Children and Young People's Education

Part of 1. Questions to the Minister for Education – in the Senedd at 2:07 pm on 30 September 2020.

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Photo of Kirsty Williams Kirsty Williams Liberal Democrat 2:07, 30 September 2020

Thank you, Jenny, for that. Overall, nationally, attendance rates run at approximately 80 per cent—just over 80 per cent—although there are some significant variations in that. Not surprisingly, those areas with a lower virus transmission are seeing higher levels of attendance. So, we see particularly high levels of attendance in Monmouthshire, in Pembrokeshire and in those areas, as I said, where we see lower levels of transmission. But even in areas of higher transmission, the vast, vast majority of children are continuing to attend school.

Undoubtedly, where there is a case, that can have an impact. Yesterday afternoon I had the privilege and pleasure of talking to the headteacher at Ninian Park Primary School here in Cardiff. They started off the term really, really positively with high attendance. Unfortunately, they had an individual case, which did see their attendance immediately after that case drop. But as of yesterday they were back to attendance in the region of 86 per cent, and that's because the teachers, the headteacher and the governing body had worked really hard to provide the assurance to parents that they needed that even with a case it was safe for their children to be back in school.

We will continue to work with local authorities to ensure that the Welsh Government is supporting them and the teaching profession in providing reassurance. In some cases, we know that parents are being incredibly cautious and trying their very best. It's cold season, so I know that our chief medical officers are working together across the United Kingdom to be able to provide more advice to parents to help them make decisions about when it is right for a child to be sent into school and when a child, perhaps, should be kept at home and get a test, if necessary. I know that teachers are working very hard to have those conversations with parents and to provide the necessary reassurance.