Schools Coronavirus (COVID-19) Operational Guidance

This updated government guidance explains the actions school leaders should take to minimise the risk of transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19) in their school. This includes public health advice, endorsed by Public Health England (PHE). From 8 March 2021, all pupils were expected to return. To facilitate this, schools/colleges MUST: Review and update their risk assessments; […]

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      string(5646) "Boris Johnson has confirmed the government expects secondaries to start to provide face-to-face support for year 10 and 12 pupils, from June 1 to June 15.On 10 May the Prime Minister announced a roadmap towards recovery, outlining the phased return of some pupils to education settings from the week commencing 1 June, including that secondary pupils facing exams next year will get some face-to-face support from their teachers this term, subject to the government’s 5 tests being met.This guide is designed for mainstream and alternative provision secondary schools (including those with a school sixth form). Thee government is asking all schools to adopt a range of approaches and actions which can be seen as a hierarchy of controls that, when implemented, create an inherently safer environment, where the risk of transmission of infection is substantially reduced. This includes:minimising contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that pupils or staff who have coronavirus symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend schoolcleaning hands more often than usual – pupils and staff should be encouraged to regularly wash their hands thoroughly for 20 seconds with running water and soap and dry them thoroughly, or use alcohol hand rub or sanitiser ensuring that all parts of the hands are coveredensuring good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approachcleaning frequently touched surfaces often, using standard products such as detergents and bleachminimising contact and mixing, as far as possible, by keeping pupils in small groups for face-to-face support and keeping those groups as consistent as possible whilst in school (e.g. for arrival, lunchtime, breaks and departure) and altering the school environment (e.g. changing classroom layouts so desks are further apart or dividing groups into different classrooms).As well as the measures above, secondary schools should ensure that only a quarter of pupils in year 10 and year 12 are in school at any one time, including vulnerable children and children of critical workers in those year groups who are still encouraged to attend full-time. This is in addition to vulnerable pupils and children of critical workers who might be in full-time attendance from other year groups.Main Points:25% of pupils at a time. The guidance states that schools are able to have a quarter of the year 10 and year 12 cohort (for schools with sixth forms) in school at any one time. This includes vulnerable children and children of critical workers in those year groups who are still encouraged to attend full-time. However, the 25 per cent is in addition to vulnerable pupils and key worker children in other year groups ages who are already allowed to attend. The DfE has also set out a clear expectation that remote education will continue to be the predominant form of education delivery for these year groups and that this should be of high quality.Schools flexibility. The DfE has told secondary schools they have the flexibility to implement face-to-face support for year 10 and year 12 pupils in the way that best suits their circumstances. The guidance acknowledges there may be issues around staff availability and workload, and says it is up to schools to decide how they want to use face-to-face support in the best interests of their pupils. There may be some pupils who would particularly benefit from more face-to-face support, such as disadvantaged pupils or pupils who have not been engaging in remote education, says the guidance goes on to say. These pupils may attend more frequently than others as long as schools ensure that only a quarter of the year 10 and 12 cohort are in school at any one time. This should be alongside full-time attendance of vulnerable children and children of critical workers in all year groups. Schools also have flexibility to determine how best to provide full-time provision for vulnerable children and children of critical workers in year 10 and year 12, alongside the support for others in those year groups. Vulnerable children and children of critical workers in other year groups should be accommodated as currently or if currently in a hub then schools should explore how to bring them back to their normal school, subject to risk assessments.Avoid split days Unlike primary schools, secondary schools have not been told by the government to avoid the use of rota systems to keep pupil numbers low. However, the guidance states that secondary schools should avoid split day rotas within the same day and ensure that only a quarter of children are ever in the school on any one day. Morning and afternoon rotas should not be applied. If rotas are used, vulnerable children and children of critical workers in all year groups should still be encouraged to attend full-time and appropriate risk assessments should consider how this could be managed.Minimise the use of public transport Schools should ensure that the use of public transport for school travel is minimised as far as possible. 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Leadership

