Calls for ‘disruptive’ school pupil self-isolation to end

This follows growing calls to axe the measure due to the disruption it is having on pupils’ learning by forcing them to study at home.

According to data published by Warrington Borough Council, more than a quarter of education settings in the town had confirmed coronavirus cases on June 24.

The phrase ‘education settings’ includes early years, private nurseries, pre-school, primary schools, high schools, special schools and further education.

In total, 1,509 pupils were being asked to self-isolate after being deemed a close contact of someone who had tested positive at 32 education settings.

The review was confirmed by schools minister Nick Gibb, who told Sky News: “We are conducting trials of daily contact testing as a possible alternative to self-isolation.

Calls for ‘disruptive’ school self-isolation to end as 1,500 Warrington pupils study at home (Image: Martin Rickett/PA Wire)

“What matters also is that we keep the school safe, and if you go around our schools you will see a raft of measures to reduce the infection rates within schools.

“There's extra hygiene, there's staggered breaks, we keep children in bubbles and there's extra ventilation in classrooms to minimise the risk of transmission.”

He said that around three per cent of students nationally are currently self-isolating, but added this figure is lower than it was in the autumn.

A decision on replacing self-isolation requirements for school bubbles with contact testing will be made before July 19.

A move to end self-isolation in school bubbles has been backed by Warrington Borough Council chief executive Steven Broomhead.

He said that whole year groups isolating is having a very disruptive effect on education and schools, and that it is time to stop whole year groups from being put in isolation if a positive case if discovered.

“It is very disruptive for the education of the child and it is very disruptive for families too who have to isolate,” he said.

Warrington Borough Council chief executive Steven Broomhead

“We are concerned that sending a whole year group home is not proportionate to one positive test, so we are pushing back on it.

“We are very concerned about the really disruptive effect of this on schools.”

Mr Gibb also confirmed that a review was under way into how effective it would be to increase the length of the school day to allow children to catch up with missed learning due to the pandemic.

“We know that the best catch-up of course happens every day in school with children at school in those classrooms,” he added.

“But we're also conducting a review right now of the evidence about extending the school day and time spent in school to understand how that would work, how effective it would be if we were to increase the length of the school day.”

He did however stress that it is still ‘very important’ that those who come into contact with people with Covid self-isolate, whether in schools or society.