A BRADFORD area trade union council reacted with horror that whole communities are being put at risk of Covid-19 transmission when schools are unsafe.

The Bradford and Shipley Trades Union Council meeting was horrified by details revealed to them about hazards by practicing teachers who are working every day in school supporting young people.

Local teachers spoke at January’s Trades Council meeting, highlighting grave concerns over the current conditions in Bradford schools.

Speakers explained that, although the government still insists transmission in schools is low, children can be asymptomatic and pass on the virus.

Testing has revealed that many more children are infectious than the government assumed.

When Covid is transmitted in schools, the trade union council was concerned it is not just in schools but into the wider community too.

A primary school teacher told the meeting: "Despite the common myth that schools are closed, many primary schools across the Bradford district have around 30 per cent of their pupils in school each day, with some schools with much higher numbers of pupils. Pupil attendance in schools is five times higher than the lockdown in March. Staff and children are still being put at risk with large groups of children in schools where social distancing is not possible."

Guidance for schools has been ill-timed and unclear throughout the whole pandemic - most recently with pledges for lateral flow testing in secondary schools to replace close contact tracing and isolation being abandoned after schools have already made the arrangements for the testing.

Another secondary school teacher added: "Calls from teaching unions for better ventilation in schools, facilities for outdoor lessons and other arrangements to improve social distancing and safety in schools have been ignored. Recent figures from ONS show that primary and secondary teachers are almost twice than the general population to contract Covid, and school support staff are three times more likely."

Almost 100 teachers in Bradford were absent because of coronavirus on just one day before Christmas, new figures reveal.

Department for Education figures show 34 teachers and school leaders in Bradford state schools were absent with either a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 on December 17. There were also 63 forced to isolate.

This means 97 were off for Covid-19 related reasons on just one day – 2.8 per cent of all teachers in schools that remained open.

This was down from 4.6 per cent on the same day the week before, and 6.3 per cent on October 15, the first date the survey was conducted.

The Trades Council stressed further action is needed to ensure schools are safe both now and when the majority of pupils return.

Paul Meszaros, Trades Council president, said: “No-one should have to risk their lives going to work. Teachers and school staff should be properly protected for the essential and dangerous work they are doing."

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: "We fully agree that safety of staff and pupils is a top priority, and we are working hard with schools, trade unions and public health to make sure that everyone is as safe as possible during this very challenging time.

"The decision on schools in January was taken by central government and affects the whole of England, the decision is not taken by Bradford Council.

"Figures from the Department for Education show that nationally the average attendance is around 20 per cent. Attendance levels in our district are on average at 13 per cent, which is somewhat lower than the national average.

“We’re grateful to everyone who is working hard during this pandemic to make sure that the district’s children are receiving some form of education, either through online learning or, if the child of a key worker or vulnerable, in school."