Fears grow for the sick children who haven’t been in class since March

TENS of thousands of sick children have missed out on all education for most of this year because of the closure of schools during the pandemic.

A leading charity warned last night that many children with long-term conditions such as cancer have not received any lessons since the virus struck in March.

No official figures exist, but campaigners estimate that many thousands have been affected.

They say these children struggle to keep up with school in normal times as they are in and out of hospital, but this year has been far worse.

Joshua Pelled, of charity Bright Futures UK which helps children whose education is threatened by serious illness, said: ‘Tens, if not hundreds, of thousands of children are estimated to be missing schooling. Schools and hospitals were already overworked and overwhelmed and not able to handle the needs of these children but this has been exacerbated by the virus.

‘These children with longterm conditions have been left out in the cold having to struggle by themselves. There is a huge fallout from Covid.

‘It’s a dire situation. Education is not the only thing affected – the school-life bubble, interaction with friends, building relationships for the future. It reduces their life chances and takes away opportunities.’

He said these children were often forgotten ‘by the Government, the school, their local authorities’.

The Government’s minimum requirement is that education is provided up to the age of 1 and many authorities fail to provide anything after this.

Nine out of ten pupils said their cancer diagnosis made a difference to their school life, according to 2012 research. Mr Pelled’s charity – which he set up after he received little education while he battled cancer as a child – had its busiest month in October.

Many sick children who would otherwise have tried to attend school for one or two days a week are unable to do so because they are classified as vulnerable to the virus.

Mr Pelled added: ‘Children are having to choose between their education and being healthy at the moment.’

The Department for Education said pupils who have been advised not to attend school could receive a laptop or tablet to help their learning.

A spokesman said: ‘The Children’s Minister [Vicky Ford] has recently written to all families of children with additional needs to reassure them their education, health and wellbeing remains her top priority.’