Health and wellbeing of our children and young people is a national priority and there is a fine balance to be struck between protecting communities from COVID-19 infection while providing ongoing safe education. The risk to children themselves of becoming severely ill from COVID-19 is very low. Senior clinicians advise that school is the best place for children to be and that they should continue to go to school (unless they are classed as extremely clinically vulnerable or need to self-isolate/are unwell).

Public Health England conducted a study of more than 1 million children attending pre-school and primary school in England, just 70 children were infected with COVID-19. It was concluded therefore that children were more likely to acquire COVID-19 infection outside school settings than in schools. This is what we also see in local incidents investigation.

Schools have implemented a range of protective measures to make them safe and all schools have undertaken a COVID-19 secure risk assessment, this may be available on their website or by directly contacting them.