The HSE says it is looking to work with education employers during the checks by providing advice and guidance on how to manage the risks posed by the virus. Most of the HSE’s inspections to date show that employers are making workplace adjustments in line with the recommended COVID-secure guidance.

From September to December 2020, the HSE contacted 5,000 primary and secondary schools in England and Wales about government guidelines. Around 80% of schools were found to have a good understanding of the guidance and what it means to be COVID-secure.

For schools where it was less certain, the HSE undertook some 1,000 site inspections. Encouragingly, nearly all schools were found to have implemented COVID-secure measures in line with government guidelines. No further action was taken in more than half of the schools visited, and in most of the remaining inspections, only minor issues requiring verbal advice were found. 

Less than 1% of inspections identified contraventions of health and safety requiring formal intervention and improvement. However, inspectors did identify some common areas of concern, including social distancing in staff rooms, cleaning regimes and ventilation in school buildings.