​As of 5th January 2021, the government announced that most schools in England would close to the majority of pupils, which of course isn’t our first rodeo since the last school closures in March 2020. However, things have been slightly different this time round in a number of areas, which can answer some of the questions you may have. So, in this month’s blog, I will be addressing some common misconceptions about the school closures summing them up into 3 main sections:

Yes, schools are shut – but are they fully shut?

Similar to the first school closures, schools are closed to all pupils but those of key workers and vulnerable children. This meant that last year, the percentage of pupils present in primary schools was averaging at approximately 4% and only 1% for secondary schools. Throughout this recent lockdown, the percentage has risen to around 21% for pupils in primary schools, and 5% for students in secondary schools. This rise is the result of a number of factors, with one being the definition of “vulnerable children” extending to pupils who do not have access to essential electronics such as laptops, who have therefore been allowed to attend in-person classes. In short, with there being an increasing number of pupils in schools, schools are less “shut” than many may think!

Schools are only partially open, so there’s no work out there for me?!

The previous section may have already answered this question for you, but in case it hasn’t, here’s a quick summary. With there being more children attending schools, there is a greater need for staff to support students, whether it be as a COVID Tester, providing extra supporting in Welfare, or as a 1:1 Support Assistant, there is certainly a need for staff – be it less busy than in usual times. Also worth noting, many – if not all – start dates for roles have been immediate, as opposed to last year where roles advertising in early April were in preparation for the new academic year! So to answer your question, yes you still have a chance of securing a role during the school closures.

When will schools be re-opening?

What we can be certain of, is that schools in England won’t open before 8th March at the earliest. But as it currently stands, there is no guarantee that they will re-open by then, as many people are hoping. As frustrating as the closures can be, the best thing we can do to restore normality is to keep ourselves and everyone else safe by complying with government guidelines and we can all be hopeful that when schools do re-open, it will be in a time where we are not at risk, and it will be a permanent return.

I hope this has helped you gain an insight into what’s going on in schools today!

Any other questions, please feel free to call us on 020 3771 1138 and one of our friendly Consultants will be happy to help you.