Guidance For Secondary School Provision From 15 June 2020

2 Jun 2020

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      string(335) "... means users can produce short videos or audio materials.If you want to create materials for a flipped classroom this link has some really useful guidance. https://education.microsoft.com/en-us/course/8ebc6daf/overviewWhat about content and delivery modes?UNESCO has published this excellent resource in response to the ..."
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      string(2786) "over again with the class.The faux-flipped classroom: The flipped classroom for more mature and independent learners. In some cases, teachers provide some TV/video materials (The teacher can choose programmes being shown on television that day) and then spend some time with other learners.The demonstration-focused flipped classroom: This is especially important when the learner needs to see how to learn a skill such as in a science class. The learner can watch the video as many times as they require. Screen recording software is useful for this.The discussion-oriented flipped classroom: Teachers assign recorded lectures or reading materials. This could be TED Talks, YouTube videos, and other web or paper-based resources. Lesson time focuses on discussion and further exploration of the subject. This works for history or the arts.A virtual flipped classroom: This has already happened in some colleges and universities where all lectures are videoed and placed on online learning management systems. This requires learners to attend tutorials rather than sit in a traditional lecture or class setting.Flipping the teacher: While we are worried about creating extensive content at short notice the last model allows us to flip the narrative. This is where the learners make materials they can share with other learners and teach the class. We know that in 2019, 79% of UK adults (18+) owned a smartphone. When designing delivery routes perhaps think about smart phones. The video camera function means users can produce short videos or audio materials.If you want to create materials for a flipped classroom this link has some really useful guidance. https://education.microsoft.com/en-us/course/8ebc6daf/overviewWhat about content and delivery modes?UNESCO has published this excellent resource in response to the global impact coronavirus is having on learning. They have a list of learning platforms that allow not only smartphone usage but also for those with low bandwidth needs. Their list also includes of sites for self-directed learning content including free training such as Khan Academy.https://en.unesco.org/themes/education-emergencies/coronavirus-school-closures/solutionsThe one certainty is that need to be prepared for change and a new ‘normal’ for the time being but this may end up being a disruptive time, changing the face of learning for future students.Professor Amanda Kirby is a professor in developmental disorders in education. She has a specific interest in digital delivery and is the CEO of Do-IT Solutions. This provides screening and assessment tools for children and adults especially focusing on ascertaining the strengths of those who are neurodivergent and helping support challenges. See www.doitprofiler.com"
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Blended Learning

Coronavirus: Flipping The Classroom For Home Learning Can Be An Opportunity For Inclusion... Or Greater Exclusion

17 Mar 2020

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      string(276) "... on how the impact of face masks or coverings in education can be mitigated.As far as we can tell, there has been no explicit guidance from any of the UK Governments around the use of face masks or coverings in higher education. As above, the use of face masks ..."
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      string(4704) "emotional distress and lead to social withdrawal. In addition, a failure to, for example, to allow someone entry to a store is likely to be seen as unlawful discrimination. We call on the UK Governments, transport companies and others to continue to raise awareness of the exemptions that may apply to ensure deaf young people are not disadvantaged.In the past few months, a number of clear face masks or coverings have become available for purchase commercially. This is a welcome development. However, they are still not widely available to purchase in, for example, supermarkets. In addition, awareness of them by the general public appears to be relatively limited. We call on the UK Governments to do more to initiate the wider production, promotion and awareness of clear face masks. Where Ministers and MPs are already wearing face masks, we also call on them to lead by example and wear a clear face mask.Face masks and coverings in educationAt the time of writing, the UK Governments have not recommended the use of face masks or coverings in schools and colleges, except in limited circumstances. However, neither is it prohibited. We acknowledge the range of views on this issue and the public health considerations underpinning this.It should be noted that the use of face masks and coverings in education would present very significant challenges to how deaf children and young people access learning. In some cases, there may be little point in deaf children attending school or college and requiring them to do so, when they cannot understand their teachers or peers, could do significant harm to their wellbeing.This is an issue on which the practical implications for deaf children would need to be seriously considered by the UK Governments, teaching unions, education settings and teachers. We call on all those involved to ensure that the implications of face masks or coverings for deaf children and young people are considered in all and any debates on this issue.Whilst clear face masks are clearly preferable to opaque face masks in terms of making it possible to lip-read a speaker, it should be noted that clear face masks may still introduce communication challenges as it may muffle the voice of the person wearing the mask.Education settings also need to take direct responsibility for making the necessary reasonable adjustment to ensure continuity of education for deaf children and young people. We also call on education settings to ensure that the needs of any individual deaf children are considered in any risk assessments and decisions around whether face masks or coverings can be worn in schools or colleges. We believe there should be an open discussion between deaf young people, parents, teachers and (where applicable) a Teacher of the Deaf on how the impact of face masks or coverings in education can be mitigated.As far as we can tell, there has been no explicit guidance from any of the UK Governments around the use of face masks or coverings in higher education. As above, the use of face masks or coverings would have significant implications for the ability of deaf young people to understand their tutors, lecturers and peers. Higher education institutions will be required to consider the reasonable adjustments that will be necessary to allow deaf young people in participate in higher education. Deaf young people should be fully consulted and involved in any such proposals.Ian Noon, is Chief Policy Advisor of the National Deaf Children’s SocietySummary of recommendationsThe UK Governments should:take steps to ensure clear face masks are widely and readily available to use across all health settings and by other professionals working with deaf children and young people. A clear action plan on how will be achieved is needed.remind health professionals of the need to make reasonable adjustments and ensure health information is accessibleensure that any guidance or advice on face masks and coverings highlights the impact these have on deaf people, along with deaf awareness tips for how this can be mitigatedcontinue to raise awareness of the exemptions that may apply around the mandatory use of face maskstake action to initiate the wider production, promotion and awareness of clear face masks for use by the general publicconsider very carefully the implications of face masks and coverings in education for deaf children and young people, and also ensure that these implications are considered in any debates on this issue, as well as in any individual risk assessments.Contact for further information: Sally Etchells, sally.etchells@ndcs.org.ukReferencesSurvey results – impact of masks, 2m distancing & more"
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Inclusion

