Here we outline the recent changes to Government advice in relation to schools and COVID-19
Government sets out next steps for living with COVID
Headlines for schools and early years settings
The mainstay of COVID-19 advice for the general public will remain as
People at risk of serious illness from COVID-19, and eligible for treatments, will continue to get free tests to use if they develop symptoms, along with NHS and adult social care staff and those in other high-risk settings.
Free testing for the general public ends on 1 April as part of the Living with COVID plan which last month set out the government’s strategy to live with and manage the virus.
From 1 April, anyone with a positive COVID-19 test result will be advised to try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for 5 days, which is when they are most infectious.
Children and young people who are unwell and have a high temperature should stay at home and avoid contact with other people, where they can. They can go back to school, college or childcare when they no longer have a high temperature, and they are well enough to attend.
Advice for Staff who are close contacts of positive COVID-19 cases
All Staff (regardless of vaccination status)
Staff in SEND settings
What to do if you/a household member develop symptoms of COVID 19
For most people, COVID-19 will be a mild illness. The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are recent onset of:
If anyone in the household develops any of these symptoms of COVID-19, they are strongly advised to stay at home and avoid contact with others. They can return to normal activities when well and they do not have a temperature.
If they have tested positive for COVID-19, it is recommended they stay off for 5 clear days (for adults) or 3 clear days (for children) after the day their symptoms started (or the day they tested if they have no symptoms), and until they are well and have no temperature.
When COVID-19 is circulating, it is worth also being aware of the wider symptoms of COVID-19 including: sore throat, headache, muscle ache, fatigue, shortness of breath, blocked/runny nose, diarrhoea and vomiting, and cold-like symptoms.
Staff absences in the Spring Term
With 1-in-20 teachers off work on 6 January as a result of Covid, it has become abundantly clear that the omicron variant is having a ‘highly significant’ impact on the operation of schools.
Latest official figures show 8.6 per cent of teachers and school leaders were absent on 6 January - and 4.9 per cent were absent because of Covid, up from 3 per cent on 16 December. In addition, 8.9 per cent of teaching assistants and other staff were absent from open schools, up from 7.3 per cent.
Higher rates of staff absence are making a very challenging situation much worse for schools struggling to maintain appropriate staffing levels without disrupting pupils’ education.
NSEAD understands that in some schools there is no effective system in place for deploying CO2 monitors in classrooms. Ensuring good ventilation is vital to minimising further disruption to pupils’ education whilst assisting with minimising the risk of Covid infection.
NSEAD has additionally learned that support staff are being used more flexibly to cover for teachers isolating with Covid. The Department for Education (DfE) has issued guidance encouraging schools to use support staff “more flexibly” in the Spring Term. Whilst the spread of the Omicron variant is causing high numbers of staff absences in schools and that learning must continue for pupils, this should not be done on the cheap, as schools should make all appropriate endeavours to secure suitably trained and qualified supply staff. Other ‘flexible’ measures such as merging classes undermines everything schools have done to try to limit the virus spread. Additionally, the education benefits are minimal when classrooms are overcrowded, and health risks to pupils and staff increase.
Update to sickness absence - relaxation to the fit note system
The change, announced before Christmas and set to run until at least 26 January, means an employee who is off sick can only ask for a fit note from their GP after 28 days of absence, rather than the usual seven days. The government said it was making the changes to relieve pressure on GPs and allow them to concentrate on getting patients the Covid booster vaccine.
If any NSEAD Trade Union member encounters any difficulties with their employer as a consequence of this new measure which could undermine existing sickness absence policies, please contact NSEAD for help, support and advice.
NSEAD members may already be aware that the Department for Education published additional Covid Guidance on 2nd January, which stated:
Furthermore, the DFE emailed all schools on 2nd January referencing measures schools should consider taking to mitigate against staff absence due to Covid. (As this is government advice, it is not mandatory for schools to follow this prescriptively)
They suggested that schools ‘may wish to use existing teaching, temporary and support staff more flexibly where required to ensure your setting remains open, whilst ensuring that you continue to have appropriate support in place for pupils with SEND. As pupils do not need to be kept in consistent groups, you may wish to consider combining classes.’
