A PRIMARY school headteacher has called for teachers to be a higher priority to receive a Covid vaccine so they can feel “confident” about being in school.

And the police crime commission for the region says officers on the frontline should also be prioritised in the roll out.

Bryony Baynes, headteacher of Kempsey Primary School, said although the school was closed for lockdown they were still open to more than 100 children of keyworkers, with staff being testing on a weekly basis.

Mrs Baynes said: “I know Gavin Williamson (Education Secretary) has made some mention of the vaccine for secondary school teachers, but I would argue primary school teachers should be vaccinated before (them) because our contact with children is much closer.

“The Department for Education needs to prioritise primary school staff, and secondary school staff, so that we would be much more confident about being in school, and you could theoretically then open schools, which is what everybody wants.

“It has been the most stressful time (for teachers) in school.

"All education staff, when they are in school, are putting themselves at risk.”

A national petition calling for the vaccination of school staff to be prioritised received more than 100,000 signatures and is set to be debated in parliament next week. Gareth Doodes, headmaster of The King’s School, who supported that petition also wrote to Worcester MP Robin Walker that schools being open to all pupils will “only work” if regular testing is combined with a “vast vaccination of teachers and support staff in schools”.

“It is the silver bullet to keep our schools open,” he wrote.

“I am asking you to urge the Secretary of State for Health and the Secretary of State for Education to work together to get the vaccine delivered to teachers and school workers across the country as a priority.”

Meanwhile PCC John Campion said he believed the public would be “largely supportive” of frontline police officers being protected from the virus as a priority.

“I have made it clear that police officers and staff should be prioritised to receive the Covid-19 vaccination,” the PCC said.

“Police officers have been on the front line during the pandemic, risking their own and their families’ health to make sure that the public is protected and that police services are maintained.

“They have also had to react to enforcing the Covid-19 restrictions, at times being subjected to a minority of people weaponising the virus by coughing and spitting at officers.

“It is right that our frontline health workers are first in line for vaccination, but serious consideration for the health of frontline officers and their families also needs to also be prioritised.”