Christmas lunch axed in schools due to staff shortages
A COUNCIL has cancelled Christmas lunch in all its schools, saying there aren’t enough staff to run the traditional festive end-of-term meal.
Bridgend Council admitted it expected take-up among pupils would be high for Christmas lunch, but it can’t go ahead.
A spokesperson said: “Unfortunately, due to limited staffing available to the local authority to support the likely increased take-up of the offer of a Christmas lunch, there will be no dedicated Christmas lunches provided in schools. However, some food will have a ‘festive theme’.”
Meanwhile parents have been told they cannot come in to see Christmas performances and events for a second year, thanks to Covid.
The Welsh Government and local authorities have left it up to schools to decide based on local risk assessments, but have warned them to follow advice based on the local situation with the virus. Some are recommending Christmas concerts are held virtually.
Merthyr Council has asked all its schools not to hold Christmas concerts that bring parents in.
Carmarthenshire Council said it has “strongly discouraged” schools allowing parents on site for Christmas performances, including outdoor carol concerts.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has “strongly recommended” that schools hold Christmas events virtually and Powys Council said it has given the same advice.
One angry mother, whose children attend a primary in RCT, said she did not understand why people can go to the cinema, pubs and sporting events but not school concerts with safety measures in place.
Faye Mortlock, who has four children aged six to 11 in Years Two, Four and Six, said her youngest daughter is particularly upset that her parents can’t come to her school Christmas concert for a second year.
She did not want to name their primary but said parents have been asked to give permission for concerts to be filmed so that parents can watch them on screen.
“Our primary have decided that we can’t go and watch again this year. My daughter is heartbroken I can’t watch again, it’s her last infant concert.
“Another childhood rite of passage that she’s missed. I’m so sad, though, because our school was always so proactive and keen for the return to normal prior to the summer.”
Carmarthenshire Council said: “The final decision on whether and how schools hold Christmas activities is down to headteachers, and they will communicate plans to pupils, parents etc through their usual channels.
“In Carmarthenshire, schools have been strongly discouraged from inviting parents on to school sites as most schools do not have sufficient space for social distancing. As they did last year, schools will still hold many of these events with their pupils but they will be either recorded or parents invited to attend virtually.
“Schools can hold outdoor events such as carol services but it has been recommended that these are held without parents present.
“There are no restrictions on decorations and Christmas trees and both staff and pupils can exchange presents and cards, but they must wash their hands before and after exchanging.
“Schools can hold Christmas lunches but are encouraged to maintain the current contact group arrangements.”
A Powys Council spokesman said: “The advice we have given to schools in Powys is that Christmas performances/events should take place virtually/be recorded for distribution to parents, ie parents should not attend events in person in school.
“Gifts and cards can be exchanged, so long as social distancing – where relevant – is maintained.
“Christmas lunches at schools can still go ahead under current school dining-room arrangements that are in place.”
Schools in Merthyr will be offering a Christmas lunch but the advice to all schools is not to hold Christmas concerts or similar events that bring parents into the school.
Rhondda Cynon Taf has strongly recommended that schools adopt a cautious approach and undertake these activities virtually.
A spokesman added: “For schools that wish to consider holding concerts/fairs/events for parents/carers to attend in person, we have advised that such events should only be undertaken following a full risk assessment with consideration given to additional risks and control measures to be put in place.
“These events should only take place where there is there is a high degree of confidence that these can be held safely for the protection of all learners, staff and visitors. Risk assessment advice is regularly provided to schools.
“The exchanging of cards and presents will be a matter for individual schools to decide upon.
“School kitchens are fully open and there is provision of food to all pupils who want a school lunch, including Christmas lunch on designated days.”
Updated advice on the Welsh Government’s school guidance says: “Can schools hold Christmas events such as concerts and fairs?
“Local authorities, employers and schools must protect people from harm. This includes taking reasonable measures to protect staff, learners and others from Covid-19 within the setting.
“Any events – such as concerts, fairs and visits – should be riskassessed, with consideration given to additional risks and control measures to be put in place.
