ONLY a small proportion of vulnerable children in York are attending local schools during the coronavirus lockdown, figures have indicated.

Data from the Department of Education for York Schools shows that on April 21, 16 per cent of primary age children with social workers and eight per cent of secondary age children with social workers attended school.

Meanwhile, eight per cent of primary age children with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) and five per cent of secondary age children with an EHCP attended school that day.

Data also shows that just 508 pupils attended school on April 21, which is 2.1 per cent of the total number of children who would usually attend.

This is the highest number of pupils that have attended since the third day of school closures on March 25 and many more than the number of pupils that attended during what would have been the school Easter holiday, said Maxine Squire, assistant director for education and skills at City of York Council.

She explained: “Over 80 per cent of these pupils are of primary school age and the majority were children whose parents and carers are key workers, unable to take care of them safely at home.

“In primary schools, 22 per cent of pupils attending on April 21 were vulnerable; this means they have a social worker and/or an Education Health and Care Plan. In secondary schools, 47 per cent of those attending on April 21 were vulnerable."

Ms Squire added: "Figures representing the amount of pupils currently attending schools in York do vary daily, due to shift patterns, home circumstances and work demands on parents and carers who are key workers."

The council said children’s social care services are working with schools to ensure that those children who need to be in school are in school, in line with government guidance.

It said both social care services and schools are in regular contact with children and families and social care staff continue to safely visit children who are not in school where necessary.

Ms Squire commented: “We are grateful to all those parents and carers across the city who are looking after their children at home so that our education services can provide care for those who need it most. It is important that we continue to keep school attendance figures low to help slow the spread of coronavirus and protect the city and its services which are needed to support the most vulnerable.”

Cllr Ian Cuthbertson, executive member for children, young people and education at City of York Council, said: “We would like to thank the many education staff who are working across the city in these difficult times. They are caring for children who are vulnerable or who cannot stay safely at home because of their parents’ or carers’ commitments as key workers. And we are very grateful to the staff of our city’s schools for everything they are doing to support home learning.

“I want also to thank the thousands of York parents who are keeping their children at home to slow the spread of coronavirus. This protects services which are needed to help the most vulnerable and save lives. We recognise this is a huge change to people’s daily routines and we are grateful for the enormous efforts many are making to support the work to protect our city and its children.”