Reclose schools and colleges due to increase in COVID-19 cases
This petition gathered 428,789 signatures between 22 September 2020 and 22 March 2021, according to the Parliament petitions site. The Government responded on 25 November 2020. MPs debated it in Westminster Hall on 7 December 2020.
The petition
The petition's creator is not named in the Petitions site's published record. Quoted in full from the UK Parliament petitions site.
Reclose schools and colleges due to increase in COVID-19 cases
Close down schools and colleges due to the increase in COVID-19 cases. We are seeing cases of students and teachers catching the virus since schools have reopened.
To protect teachers and pupils and their families.
The Government's response
The Government published its response on 25 November 2020; the petitions site lists the Department for Education as responsible. Its summary:
Government’s priority is that all pupils remain in school and college full-time. For the vast majority of young people, the benefits of being in the classroom far outweigh the low risk from COVID-19.
The opening 366 words of the 691-word response:
Attending school and college is vital for children and young people’s education and for their wellbeing. Time out of school or college is detrimental for children’s and young people’s cognitive and academic development, particularly for disadvantaged children and young people. This impact can affect both current levels of learning and children’s and young people’s future ability to learn.
Schools and colleges have been open to all students since the start of the autumn term. On average, over 99% of schools are open each day and 99% of Further Education colleges have been open each week. Approximately 89% of pupils on roll were in attendance in state-funded schools as of 5 November.
The risk to children and young people themselves of becoming severely ill from coronavirus (COVID-19) is very low and there are negative health impacts of being out of school or college. Senior clinicians, including the Chief Medical Officers of all four nations, still advise that school is the very best place for children and young people to be, and so they should continue to attend. We have taken a national decision to prioritise education during the current period of national restrictions in order to avoid any further reduction in face to face education for children and young people.
Schools and colleges have implemented a range of protective measures to minimise risk of transmission.
We published guidance to support schools (1*) and colleges (2*) to welcome back all children and young people from the start of the autumn term. Our guidance for schools and colleges sets out measures which provide a framework for school and college leaders to put in place proportionate protective measures for children, young people and staff, which also ensure that all students receive a high quality education and training that enables them to thrive and progress. This includes the public health advice schools and colleges must follow to minimise the risks of coronavirus (COVID-19) transmission.
The measures set out in the department’s guidance to minimise the risk of transmission in schools and colleges has been endorsed by Public Health England. The measures in place include regular handwashing, promoting good respiratory hygiene, keeping groups separate and maintaining distance and minimising contact between individuals.
Read the full response on the petitions site.
Where the signatures came from
Signatures came from 650 constituencies on the boundaries used until the 2024 general election. The largest number, 2,701, came from Bradford West.
428,108 of the signatures were from the UK and 681 from elsewhere, by the location signers gave.
| Constituency | Signatures |
|---|---|
| Bradford West | 2,701 |
| Ilford South | 2,638 |
| East Ham | 2,594 |
| Poplar and Limehouse | 2,547 |
| Birmingham, Hodge Hill | 2,483 |
| Bethnal Green and Bow | 2,203 |
| Bradford East | 2,186 |
| West Ham | 2,177 |
| Blackburn | 2,060 |
| Slough | 2,051 |
| Region | Signatures |
|---|---|
| London | 73,933 |
| South East | 57,390 |
| North West | 52,445 |
| West Midlands | 51,387 |
| East of England | 43,320 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 42,047 |
| East Midlands | 31,552 |
| South West | 31,006 |
| North East | 15,596 |
| Scotland | 8,387 |
| Wales | 4,645 |
| Northern Ireland | 4,013 |
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated the petition in Westminster Hall on 7 December 2020. Read the debate in Hansard.
Source and receipt
- https://petition.parliament.uk/archived/petitions/550846.jsonUK Parliament Petitions API · read 2026-10-15 · SHA-256
8cf856beb09a1ce5… - The petition on petition.parliament.uk
The petition's words are its creator's and the response is the Government's; this site quotes both and gives no view on either. Signature counts can still change while a petition is open. To report an error, send a correction request.