One mum's plea: 'Northamptonshire's schools need to let parents know what’s going on''

Parents join calls for more clarity over how Covid-19 is disrupting education in the county
Thousands of kids are learning at home as schools struggle to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Getty ImagesThousands of kids are learning at home as schools struggle to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Getty Images
Thousands of kids are learning at home as schools struggle to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic. Photo: Getty Images

Parents have joined the call for clarity from council chiefs over how Covid-19 is disrupting schools.

A majority of mums and dads who joined in a lively debate on the Chronicle & Echo Facebook page earlier this week voiced concerns over the lack of information and suggested it might be better to close schools until the New Year.

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One Daventry mum who contacted the Chronicle & Echo this week revealed: "Eighty students from one year at my son's school were sent home and many teachers were also off.

"But there was no announcement to parents until someone kicked up a fuss.

"Many students have vulnerable people at home. The school should at the very least let parents know what’s going on.

"Parents should have the authority to decide if their children attend school or learn at home."

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READ THIS: Union claims teachers were told to turn off their Test and Trace appsTeachers union the NASUWT today voiced its members concerns over how the extent to which the virus is affecting schools and revealed reports from members that they had been asked to turn of Test and Trace apps.

Education chiefs are under fire from parents calling for more clarity on how the Covid pandemic is affecting schoolsEducation chiefs are under fire from parents calling for more clarity on how the Covid pandemic is affecting schools
Education chiefs are under fire from parents calling for more clarity on how the Covid pandemic is affecting schools

Increasing numbers of teachers being told to self-isolate after being in close contact with a positive case are causing staff shortages but County Council education chiefs only publish weekly percentages of students in school, with data up to the previous Friday.

Last Friday's report gave figures up to November 8 — the first week after half-term — which showed 100 per cent of schools were open and 91 per cent of children in attendance compared to 94 per cent at the same point in 2019.

It also revealed 19 outbreaks at schools since October 12. An outbreak is defined as two or more Covid cases linked by time and place, so does not include schools which have seen single cases or multiple positive tests among different year bubbles.

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A County Council spokesman said: "The best measure to record the impact of Covid in schools — both positive cases and self-isolation — is the headline percentage attendance figure."

Yet one mum admitted: "I would of been in favour of keeping schools open but last week my daughter was off because a lack of teachers and now she's off from today to isolate after being in close contact with someone in school.

"Schools are not coping any more."

And one mum pleaded: "The risks to my family outweigh the benefits of my children being at school.

"This weekend I received a text saying my asthmatic five-year-old has to isolate for two weeks. My seven-year-old is expected to still be at school. I'm not sure how I am expected to get her there whilst her dad is at work and I am yet to master teleportation!

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"The school are refusing to send her any work to do as it's my 'choice' to keep her off school."

And finally, another parent begged: "The schools should close until January at least. Most of my family work for the NHS and they are struggling.

"If we close down now then in January we will have a good shot at now having to lockdown ever again."