Michael Ejercito
2021-07-07 03:28:40 UTC
http://archive.is/Rfp9R
School bubbles could be brought back to tackle Covid outbreaks
A record 641,200 pupils have been forced to miss school in England as a
result of Covid isolation rules
By
Camilla Turner,
EDUCATION EDITOR
6 July 2021 • 7:56pm
Placeholder image for youtube video: Dn_kFuiDkbo
Government scraps Covid bubbles in schools from 19 July
Campaign for Children
The number of pupils forced to miss school owing to Covid has hit over
600,000, the latest figures show, as it emerged that bubbles could be
brought back if there is a cluster of cases.
A record 641,200 pupils are off school in England as a result of Covid –
up from 385,500 the previous week and the highest since classes went
back in March.
The number includes 471,000 who have been forced to self-isolate because
of a case at school – a 69 per cent increase in the space of a week.
On June 28, The Telegraph launched a campaign calling on ministers to
put children first as the country recovers from its Covid lockdowns,
with action to bring an end to the disruption in schools.
On Tuesday, Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, confirmed plans
to end bubbles on July 19, meaning an entire class or year group would
not need to be sent home for 10 days each time a pupil in their cohort
tested positive.
Almost one in ten pupils was out of school on July 1
Proportion of children out of school in England for covid-related reasons
Suspected covid case
Confirmed covid case
7.5%
School closed
5.0%
Self-isolating:
contact inside school
2.5%
Self-isolating:
contact outside school
0
7 Jun
15 Jun
23 Jun
1 Jul
SOURCE: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
But detailed guidance published on Tuesday night by the Department for
Education (DfE) said schools "may wish" to continue with bubbles until
the end of the summer term.
It also said it "may become necessary to reintroduce bubbles" for a
temporary period if there is a Covid outbreak. Schools are told to
contact their local public health teams to report a potential outbreak
if they have several confirmed cases within 14 days.
The guidance says any decision to recommend the reintroduction of
bubbles should not be taken lightly and should "take account of the
detrimental impact they can have on the delivery of education". It adds
that a student who has Covid symptoms can be refused entry to school if
a headteacher believes that is "necessary" to protect other pupils and
staff.
Teachers should make these decisions on a case-by-case basis and use
their "reasonable judgment".
Figures published by the DfE show that 8.5 per cent of all children in
England were not at school last Thursday for a Covid-related reason, a
rise from 5.1 per cent the week before.
There are now 28,000 children who have tested positive for Covid, up
from 15,000 the week before, the DfE data shows.
Mr Williamson told the Commons that, from July 19, schools would no
longer need to stagger the start and end of the day, nor would children
need to have separate break times.
"While the pandemic is not over, we are moving into a new phase of the
pandemic from strict rules towards greater personal responsibility," he
said.
He added that "children are better off in their classroom, with their
friends and teachers", noting that "they have given up so much to keep
the older generation safe".
Restrictions on face-to-face teaching in universities will also end on
July 19 unless there are local outbreaks, he added.
Placeholder image for youtube video: TMoT2YscQyQ
In full: Boris Johnson announces England's final Covid lockdown easing
From Aug 16, children will be exempt from self-isolation after coming
into contact with someone who tested positive. Instead, they would be
contacted by NHS Test and Trace who would notify them of the contact and
advise them to take a test.
Students will be expected to come to school unless they have tested
positive for Covid or have symptoms.
During the autumn term, schools will still be expected to have extensive
cleaning regimes in place and also to make sure buildings are well
ventilated.
Mr Williamson came under fire from Tory MPs after announcing that
twice-weekly testing for secondary school pupils will continue in September.
Felicity Buchan, the Conservative MP for Kensington, said tno one wants
to see testing in schools "in perpetuity".
Mark Harper, who chairs the Covid Recovery Group, also questioned why
testing will remain in place during the autumn term, saying: "When
schools return in September, every adult will have had the chance to be
vaccinated once at least, which provides the bulk of protection – so why
is regular testing still going to continue, perhaps forever?"
Headteachers criticised plans for the autumn term, saying that
ventilating classrooms is "easier said than done" when it is the middle
of winter and too cold to keep windows open.
