Majority of schools don’t have enough soap or sanitiser

Nearly three in five schools short of lidded bins ahead of wider reopenings next week, according to a Tes snap poll
29th May 2020, 3:32pm

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Majority of schools don’t have enough soap or sanitiser

https://www.tes.com/magazine/archive/majority-schools-dont-have-enough-soap-or-sanitiser
Hand Sanitiser

More than half of schools do not have sufficient stocks of soap or hand sanitiser ahead of more pupils returning next week, a Tes snap poll has revealed.

Staff are also concerned that schools are short of lidded bins; tape for cordoning off areas; and paper towels, the responses suggest.

Nearly 1,000 people responded to a Tes Twitter poll asking which resource their school was most in need of ahead of wider reopenings next week.


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All of the available options were taken from a list of items the Department for Education (DfE) has recommended schools acquire before more pupils return.

Staff were also invited to share any other concerns by submitting comments to the poll thread.

Of the 962 respondents, 548 (57 per cent) said they were short of soap or hand sanitiser, while 279 (29 per cent) said they needed lidded bins.

A further 87 (9 per cent) said their school was most in need of tape for cordoning off areas, and 48 (5 per cent) said they required more paper towels.

Staff also used the comments section to say they were short of masks, aprons, gloves, and lids on toilets.

Education secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic our decisions have been based on the best scientific and medical advice, with the welfare of children and staff at the heart of all considerations.

“The prime minister has announced that the government’s five tests have been met, and based on all the evidence we will now move forward with our plan for a phased and cautious return of a limited number of pupils to primary schools and early years settings from Monday, and students in Years 10 and 12 two weeks later.

“This marks the first step in getting all children and young people back into classrooms so they can be with their friends and teachers again, and I’m enormously grateful for all the planning and preparation the sector has done in the lead up to welcoming these first pupils back.”

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