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Coronavirus Information 15th June 2020

This is your daily email to keep you updated on the government’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19).

Primary schools to have flexibility to bring back more pupils

We have updated section 4 of our planning guide for primary schools to provide information on how primary schools can welcome back additional pupils this term, if they have capacity. The guide has also been updated to include information on inviting pupils in for face-to-face meetings before the summer holidays.

You can read the full update to section 4 of the planning guide for primary schools here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools

Update to secondary school and further education provision from 15 June

We have updated our guidance on secondary school provision to reflect the fact that, in addition to secondary schools welcoming year 10 and year 12 pupils for some face-to-face support, where possible, schools may invite pupils in other year groups in for a meeting before the end of this term, where it would be beneficial.

Colleges and other further education settings can also invite students who are under 19 years old for a face-to-face meeting before the end of the summer term, where it would be beneficial.

Where schools and colleges are able to offer these meetings, they should ensure they can happen in line with the secondary school provision guidance or the guidance for further education and skills providers (as appropriate), and the wider protective measures guidance.

The full guidance on secondary school provision from 15 June can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools

The full guidance for further education and skills providers can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-further-education-provision 

The guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings

Safer travel guidance for passengers

From today it is the law that you must wear a face covering when travelling in England on public transport including a bus, coach, tram or train. Where travel with children is necessary, such as to an education setting, consider whether children could walk or cycle, accompanied by a responsible adult or carer, where appropriate. The law requiring passengers to wear face coverings does not apply to children under the age of 11. Face coverings should not be used by children under the age of 3, for safety.

Children, even if they are over 11, are not required to wear face coverings on school transport. School transport is that provided by local authorities, academy trusts or schools for the specific purpose of transporting children to and from their home and school.

The Department for Transport’s guidance can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-safer-travel-guidance-for-passengers

Guidance on planning a curriculum to teach at school and at home

Following our update last week to the case studies on remote education during the coronavirus outbreak, we have now updated our guidance to include information about planning a curriculum to teach at school and at home.

We have also published guidance around how schools are considering which subjects and topics to prioritise for face-to-face, classroom-based teaching and which are best suited to remote study.

The guidance on planning a curriculum for remote education during the coronavirus outbreak can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/planning-a-curriculum-to-teach-at-school-and-at-home

The examples of experiences and practices of teachers and school leaders can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/supporting-staff-in-curriculum-planning-for-a-phased-return

Guidance on deciding what to teach in the classroom and what to teach at home can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/making-the-most-of-reduced-classroom-time

Updated guidance on awarding qualifications in summer 2020

In an open letter to Heads of Centre that Ofqual published on 12 June, they discuss grading for GCSEs, AS and A levels this summer, as well as what to expect for results in August and appeals. The letter also discusses their continuing work on an autumn exam series and assessments in 2021.

The letter can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/awarding-qualifications-in-summer-2020

The information below has not changed since yesterday.

Preparing for the wider opening of schools and early years settings

Guidance on the actions for education and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June, at the earliest, can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-educational-and-childcare-settings-to-prepare-for-wider-opening-from-1-june-2020

Guidance on implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings

Guidance for early years providers to help them prepare to open their settings for children of all ages from 1 June can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-early-years-and-childcare-settings-from-1-june

Guidance for primary schools to help them prepare to open to Reception, year 1 and year 6 from 1 June can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools

Guidance for secondary schools to help them prepare to offer face-to-face support to year 10 and year 12 pupils from 15 June can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-secondary-schools

Guidance for parents and carers as schools and other education settings in England open to more children and young people can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/closure-of-educational-settings-information-for-parents-and-carers

Department for Education coronavirus helpline

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:

Phone: 0800 046 8687

Opening hours:

8am to 6pm – Monday to Friday
10am to 4pm – Saturday and Sunday

If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UK PRN) available when calling the helpline.

Updated handwashing advice

It is essential that everyone washes their hands more often, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside) but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.

The latest guidance and video on hand washing can be found at:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public

The e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand washing and respiratory hygiene. E-Bug has published posters on hand hygiene, and covering coughs and sneezes, to display in bathrooms, classrooms and shared spaces.

The hand and respiratory hygiene posters and other educational resources can be found here:

https://e-bug.eu

Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.​UK

All of the Department for Education’s coronavirus guidance for educational settings can be found in one place on GOV.​UK at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/coronavirus-covid-19-guidance-for-schools-and-other-educational-settings