Hampshire schools given top marks for post-lockdown attendance

HAMPSHIRE school attendance is above the national average with more than 90% of secondary and primary pupils returning nearly six months after class was cancelled by the coronavirus lockdown, according to the county council.

For secondary schools the return figure was 92% and for primary it was 91%. That compares to national figures of 88% and 86% respectively.

Councillor Roz Chadd, HCC cabinet member for education and skills, said: “As a parent myself, I can fully understand that there may have been anxiety about the return to school following lockdown and the school summer holidays.

“It is fantastic to hear that any apprehension seems to have rapidly dispersed leading to such a high number going back to school at the beginning of the autumn term.”

She added: “More importantly, children have been telling me how happy they are to be back in the classroom with their classmates and teachers, not to mention how good it is for them to be with their friends again.”

Schools in the county have introduced a range of safety measures to protect pupils from the virus including one-way systems, staggering start and end terms, providing hand sanitisers and keeping children in learning bubbles.