Schools, colleges and nurseries have been open all this term with education for the great majority of children unaffected by covid and self isolation. However there was a sharp rise in the number of cases in educational settings over the last week. Consequently a larger number of schools have now sent bubbles home to self isolate, with their learning continuing at home.

The Department of Education and public health stance is currently to keep schools open, if at all possible, as it is in the best interest of the children and their education. Where this is not possible then the school can revert to distance learning.

All Hackney schools have been open over the last four months; currently only four settings and schools are closed. The closures are as follows: Comet nursery school, Gayhurst school, Berger and Thomas Fairchild (for one day only) school. The rest of schools remain open although they may have some year groups learning at home. There are staffing shortages (as some staff have had to self isolate) in a number of schools: headteachers take this into account in deciding if they can run the school fully.

Hackney public health and education are monitoring the situation daily and jointly provide advice for individual schools.

We appreciate all that those working in schools and settings are doing to continue the care and education of their pupils.