Many schools in the UK have been closing down or telling whole year groups of students to go online for study. Some areas reported that as high as one fifth of teachers were sickened by Covid.
After the Christmas return of students, officials have been warning about chaos as Covid testing results are delayed.
Unfortunately, schools are being forced to close some of their doors today because of outbreaks of the disease.
This included King Charles I School in Kidderminster is closed to Years 7 and 8 and Outwood Academy in Ormesby, Middlesbrough warned Years 9 and 10 pupils to stay away.
Elsewhere, classes for six out of the seven year groups at Thorpe Primary School in Bradford have been shut, while Haveley Hey Community School in Wythenshawe, Manchester, told its two Year 6 classes to stay at home yesterday.
In Scotland today, Kincardine O’Neil School and Wallacestone Primary School in Falkirk are not open to any pupils due to Covid, while Drumblade, Catterline and Kinneff – all in Aberdeenshire – are also shut, but owing to issues with heating and power.
A school in Swansea Valley called Ysgol Gymraeg Ystalyfera and asked years 7-8 to study remotely through January 10.
Evelyn Forde from Copthall School in London stated that 13 of her staff had been absent while four Copthall School children were tested for Covid. “Staffing looks pretty horrible,” she said.
Steve Chalke is the founder of Oasis Charitable trust, which operates 52 schools in England. He said that early indicators indicated 20 percent of his staff might be missing.
Today, in Scotland, Kincardine O’Neil school (pictured) or Wallacestone Primary School Falkirk are closed to pupils because of Covid
Six of seven-year-old classes at Thorpe Primary School, Bradford (pictured), have been closed
Steve Chalke founder of Oasis Charitable trust, with 52 schools in England, stated that early indicators indicated 20 percent of his staff might be missing
Problems with testing continued to worsen as the Department for Education gave schools without tests yesterday a deadline of 5pm. Schools could order additional tests or wait two weeks.
Covid’s staff absences exacerbated the problem. Ian Bauckham (the boss of Ofqual exams regulator) suggested that schools might suspend music subjects to deal with shortfalls.
It was revealed that a secondary school had been segregating students who did not use face masks, or failed to pass two weekly drug tests.
Walton High, an academy in Buckinghamshire, said any pupils exempt from wearing face masks ‘will be seated at the back of classrooms at the furthest point from the teacher’.
Michelle Currie, executive principal, also told parents that if their child had not yet been vaccinated, this could have ‘consequences’, including that it ‘may limit their career options later in life’, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Secondary pupils will be tested for Covid next week. However, some lateral flow tests have not arrived in time.
Geoff Barton, general secretary of heads’ union ASCL, said: ‘It is clearly imperative that schools and colleges have enough test kits to follow the government guidance.’
A DfE spokesman added: ‘A further 17.6 million test kits will be delivered by the end of next week.’
After Christmas break, teachers warned their pupils that there would be chaos as many still hadn’t received the supplies they needed. (File photo)
This week all secondary students are being tested for Covid. However, some lateral flow tests have not arrived in time for certain pupils (File Image).