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Coronavirus Information 9th April 2020

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

Schools to remain closed until further notice

All early years settings, schools and further education providers will remain closed until further notice, except for children of critical workers and children who are vulnerable. We will only re-open settings when the scientific advice indicates it is safe to do so.

Guidance on school and college accountability

Last week, we confirmed that we will not publish any school or college level educational performance data based on tests, assessments or exams for 2020. We have now published guidance that explains how school and college accountability will operate for the academic year 2019 to 2020.

The guidance can be found here:

Updated guidance on isolation in residential educational settings

We have updated our guidance to support the management of children and young people in residential educational settings. We have included the government’s stay at home advice and guidance on managing isolation in these settings.

The guidance can be found here:

Update on national voucher scheme for schools providing free school meals

A number of schools have been in touch regarding non-receipt of an eCode. Edenred have instigated a re-send of 100% of all eCodes with a ‘Fulfilled’ status. This exercise will be completed by the end of today.

Full details of this scheme can be found here:

Use of video or teleconferencing to aid school governance

We advise against governing bodies meeting in person while educational settings are closed, and to instead adopt alternative arrangements, for example by using video or teleconferencing. If you are using video conferencing to meet as a governing body, then please consider the security of the platforms that you are using. You should read the privacy terms and conditions and ensure that where possible, you enable any security features. If you have any concerns, you might want to consult your IT provider or staff for support.

Advice available for staff from overseas

If staff from overseas have immigration concerns, please follow the government guidance about visas and immigration.

This guidance can be found here:

If staff have questions about travelling during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, please refer to the government guidance on travel for educational settings.

This guidance can be found here:

Department for Education coronavirus helpline – Easter weekend opening hours

The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care.

Phone: 0800 046 8687

The helpline will remain open over the Easter weekend for staff, parents and young people as follows:

10am to 4pm – Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday
Closed – Easter Sunday

Our standard opening hours will resume on Tuesday 14 April:

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

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


The information below has not changed since yesterday.


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:

The e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.

Resources are currently available for KS1, KS2 and KS3 and can be used in various settings including schools and at home:

Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.​UK

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

Our main guidance for schools, the ‘school closures guidance’, will be regularly kept up-to-date. Any new advice for schools on specific issues, such as food, exams or safeguarding, will be linked from it: