week ending 30 January, there were 12,115 cases in people reporting attending university, an increase from 9,845 the week ending 23 January.
The Office for National Statistics Coronavirus Infection Survey estimates that in the week ending 29 January 2022, 4.13% of people in school year 12 (age 16/17) to age 24 would test positive for COVID-19. This is an increase from 3.81% in the week ending 22 January, but a decrease from 5.74% in the week ending 15 January.
There is high vaccination uptake amongst higher education students. Survey data published in December 2021 show that 78% of students had received both vaccine doses, 12% had received one.
All higher education institutions have an updated outbreak management plan, agreed with their local director of public health, and work closely with local health teams in the event of an outbreak at an institution. Further education providers have risk assessments in place and continue to implement in their settings the system of controls as outlined in the further education operational guidance (updated 19 January 2022) and the contingency framework for education and childcare settings (updated 21 January 2022). These documents can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision/further-education-covid-19-operational-guidance and here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that pupils can learn safely in education settings.
Answered by Robin Walker
Protecting face-to-face education is our top priority. There is a package of measures and support in place to help reduce transmission and retain face-to-face teaching as much as possible.
All education and childcare staff, and students of secondary school age and above should continue to test twice a week a home, 3 to 4 days apart with lateral flow device test kits. Testing remains voluntary but is strongly encouraged. As of 19 January, over 109.5 million tests (including household bubble and support bubble tests) have been completed in all education providers, including higher education.
All eligible staff and students aged 12 and over are encouraged to take up the offer of the vaccine, including boosters, where eligible. On 22 December 2021, the government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that a primary course of vaccination should be offered to children aged 5 to 11 years old who are in a clinical risk group, or who are a household contact of someone (of any age) who is immunosuppressed. On 24 January, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, announced that the government will distribute a total of £8 million in funding to NHS England to support secondary schools with the vitally important in-school vaccination programme for young people.
In addition to over 353,000 CO2 monitors already delivered to education providers, we are also making a total of up to 9,000 air cleaning units available for poorly ventilated teaching spaces in state-funded education providers, where quick fixes to improve ventilation are not possible.
We no longer recommend that face coverings are worn in classrooms, teaching spaces or when moving around the premises outside of classrooms, such as in corridors and communal areas. Directors of public health may temporarily, and exceptionally, advise individual providers experiencing outbreaks to use face coverings in either communal areas or classrooms, as part of their responsibilities in outbreak management. The contingency framework provides more information on the principles of managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare providers. This framework is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings.