More than 260 pupils and staff members were diagnosed with coronavirus across 126 schools during the past half-term.
Classrooms have only been open for the children of key workers or for vulnerable children, but there were still 110 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in students and 135 cases in colleagues.
And six out of the total of 295 in schools in Bristol were forced to close between January 4 and February 10.
They were:
- North Star 240 (previously known as Bristol Gateway) School in the Avonmouth and Lawrence Weston ward
- Merchants’ Academy Primary School in the Hartcliffe & Withywood ward
- Ss Peter and Paul RC Primary School in the Clifton Down ward
- Learning Partnership West Independent School in the Southville ward
- Snowdon Village (Bristol Futures Academy) in the Easton ward
- Barton Hill Academy Primary School in the Lawrence Hill ward
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Ahead of the February half-term, councillor Anna Keen, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, and Bristol City Council Director for Education and Skills, Alison Hurley, shared a joint statement.
It read: “The start of 2021 has been a challenging and frustrating time for many parents across Bristol who have yet again had to juggle day jobs and home schooling, and so we’d like to thank you all for your continued cooperation.
“We know that balancing work, parenting, and teaching is tricky, so if you need support please do reach out for help.
“The commitment of our schools and staff in protecting and educating Bristol’s children and young people has continued to be superb this half term. School staff have continued to balance remote and face-to-face learning, alongside reacting quickly to the rollout and additional changes to weekly rapid testing.
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“Schools have also been working with us to ensure we can continue to provide free school meals during this challenging time. Over February half term, the council will use some of the funding it has received from the government’s COVID Winter Grant Scheme, in the form of vouchers, to offer help to all children and young people who are eligible for free school meals in Bristol."
If you have any questions or need support with home schooling resources, contact your school directly.
If you need help receiving food, medicines, or other necessities, contact the free We Are Bristol helpline on 0800 694 0184 (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-2pm).
