Schools found Government COVID-19 guidance difficult to implement and ineffective

Secondary school staff and pupils found the government’s COVID-19 infection control measures difficult to implement and ineffective at promoting a sense of safety, a Bristol study has found.

Researchers from the University of Bristol and NIHR ARC West interviewed secondary school staff and pupils between January and August 2021, as part of the COVID-19 Mapping and Mitigation in Schools (CoMMinS) study. They explored how the UK Department for Education guidance was applied in real-world school settings.

Participants raised concerns over the guidance and infection control measures, which were difficult to implement and did little to improve perceptions of safety.  A key concern was the lack of clarity and support from the government. This left schools navigating frequent policy changes with limited resources:

“The stuff from Government was very frustrating in the fact that it was often late and impractical. It changed constantly. A complete lack of understanding of the practicalities of running a school.”  (Headteacher)

School staff reported feeling overwhelmed by the additional health and safety responsibilities, leading to increased stress and workload:

“Ultimately what everybody must be aware of is this can go horribly wrong, and if somebody was to contract COVID here, and then heaven forbid it ends in a fatality, the level of responsibility on middle and senior management would be horrendous, and that’s the reality of what we’re working with and the risk we’re trying to weigh up.” (Senior Leader)

The research highlighted several major issues, including:

• Implementation challenges: School-based mitigation measures such as social distancing, face coverings and ventilation were difficult to implement and enforce. Schools struggled with compliance, with many pupils and staff either unwilling or unable to follow the rules consistently. Physical distancing measures were the most challenging and least accepted, with participants describing them as highly disruptive to school routines and impractical in a school setting.

• Ineffectiveness of measures: Participants reported implementation of the school-based COVID-19 mitigation strategies to be ineffective due to poor acceptability and adherence. Lateral flow testing, a key part of the government’s strategy, was often viewed as unreliable.

• Minimal impact on perceived safety: Despite strict guidelines, staff and pupils did not feel safe. Participants reported the measures did little to reduce risk of COVID-19 infections, instead negatively affecting the overall wellbeing of both staff and pupils.

Co-operation, open communication, minimising change, addressing inconsistencies and enforcing compliance helped implementation and safety to some extent.

The study did identify that hygiene measures such as handwashing were broadly accepted and successfully implemented, as they were easy to follow and had minimal impact on daily school activities.

Lessons for future pandemic policies

As England moves beyond the COVID-19 pandemic, this research serves as a reminder of the complexities involved in keeping schools safe. As policymakers assess how to handle future health crises in schools, the study suggests that more practical, realistic strategies must be considered.

The study also calls for greater collaboration between policymakers, public health experts, and educators when shaping school-based infection control measures.

Dr Sarah Bell from University of Bristol and NIHR ARC West and lead author of the study said:

“We hope these insights will help shape better policies that balance safety measures with the overall wellbeing of the school community.”

Professor Jeremy Horwood, University of Bristol and NIHR ARC West said:

“Our study provides importance evidence on the challenges of implementing guidance to reduce the risk of infection in schools. Future pandemic policies should consider both the effectiveness and the real-world feasibility of mitigation measures in schools.

“Providing clear, timely guidance and ensuring adequate resources for implementation would be essential to avoid the confusion experienced during COVID-19.”