This is your daily email to keep you updated on the government’s response to coronavirus (COVID-19). Implementing social distancing in education and childcare settingsWe have updated our guidance on social distancing in education and childcare settings, focusing on measures that can be put in place to help limit the risk of coronavirus (COVID-19) spreading within these settings.
Funding available to schools to support them with exceptional costs associated with coronavirus (COVID-19)The government is making extra funding available for schools to cover the unique challenges and financial costs of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. While we do not know at this stage how long the current situation will continue, this guidance covers support for schools up to the end of the 2019-20 summer term.
Update to free school meals provision over Easter holidaysThe Government has confirmed it will extend financial support to children eligible for benefits-related free school meals who are not attending school during the Easter holidays.
Online educational resources to support children to continue learning at homeWe have published a list of online resources that parents, and schools can consider to support children to continue learning at home. The list will be updated over time, and includes a wide range of resources for all ages that schools can consider using as part of their planned curriculum. Schools have already been drawing on existing resources and tools they are familiar with to support children to continue learning at home and should continue to do so.
Updated guidance on apprenticeship programmeWe have updated our guidance on the apprenticeship programme response to coronavirus (COVID-19) including information on the continuation of training and end point assessments for furloughed apprentices, and the pausing of new funding audits.
The information below has not changed since yesterday. Updated handwashing adviceIt 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 e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.
Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.UKAll 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: Department for Education coronavirus helplineThe 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:
If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UKPRN) available when calling the hotline. |
||||||||||