Coronavirus: Parents listen to pleas to keep children at home but heads warn schools are running low on supplies

Headteachers say they urgently need answers to questions about effective safety measures

Children walk home from Altrincham CE (Aided) Primary School after the government's policy to close all schools comes into effect (Getty)

Parents have largely listened to urgent pleas to keep their children home from school on the first day of emergency provision amid the coronavirus outbreak, but heads warn they are running low on supplies.

There were fears that a large number of students would arrive for class as normal on Monday after the government published an “extensive” list of key workers who could still access schools during closures.

Schools received an influx of applications from families when the guidance was first released on Friday – including from parents such as a McDonald’s worker – whose jobs were not specifically on the list.

Pets At Home also drafted a letter to its workers indicating they may be able to request care from schools.

Heads were concerned they would be unable to cope with the demand if all parents deemed essential workers in the fight against coronavirus sent their children to school, especially amid staff shortages.

But most schools had less than 20 per cent of pupils turn up on Monday following a weekend of appeals to parents to only send their children to school as a last resort, a survey from a heads’ union suggested.

Even so, school leaders are calling for more resources to protect their staff, the vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers, including medics, who still have to attend schools in the weeks to come.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said: “School leaders are crying out for sight of the expert medical evidence on safe levels of attendance and density, and want practical advice on protective steps they should be taking in schools.

“From masks or other PPE, to distancing children from each other, to sufficient supplies of soap and hand sanitiser, schools urgently need answers to their questions about effective safety measures.”

A snapshot survey from the NAHT union on Monday, found that 94 per cent of schools have been providing emergency cover and the same percentage have had less than a fifth of pupils attending.

Nearly three in five (58 per cent) of them have less than a quarter of their usual teaching staff – and 80 per cent have less than half their usual teaching staff.

And a snapshot survey from the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), of nearly 700 schools, suggests that fewer than 10 per cent of pupils were in school in the vast majority of cases.

In 86 per cent of schools, which were mostly secondary schools in England, the percentage of pupils in attendance was between 1 per cent and 5 per cent.

Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL, said: “Schools are reporting that the number of pupils arriving is manageable.”

One school in Liverpool reported that they only had five pupils out of 1,000 in class on Monday. “It is a reassuring picture that parents are appearing to heed the national advice,” Mr Barton said.

But he added that some parents had taken a “broad interpretation” of the key workers’ list. For example, one parent in Cheshire, who worked in McDonald’s, said they felt their child should have a place at school because food production was a profession listed. “It raised false expectations,” Mr Barton told The Independent.

A primary school in the Midlands had to have “difficult conversations” with parents who were dropping them off on Monday because their child wasn’t on the list and numbers were too high, Mr Barton said.

He added: “Our biggest concern is the health and wellbeing of staff and pupils who are attending schools.

Schools are actively managing this situation by ensuring social distancing, reinforcing messages about washing hands regularly, and ensuring that areas which are being used are regularly cleaned.”

Mr Barton said the union has received reports that some schools are finding it difficult to obtain hand sanitisers.

He added: “Schools are not provided with protective equipment although this is something we will explore further with government.”

On Monday, Mary Bousted, joint general secretary of the National Education Union (NEU), said: “We are concerned that government advice for schools is not currently strong enough. We have got to get on the front foot if we are to slow transmission and flatten the curve. This means testing of all education staff, and that no one at heightened risk attends schools and colleges from today."

She added that teachers are putting themselves at risk.

“Virus testing must be available to schools that remain open. With so many parents on the key worker list, this means an extensive effort is required to make sure every school can access the tests. This is no time for half-measures,” Dr Bousted said.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson said: “We have asked parents to be responsible and keep their children at home to help schools focus on supporting those who need a place most – vulnerable children and workers critical to our response to coronavirus.

“Early indications are that the number of children attending school today [Monday] is low, and we thank parents for making the right choice and playing their part in our fight against coronavirus. People must do everything they can to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.”

He added: “We are closely monitoring the situation on the ground and will continue to work with local authorities to ensure schools get the help and support they need over the challenging weeks and months ahead.”