Jewish schools were braced for further disruption at the start of the term as the omicron variant of Covid-19 continued to propel infections across the country.

One Jewish secondary school has already reported five per cent of its students testing positive before lessons were due to resume this week.

The government, determined to avoid a repeat of last year’s lockdown, instructed secondary school pupils to wear masks in class — a precaution already adopted by some Jewish schools — and suggested that classes merge if there were teacher shortages rather than pupils be sent home.

At Manchester’s King David High School, around 40 pupils tested positive — five per cent of the school roll.

Hannele Reece, headteacher of Kantor King Solomon High School in Redbridge, anticipated “a very disruptive start to the term”.

A lot of parents had reported positive tests at home. “We also have a lot of staff who have either tested positive or are caught up in the travel restrictions.,” she said.

She believed the school “would still just about be able to open normally” this week, with years 11 and 13 sitting mock exams.

“However if we have any more positive cases among teaching staff especially then we will have to fall back on our contingency plans.”

JCoSS in East Barnet staggered the start of term in order to enable on-site Covid testing of students.

Some year groups were being taught online but all were due back in school by Thursday.

“High case numbers last term meant that students were in masks in classrooms from early October so they are all too familiar to us,” said JCoSS headteacher Patrick Moriarty.

“Students are resilient and compliance is high, but we all hope we can be out of masks soon — they make teaching and learning hard, and are very disruptive to the normal social interactions between students and teachers, which are the lifeblood of any school community.”

Bury and Whitefield Primary had two children and two staff members off at the start of term.
Margot Buller, headteacher of Clore Tikva Primary in Redbridge, said so far it had “not had many cases among staff, and although there are more among children they are dotted about throughout the school.”

But she was sure it would be “a challenging term, though”.

At Sinai Primary, in Kenton, staff will be wearing masks when moving around but not in the classroom and assemblies will be on Zoom.

“The children will be encouraged to upkeep their regular handwashing and we will be reintroducing year group only lunch times,” a spokesperson said.

“Outdoor play, breakfast, lunch time and after-school clubs will continue as normal.”

Rabbi David Meyer, executive director of the Jewish Leadership Council’s schools network, PaJeS, said parents should be aware that “in all likelihood omicron is going to spread across our schools.

“The use of masks at secondary level is unlikely to stem the sprea, especially given the impact of reduced isolation requirements and larger classes due to staff shortages. This will be especially true at primary level.”

However, he believed that schools were in a far stronger position than a year ago owing to vaccines and the less dangerous nature of omicron.

“Indeed, I suspect we are heading to a situation where schools will face a bout of illness — not dissimilar to the flu or chickenpox outbreaks that came and went, and we all kept going regardless,” he said.

“Perhaps the most important message for parents is that we do have a few turbulent weeks ahead. All schools are going to do their best to stay open, but it isn’t going to be easy.

Schools are really suffering from staff absences and it is likely to get worse before it gets better. “

There was “a serious shortage” of cover teachers and he encouraged any retired teachers able to help to get in touch with their local school.