NSEAD fully appreciates that teachers may be required to cover on occasions that are rare and when unforeseen absence occurs. Clearly, absence due to Covid is something which is foreseeable/predictable and likely, so NSEAD strongly recommends that employers utilise alternative measures such as hiring supply teachers.
NSEAD considers the combining of classes to not be an appropriate mitigation and measure, especially within the confines and constraints of Art, Craft and Design classrooms, which themselves should be subject to limitations on class sizes and numbers.
Employers risk assessments need to demonstrate how the employer will deal with staff absences whilst simultaneously managing the risks of Covid transmission.
It remains a viable option for employers, where they cannot guarantee that the safety measures within their risk assessment can be maintained due to Covid related staffing shortages, to send pupils home. This position is supported by DfE guidance that confirms the requirement to continue to provide remote education for pupils who cannot attend school still remains in place.
NSEAD members may already be aware that the Department for Education published additional Covid Guidance on 2nd January, which stated:
Furthermore, the DFE emailed all schools on 2nd January referencing measures schools should consider taking to mitigate against staff absence due to Covid. (As this is government advice, it is not mandatory for schools to follow this prescriptively)
They suggested that schools ‘may wish to use existing teaching, temporary and support staff more flexibly where required to ensure your setting remains open, whilst ensuring that you continue to have appropriate support in place for pupils with SEND. As pupils do not need to be kept in consistent groups, you may wish to consider combining classes.’
NSEAD fully appreciates that teachers may be required to cover on occasions that are rare and when unforeseen absence occurs. Clearly, absence due to Covid is something which is foreseeable/predictable and likely, so NSEAD strongly recommends that employers utilise alternative measures such as hiring supply teachers.
NSEAD considers the combining of classes to not be an appropriate mitigation and measure, especially within the confines and constraints of Art, Craft and Design classrooms, which themselves should be subject to limitations on class sizes and numbers.
Employers risk assessments need to demonstrate how the employer will deal with staff absences whilst simultaneously managing the risks of Covid transmission.
It remains a viable option for employers, where they cannot guarantee that the safety measures within their risk assessment can be maintained due to Covid related staffing shortages, to send pupils home. This position is supported by DfE guidance that confirms the requirement to continue to provide remote education for pupils who cannot attend school still remains in place.
Changes to Government guidance - isolation
The Government have announced new arrangements in relation to COVID-19 positive cases and close contacts, which come into effect from midnight on Tuesday 14 December 2021.
The advice is for all close contacts of a COVID-19 case (irrespective of the variant), who do not have COVID-19 symptoms:
In addition, it is strongly recommended that all close contacts (of both Omicron and Delta cases) take a PCR test and do not attend the school setting until they have received a negative PCR result. This is an interim position until the end of term with a view to protecting school communities and families for over the Christmas period.
For any close contacts who are currently isolating due to being a direct contact of an Omicron case, they can now return if they do not have COVID-19 symptoms and should take daily LFTs as above. It is advisable though that you do not attend the setting before taking a PCR and receiving a negative result.
Education settings cannot refuse a child or young person from attending on the basis of not having a PCR or undertaking daily LFTs, but they can be refused if they have any COVID-19 symptoms or if there are concerns they have COVID-19 (e.g. wider symptoms of COVID-19 such as headache, sore throat, fatigue, muscle aches - particularly if there are already cases in your setting).
Information for families on how to collect LFTs is available here.
Additional note regarding vulnerable children/young people
We have all been distressed by the tragic death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes which has been in the news recently. Please do ensure you notify multi-agency colleagues on all occasions when vulnerable children are not attending school, alongside making your usual safeguarding checks and provision for remote learning activities.
If you have concerns that a child is suffering ANY form of neglect, abuse or cruelty, ensure your concerns are raised immediately.