You can find all the latest information and guidance on managing schools and supporting the young people in your care during the Coronavirus pandemic on GOV.UK. We have recently updated guidance on:
- School closures
- Early years and childcare closures
- Online education resources
- Admission appeals for school places
- Supporting vulnerable children and young people
You can also find a regularly updated Q&A covering the actions your school needs to take during the outbreak.
Make sure you are receiving the right information from us
We are currently sending emails to schools most days to provide the latest coronavirus guidance. If your school isn’t receiving the daily email, please check which email address, if any, you have registered on our national database – Get Information About Schools (GIAS). Find out how to update your information.
We will also send out this Teacher Bulletin a few times per half term. It brings together some of the recent advice and information we’ve published. Your colleagues can subscribe to this Bulletin by following the link at the bottom of this email.
Reduced data requirements for summer term
We know how many challenges you’re facing at the moment and we want to do everything we can to lighten your load. So we have cancelled or paused all but the most essential data collections, services and requests from educational and care settings until the end of June 2020.
We’ll keep these under review and, if necessary, we’ll extend the pause period beyond June.
You can find further information and a full list of data collection changes on GOV.UK.
Support for remote education
This week has seen the launch of several online resources with DfE backing. We have published a set of high-quality resources on GOV.UK, and many suppliers are making their own resources, both online and hard-copy, available to schools for free, including:
- Oak National Academy – this is a brand-new enterprise created by 40 teachers from some of the leading schools across England and backed by government grant funding. It will provide 180 video lessons each week, created by teachers for teachers, across a broad range of subjects from maths to art to languages, for every year group from Reception through to Year 10.
- The BBC is delivering an education package across TV and online, featuring celebrities and teachers – helping to keep children learning and supporting parents.
Further details on all types of remote learning can be found on GOV.UK
Resources for disadvantaged children and young people
On 19 April we announced support for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people who do not have access to a digital device or don’t have an internet connection.
Digital devices will be made available for all young people who have a social worker, and to care leavers. Digital devices will also be provided to Year 10 pupils who are preparing for exams next year, who do not already have a laptop or tablet.
4G dongles will also be made available for children who do not have an internet connection already and are: children with a social worker who are in secondary school or 16 to 19 education, care leavers or Year 10s. This will ensure they can learn from home while schools and colleges are closed and receive support from a social worker, and will ensure care leavers can stay in touch with the services they need.
Responsible bodies such as local authorities are responsible for placing orders and they will work with schools and colleges to identify eligible children and young people.
Disadvantaged 16-19 year olds, including those in school sixth forms and colleges, are eligible for support through a separate scheme – the 16-19 bursary fund. This support can be used to provide devices and / or connectivity to those who are eligible for the Bursary and would not be able to access these through other means.
You can find more information on GOV.UK
More helpful information
The Copyright Licensing Agency have increased the amount that registered users can download from the Education Platform from 5% to 30% of a book. Full details of the temporary terms are available on the CLA website.
ResearchEd are running a series of daily speaker sessions from 20 April – 22 May. Take a look at the full programme and discover some great opportunities to hear from some well-known and knowledgeable speakers on a wide range of subjects. Watch live at 11 am or catch them later on their Youtube page.