Sheffield councillor urges schools to continue contact-tracing regimes after ‘late’ announcement of Covid testing plan

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson and the Department for Education (DfE) announced on Thursday that secondary school and college pupils’ return to class in England will be staggered in the first week of January to help schools roll out mass Covid-19 testing.

But the government’s last-minute announcement at the end of term has drawn criticism from education unions and professional associations who warned that testing will not be ready at the start of the new term as many headteachers will struggle to set up the scheme.

Coun Abtisam Mohamed, cabinet member for education and skills at Sheffield Council, has now said the city’s schools and colleges should continue with their existing contact tracing processes while the authority awaits further guidance.

She said: “We await further guidance from the Government in order to determine the detailed advice we will give to schools and academies.

“We plan to assimilate our advice during the week beginning January 4 given how late the guidance is being issued to us.

“In the meantime we strongly recommend schools and academies to not take a decision at this time and to continue with existing contact tracing processes which will ensure that risks for all children and adults alike are minimised.”

A joint statement from teachers' unions and the National Governance Association says schools should not feel pressured to carry out testing if they are unable to implement it within the given timeframe.

The advice, also signed by the Association of Colleges (AoC) and the Church of England Education Office, says the announcement has been "chaotic and rushed".

It says the government’s plan in its current form will be “inoperable” for most schools and colleges, and stresses that the DfE guidance refers to an ‘optional offer’ of testing rather than a requirement.

David Hughes, chief executive of the AoC, said: “The announcement on Thursday simply puts unfair pressure on leaders and staff who have already had to endure so much over the last nine months because having mass testing in place by January 4 is an impossible target for most.

“College and school leaders are being set up to fail and that’s not right.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.