School bubbles could be brought back to tackle Covid outbreaks
A record 641,200 pupils have been forced to miss school in England as a
result of Covid isolation rules
By
Camilla Turner,
EDUCATION EDITOR
6 July 2021 • 7:56pm
Placeholder image for youtube video: Dn_kFuiDkbo
Government scraps Covid bubbles in schools from 19 July
Campaign for Children
The number of pupils forced to miss school owing to Covid has hit over
600,000, the latest figures show, as it emerged that bubbles could be
brought back if there is a cluster of cases.
A record 641,200 pupils are off school in England as a result of Covid –
up from 385,500 the previous week and the highest since classes went
back in March.
The number includes 471,000 who have been forced to self-isolate because
of a case at school – a 69 per cent increase in the space of a week.
On June 28, The Telegraph launched a campaign calling on ministers to
put children first as the country recovers from its Covid lockdowns,
with action to bring an end to the disruption in schools.
On Tuesday, Gavin Williamson, the Education Secretary, confirmed plans
to end bubbles on July 19, meaning an entire class or year group would
not need to be sent home for 10 days each time a pupil in their cohort
tested positive.
Almost one in ten pupils was out of school on July 1
Proportion of children out of school in England for covid-related reasons
Suspected covid case
Confirmed covid case
7.5%
School closed
5.0%
Self-isolating:
contact inside school
2.5%
Self-isolating:
contact outside school
0
7 Jun
15 Jun
23 Jun
1 Jul
SOURCE: DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION
But detailed guidance published on Tuesday night by the Department for
Education (DfE) said schools "may wish" to continue with bubbles until
the end of the summer term.
It also said it "may become necessary to reintroduce bubbles" for a
temporary period if there is a Covid outbreak. Schools are told to
contact their local public health teams to report a potential outbreak
if they have several confirmed cases within 14 days.
The guidance says any decision to recommend the reintroduction of
bubbles should not be taken lightly and should "take account of the
detrimental impact they can have on the delivery of education". It adds
that a student who has Covid symptoms can be refused entry to school if
a headteacher believes that is "necessary" to protect other pupils and
staff.
Teachers should make these decisions on a case-by-case basis and use
their "reasonable judgment".
Figures published by the DfE show that 8.5 per cent of all children in
England were not at school last Thursday for a Covid-related reason, a
rise from 5.1 per cent the week before.
There are now 28,000 children who have tested positive for Covid, up
from 15,000 the week before, the DfE data shows.
Mr Williamson told the Commons that, from July 19, schools would no
longer need to stagger the start and end of the day, nor would children
need to have separate break times.
"While the pandemic is not over, we are moving into a new phase of the
pandemic from strict rules towards greater personal responsibility," he
said.
He added that "children are better off in their classroom, with their
friends and teachers", noting that "they have given up so much to keep
the older generation safe".
Restrictions on face-to-face teaching in universities will also end on
July 19 unless there are local outbreaks, he added.
Placeholder image for youtube video: TMoT2YscQyQ
In full: Boris Johnson announces England's final Covid lockdown easing
From Aug 16, children will be exempt from self-isolation after coming
into contact with someone who tested positive. Instead, they would be
contacted by NHS Test and Trace who would notify them of the contact and
advise them to take a test.
Students will be expected to come to school unless they have tested
positive for Covid or have symptoms.
During the autumn term, schools will still be expected to have extensive
cleaning regimes in place and also to make sure buildings are well
ventilated.
Mr Williamson came under fire from Tory MPs after announcing that
twice-weekly testing for secondary school pupils will continue in September.
Felicity Buchan, the Conservative MP for Kensington, said tno one wants
to see testing in schools "in perpetuity".
Mark Harper, who chairs the Covid Recovery Group, also questioned why
testing will remain in place during the autumn term, saying: "When
schools return in September, every adult will have had the chance to be
vaccinated once at least, which provides the bulk of protection – so why
is regular testing still going to continue, perhaps forever?"
Headteachers criticised plans for the autumn term, saying that
ventilating classrooms is "easier said than done" when it is the middle
of winter and too cold to keep windows open.
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