Entire year groups sent back home to learn

Education Secretary warns schools that attendance is ‘mandatory’ as some go back to remote teaching

THE Education Secretary warned last night that school attendance “remains mandatory” as teachers sent whole year groups home early for Christmas.

Nadhim Zahawi insisted that schools would not be closing early and that face-to-face education should continue until the end of term.

He said: “Schools will not be closing early and our updated guidance ensures face-to-face education continues. School attendance remains mandatory. We have taken action to protect education. The evidence is clear that the best place for children is in a classroom.”

The biggest teacher union revealed that schools had started to send whole year groups home to learn.

Some schools have closed entirely for a few days as a “circuit breaker”, and others have sent hundreds of children home until the start of the new term.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said: “We are hearing there are schools where the number of staff who are having to isolate because they have tested positive is increasing and the schools cannot find supply staff.

“There are some schools that have had to close for some year groups because they haven’t got the staff.”

Arlecdon Primary School in Cumbria said it would be closing for a five-day “circuit breaker” after advice from public health officials. Kingswood Secondary Academy in Corby, Northants, sent two year groups home until next term because of “staff shortages due to illnesses”. In a letter to parents, the principal, Michelle Newman, said pupils in Year 7 and Year 8 should receive remote education until the Christmas holidays.

Todholm Primary School, in Paisley, Renfrewshire, is closed because of “the impact of self-isolation on staff numbers”. It is expected to open on Monday.

Pinner High School in north London sent several children home to self-isolate after they were identified as close contacts of a suspected omicron case.

Croydon council in south London has written to head teachers to say it “strongly recommends” that all carol services and performances should be cancelled, unless they take place outdoors, and that bubbles should be reintroduced.

Rachel Flowers, Croydon’s director of public health, told teachers on Dec 1 that the measures were necessary because “we are seeing cases rise markedly in school-age children”. Head teachers have been told to ensure their contingency plans are up to date so they are “prepared for any future changes”.

Ofsted inspections will not go ahead in the final week of term to ensure schools and colleges in England can plan for omicron, the DFE has said.

Meanwhile, Oxford University told students that there has been a “significant rise” in omicron and “additional steps” are now being taken “in light of the high concentration of cases around the university”.