Face Masks Are Not Acceptable For Deaf Children

5 Oct 2020

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      string(3352) "decision of the EU funded European Schools in Brussels whose 13000 pupils aged 4-18, mainly children of officials of the European institutions, will remain at home until September. This is partly due to the huge success of delivery e-learning via the Microsoft TEAMS platform; the access of all families to the internet, the cancellation of exams and, above all, the impossibility of assuring virus proof safety and social distancing in schools of 3000+ pupils.The Netherlands is set on a course similar to one the world has seen operating in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland, in prioritising the return of primary schools. A large section of the parents and teachers are angrily opposed to this. The Dutch aim to open mainstream and special primary schools for 100% of pupils spending 50% of their in-school time on physical education. Except for vulnerable children and children of essential workers, only half the school roll will be allowed in the school at any one time. The children will remain in fixed cohorts, although adults will be required to maintain a distance of at least 1.5m from each other, this rule will not apply to the children. As in Belgium, detailed planning has been published in the Netherlands for the reopening of its primary schools on 11th May.ImpracticalHowever, a survey of 5,000 teachers by the professional association AOb said many of the ideas were impractical. ‘Schools aren’t designed for people to keep their distance and they see many practical problems such as the need to walk around the class, transportation for children in special education and hygiene measures for the youngest groups in primary school,’ said the organisation. ‘Teaching 30 four-year-olds to sneeze into their elbows and keep away from each other is Utopian, let alone asking the teacher sto keep their distance,’ added Eugenie Stolk, chair of the AOb. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of primary school teachers said they were already having problems keeping to the 1.5 metre rule in classrooms where children of essential workers are being looked after in the daytime.’.The English medium newspaper DutchNews.nl reports that a third of Dutch primary teachers believe it is too risky for primary school children to return to school en masse without clear evidence that young children are not vectors for COVID19 contagion.On 30th April 2020 Unesco, Unicef and the World Food Programme (WFP) released their own guidelines for the “safe reopening of schools amidst ongoing closures affecting nearly 1.3 billion students worldwide.” These guidelines simply sum up the dilemma facing the UK government: return to school and risk a resurgence of COVID19 infection or remain closed and risk the education and economic well-being of the most vulnerable in our societies.“The best interests of children and overall public health considerations – based on an assessment of the associated benefits and risks to education, public health and socio-economic factors – must be central to national and local authorities’ decisions to reopen schools”, the guidelines say.For more practical guidance England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would do better to look to their former EU partners for inspiration. There will be lots of lessons to learn despite our differences.Click here for detailed multinational responses"
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Leadership

Europe Finds Ending School Lockdown Challenging And Divisive

5 May 2020

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