Covid leads to 54 teacher absences in a single day
Over 50 teachers in Sunderland were absent because of coronavirus on just one day, new figures reveal.
Department for Education figures show that on December 17, 28 teaching staff in the city’s state schools were absent with either a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 and another 26 were forced to isolate.
This means 54 were off for Covid-19 related reasons on just one day – 2.8% of all teachers in schools that remained open.
This was down from 4.5% on the same day the week before, and also down from
3.5% on October 15, the first date the survey was conducted.
The figures also show 1.9% (48) teaching assistants
and other school staff were absent for Covid-related reasons on December 17.
Of them, 24 had a confirmed or suspected case of the disease, and another 24 were isolating.
Nationally, 4.4% of teachers and school leaders were absent because of coronavirus on what was the last day of term for many schools.
Absence rates due to Covid-19 varied widely throughout the country, from 17.9% in the London borough of Havering, to just 0.5% in Torbay, in Devon.
The Association of School and College Leaders said recent months had seen schools come under “enormous pressure” and called for education staff to be prioritised for the vaccine.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, said: “The level of staff absence as a result of coronavirus is obviously affected by local infection rates, and the turbulence of the past few months has put schools under enormous pressure.
"It shows why it is important that the Government prioritises education staff in phase two of the rollout of the coronavirus vaccination programme. This will provide reassurance to staff and it will minimise further disruption when schools are fully open again."
Pupils in schools and colleges – except children of key workers and vulnerable pupils – have been told to learn remotely until mid-February amid the lockdown.
A spokeswoman for the Department for Education said the Government will keep plans for the return to school under review, but will work to reopen them as soon as possible.