“Where appropriate, information on the relevant arrangements should be communicated to those attending or taking part in these events in advance.”
MORE primary-age children are missing school for Covid than secondary pupils, official data shows.
On November 12, a total 1,312 primary-age children were off for a known Covid-related reason, compared to 566 secondary pupils, Welsh Government data shows.
Separate figures from Public Health Wales, published on November 19, reveal the council area with the highest numbers of school Covid cases in the six days to November 17 was Rhondda Cynon Taf with 217. The lowest was Ceredigion with 34.
Although overall school Covid cases and Covid-related absences have fallen in its latest data, PHW cautioned: “The rate in five to 11-year-olds has increased in the most recent reporting period. Rates in both these age groups remain higher than in other age groups. The rate in the 12-16 age group has continued to fall, although at a slower rate of decrease than in previous weeks.”
Schools’ Covid cases by health board and county in the six days to November 19 (with comparison to previous two weeks in brackets): Aneurin Bevan UHB Blaenau Gwent: 24 (40, 19) Caerphilly: 90 (96, 118) Monmouthshire: 144 (156, 83)
Newport: 154 (161, 169) Torfaen: 46 (90, 84)
Betsi Cadwaladr UHB
Isle of Anglesey: 36 (33, 41) Conwy: 76 (99, 99) Denbighshire: 79 (84 ,116) Flintshire: 115 (90, 125) Gwynedd: 178 (147, 93) Wrexham: 116 (104, 121) Cardiff and Vale UHB Cardiff: 323 (347, 327) Vale of Glamorgan: 131 (167 ,180) Cwm Taf UHB Bridgend: 124 (189, 135) Merthyr Tydfil: 59 (56, 40) Rhondda Cynon Taf: 217 (224, 216) Powys Teaching HB
Powys: 148 (210, 159 Hywel Dda UHB Carmarthenshire: 148 (223, 155) Ceredigion: 34 (38, 42) Pembrokeshire: 84 (79 ,104)) Swansea Bay UHB Neath Port Talbot: 123 (170, 161) Swansea: 182 (210, 145) Total Wales schools Covid cases for the six days to November 17 (with the previous two weeks in brackets):
All Wales: 2,631 (3,013, 2,732) Latest Welsh Government figures show that while overall school Covid cases are down and attendance is up, the situation is better in secondaries than primaries.
While nearly nine in 10 pupils went to school in Wales last week, the second-highest attendance rate for this term, 1.4% of primary pupils were off for a Covid-related reason compared with 1.2% of secondary pupils.
Numbers of pupils off for known Covid-related reasons tumbled from more than 5,000 a day on November 8 to just over 1,800 on November 12.
Altogether in that period, 23,371 pupil absences for Covid-related reasons were registered, a majority among primary-aged children. There is still no clear data on how many were off with the virus rather than self-isolating because the statistics lump the virus in with all the illness categories.
Latest Welsh Government figures show that between November 8-12:
1.3% of all pupils were absent due to a known Covid-related reason;
An average of 1.4% of all primary pupils were absent due to a known Covid-related reason, with 14,423 registered off in that time;
An average 1.2% of all secondary pupils were absent due to a known Covid-related reason, with 8,948 registered off in that time;
Among statutory school-age pupils, attendance was highest for children in Year Three (91%) and lowest for pupils in the key GCSE Year 11 (88%);
The most common reason for sessions missed was illness, with 5.5% of sessions missed for this reason. But the data lumps Covid in with all other illnesses, so it is not possible to say how many pupils were off with the virus.
Meanwhile, the rolling three-day average of Covid cases among schoolaged children and staff has also fallen, separate Public Health Wales data shows.
Three-day rolling average for new Covid cases among schoolchildren and staff in each local health authority area as of November 16, with the three-day average for November 10 in brackets (according to PHW): Aneurin Bevan UHB: 74.3 (90) Betsi Cadwaladr UHB: 77.3 (91) Cwm Taf UHB: 60 (82.3) Cardiff and Vale UHB: 56.7 (94.3) Swansea Bay UHB: 51 (65.7) Hywel Dda 41.7: (55.7) Powys 30: (31.7)