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Which children are still going to school? Coronavirus: When will schools reopen?
(about 2 months later)
Schools across the UK are now closed to the vast majority of pupils, possibly until September. It is hoped that some schools in England will open to more pupils from June.
A small proportion of children are still able to attend. When - and how - will schooling return to anything approaching normal again?
Which children can go to school? Will schools reopen before the summer holidays?
Schools, nurseries and childminders have been asked to provide care for those who are vulnerable - such as those with a social worker, or special educational needs. Possibly for some in England, yes. Ministers say schools should prepare to begin to open for more pupils from 1 June.
They are also open to children whose parents are key workers "critical to the Covid-19 response", who cannot be safely cared for at home. This would be for very young children in nurseries and pre-schools, and primary school children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 - albeit with smaller class sizes.
However, teaching unions have urged key workers to keep their children off school as well, unless it is "absolutely necessary". The aim is to ensure the youngest children, and those preparing to move to secondary school, have maximum time with teachers.
A child's parent is a key worker if their job is considered critical to keeping the country running and/or fighting the spread of the virus. The government has published a list of key worker jobs, including health and social care professionals, public service workers and those involved in the production, distribution, sale and delivery of food. From June, secondary schools and further education colleges in England should also prepare to begin some face-to-face contact with Year 10 and 12 pupils, who have key exams next year.
A child only needs one parent to be a key worker to be eligible to attend school. However, some schools have asked for evidence that both parents are key workers. The government says it wants all primary school children to return to school before the summer for a month if feasible - though this will be kept under review.
The aim is to provide support in school for an estimated 10% of pupils. But demand will not be evenly spread, and some schools have much higher numbers of pupils to care for. Wales's Education Minister Kirsty Williams has said schools in Wales will not reopen on 1 June.
How are schools coping? In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said any return to school "might not be possible" before the summer holidays, which start at the end of June there.
Teaching unions had expressed concerns that the list of key workers was too long, and too many parents would bring their children to school, overwhelming schools operating with a skeleton staff. Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster said it was unlikely that schools would return before the new academic year which - as in Scotland - begins a week or so earlier than in England and Wales.
However, initial feedback has been that the situation on Monday morning was "manageable". Do I have to send my children to school?
Figures collected by the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) suggest that in 94% of schools, no more than 20% of pupils were attending. At present, it is not compulsory for key worker parents to send their children to school, and there are no fines for those who have not taken up the places available to them.
But schools still face challenges. It is expected that this temporary arrangement - where usual sanctions do not apply - will continue for all parents of any year groups going back in England during the summer term.
NAHT head Paul Whiteman said schools urgently needed "clear guidance" on how to keep pupils and staff safe, including medical evidence on safe levels or attendance and density, and practical advice on the protective steps schools should be taking. Approximately 2% of pupils - those considered vulnerable and the children of critical workers - are attending school in person.
Schools will also have to try to ensure children keep to the social distancing rule of staying two metres apart. The government is urging teachers and local authorities to encourage more youngsters from these backgrounds to go to classes each day.
Head teacher Amy Arnold, from Barnham Primary School in Norfolk, told the BBC: "We're working hard to keep the children a safe distance apart - inevitably that poses some problems because some of the children are five years old, and so they're finding this tricky to understand." How would a phased return work?
What are children in schools doing? A phased return could mean that a few year groups would be the first to return to school, or that pupils would take turns to study at home and in school. This would allow schools to maintain some level of social distancing.
Any impression that it is business as usual in schools is wrong. It might also mean staggering break times and putting limits on class sizes.
There is no curriculum to follow, and no strict year-groups. Pupils of different ages are mixing in class, or working on projects together. A phased return may also mean that some pupils will not return until the autumn term - or at least for anything like a regular timetable.
As the weather improves, there will probably be a lot of physical exercise and a big push to make the education on offer creative and engaging, for example through activities such as den-building. Why are schools closed?
What about children staying at home? Coronavirus rarely seems to affect children, and some academics have questioned whether school closures have had any impact on controlling the virus.
Many schools have been setting up online learning, or preparing homework packs for children. However, the government's chief medical officer, Prof Chris Whitty, responded that while schools were "not dangerous" for children during the pandemic, the decision to close them would slow the rise of infections.
But the effectiveness of this depends on families having internet access and devices pupils can use, and also on whether adults can supervise learning. On top of how to manage social distancing, any school seeking to reopen has to consider other questions:
The government advises that all people - adults and children - observe social distancing, which makes indoor playdates pretty much impossible. What's happening in other countries?
Children can still play outdoors - with appropriate oversight - but must stay at least two metres apart from other children. Denmark was the first European country to start allowing children up to the age of 11 back to school. Germany has also partially reopened schools for young children and those taking exams, with others to follow later in the term.
They should not take part in team games or share toys, and should wash their hands regularly. Primary schools and nurseries in France will reopen on Monday, with schools for 11 to 15-year-olds following a week later. Schools for 15 to 18-year-olds will open in June.
Health experts also say that it's best to avoid "high-touch surfaces", like playgrounds and sports equipment, as the disease can live on surfaces for some time. Schools in the Republic of Ireland will not reopen until August, while Italy and Spain are to keep their schools shut until September.
What will happen about exams? What's the current situation?
Summer exams have been cancelled in England, Wales and Scotland. This includes GCSEs and A-levels in England and Wales, plus primary school national curriculum tests, known as Sats, in England. In Scotland, Highers and Nationals will not be going ahead. Schools, nurseries and childminders in the UK are still providing care for children whose parents are key workers "critical to the Covid-19 response", and who cannot be safely cared for at home.
How will children be assessed instead? They are also providing care for children who are known to be vulnerable - those with a social worker, for example, or those with special educational needs.
Exam watchdogs have been working together on alternative arrangements for students who were due to sit important exams, such as GCSEs and A-levels. The most recent figures (30 April) show that 191,000 children are currently attending school - 2% of those who normally attend. Of that figure, 58,000 are classed as vulnerable.
The Department for Education has announced that in England, teachers will be asked to submit the grade they believe the student would have received if exams had gone ahead, based on their performance in mock exams and classwork. How are children currently being educated at home?
The exam board will then combine this information with other relevant data, including prior grades, and produce a calculated grade for each student. Schools have tried to continue a limited curriculum online, relying on parents and guardians to supervise.
Students will be provided with these calculated grades by the end of July. If they are unhappy with the outcome, they will have the right to appeal, to sit the exams early in the next academic year, or to re-sit in the summer of 2021. Educationalists say that parents should not be expected to do the teacher's job, but they can try to maintain a routine of learning and study habits - even if it's only for an hour or two a day.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also planning to award grades for equivalent exams on the basis of coursework, teacher assessment and prior grades. To support home learning, the BBC has also launched a major programme of expanded educational content on its BBC Bitesize service, including regular daily lessons in English, Maths and other core subjects.
What about exams?
Summer exams have been cancelled in England, Wales and Scotland. This includes GCSEs and A-levels in England and Wales, plus primary school Sats national curriculum tests in England. In Scotland, Highers and Nationals will not be going ahead.
Exam watchdogs have been working together on alternative arrangements.
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