‘Not business as usual’ as thousands of pupils and staff off, say heads
MORE than 6,000 children missed school for a Covid-related reason in Wales on some days last week, but the figure will be higher as the data does not include those off ill with it.
Latest Welsh Government statistics out today also reveal that more than 10,000 school sessions were missed for unauthorised reasons between October 11 and 15 and that 48,000 school sessions were missed owing to pupil illness.
The Welsh Government has said it would not be appropriate to re-introduce penalties for parents for nonattendance during the pandemic.
School attendance is slightly up this week at 87% but that is below the 90% reported on October 14 by the Department of Education in England where term started at the same time. It is also below the pre-pandemic average of the mid to high 90% attendance rate.
A number of teachers and school leaders have repeated fears that some children will miss out long term because their education continues to be disrupted. They want more Covid infection restrictions in schools to keep pupils in classes.
One assistant head warned child protection referrals have increased this half term and that behaviour from pupils and parents has got worse.
Headteachers said it is not business as usual in schools with thousands of pupils and staff off and have asked for delays to curriculum and GCSE reforms.
They have also warned the data does not show the true effect Covid is having on schools as the virus is lumped in with all other illness data.
Education Minister Jeremy Miles has ordered a review of attendance patterns but the report admits frankly for the first time: “Currently we do not collect data explicitly on the number of pupils who are absent because they are ill with Covid-19.
“These absences are recorded under code “I” (illness). This means that the estimates of Covid-19 related absence are lower than they would be if such absences were included in the figures,” the document says.
One secondary school leader, who did not want to be named, echoed warnings from colleagues in recent weeks saying pupils are losing out and Covid is rampant with fewer infection controls this term than before.
He said: “This week 13 teachers were off one day. This fluctuates between six to 15 a day. Our pupils, between staff and pupil absence, are not having specialist teaching with subject specific knowledge.
“It is cruel. The Welsh Government are selling their new wellbeing agenda in one breath then applying the most unbearable pressures on top of the pupils when they are not having the education they deserve.
“This is all directly because of the inept manner with which Welsh Government has managed the return to school following September.
“The reward for such ineptitude is punishing the pupils who have been affected the most.
“This feeling is mirrored by many loyal, committed colleagues.”
It is not the same learners off each week. There is a lack of continuity of learning Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru
Another headteacher of a primary school said he was fighting fires each day with so many staff off and a shortage of supply cover, while a teacher said some families are still too scared to send pupils in which will have a long term effect on their education.
“The ripples are more profound than we can ever imagine,” one teacher warned.
“The problem is society has changed significantly. Social norms have shifted. I visit homes daily and have seen huge changes (since the pandemic started)
“I can qualify this because we have seen a significant increase in child protection referrals this half term compared to this last five.
“Subsequently the issues faced within the school day are magnified significantly. Behaviours have changed dramatically. From both pupils and parents alike.”
Latest Welsh Government data published shows that in the week October 11 to 15:
88% of all pupils attended school, up slightly on last week;
1.5% of pupils were absent due to a known Covid-related reason;
1.4% of all primary pupils were absent due to a known Covid-related reason;
and 1.6% of all secondary pupils were absent due to a known Covid-related reason.
Numbers of pupils remote learning this half term: Oct 11-15 9,603 Oct 4-8 12,704 Sept 27-Oct 1 8,060 Sept 20-24 21,357 Sept 13-17 13,751
Sept 1-6 6,054
Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru, pointed out it was not the same pupils off each week for Covid reasons. That coupled with no data for those off ill with Covid and staff off for Covid meant there is no true picture of the effect of the pandemic on schools.
“It is not the same learners off each week. There is a lack of continuity of learning,” she warned.
Schools re-opened this term without blanket all-wales restrictions such as contact bubbles and staggered start and end times to the day.
Instead there are a series of alert levels with schools and local education authorities carrying out risk assessments to decide which level should be imposed.
Some schools have re-introduced masks and contact groups.
Schools and whole council areas can, and have, moved up or down the risk levels and restrictions needed depending on local circumstances with the virus and pressure on Track and Trace and the NHS locally.
Responding to headteachers’ comments that it is not business as usual and more Covid mitigations are needed, a Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We thank everyone working across our education system for their continued efforts in supporting learners since the start of term.
“The Decision Framework for schools clearly sets out the conditions under which additional measures should be introduced to reflect local circumstances, helping maximise learning and minimise disruption to learners across Wales.”