Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment he has made of the level of risk to teaching and support staff of the rise in the rate of covid-19 infection among school-aged children.

All schools, colleges and nurseries have implemented a range of protective measures as set out in the Department’s published operational guidance. This is endorsed by Public Health England (PHE) and is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/schools-coronavirus-covid-19-operational-guidance.

In relaxing the majority of COVID-19 restrictions, from Step 4 of the roadmap, the Government has balanced education and health considerations, weighing the effect of these measures on teaching, pupils’ education and wellbeing, and the functioning of schools, colleges and nurseries against the risk of COVID-19.

By Monday 19 July, all those aged over 50, and the clinically extremely vulnerable, will have been offered their second vaccine dose, and all adults in England are eligible to book the COVID-19 vaccine. This level of protection means that an increasing proportion of the education workforce is vaccinated.

The Department has worked closely with the Department of Health and Social Care and PHE to revise our guidance for schools, colleges, and nurseries from Step 4. The revised guidance is available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/999689/Schools_guidance_Step_4_update_FINAL.pdf.

All schools, colleges and nurseries should have outbreak management plans, which outline how they would operate if there was an outbreak in their setting or local area. The Government may also offer local areas of particular concern an enhanced response package to help limit increases in transmission.

The Department will continue to keep these measures under review in partnership with health experts and informed by the latest scientific evidence and advice.