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Coronavirus: Which schools are reopening for pupils? Coronavirus: When will schools reopen?
(8 days later)
Some pupils in England have started to return to the classroom, as the coronavirus lockdown is eased. When schools reopen fully in England in September, the government wants teachers to keep classes or whole year groups apart in separate "bubbles".
But when will schools fully reopen and how will pupils catch up with lost learning? New guidance has been published for England. There are separate plans for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
How will children catch up? Who will be expected to go back?
During lockdown, many schools have offered a limited curriculum online - relying on parents and guardians to supervise work. Nearly all children of legal school age will be expected to return to class full-time in September to "start to reverse the enormous costs of missed education".
Despite this, around a third of pupils are not engaging with the work they've been set, a survey of 3,000 leaders and teachers in England's state schools suggested. This includes those with special educational needs and disabilities, or who have been shielding during the pandemic.
To help pupils in England catch up, the government has announced a £1bn fund. Do I have to send my child back?
Of this, £650m will be available to head teachers to provide tutoring sessions for small groups of primary and secondary pupils. Attendance will be mandatory again from the beginning of the autumn term.
The remaining £350m will be spent on a national tutoring programme aimed at the most disadvantaged pupils. Head teachers will be told to follow up pupils' absence and issue sanctions, including fines in some cases.
To further support home learning, the BBC expanded its Bitesize website, which offers daily online lessons in English, maths and other core subjects. But what if there is a Covid-19 cluster at a school?
Who can attend secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges? If a school has a suspected coronavirus outbreak - with two or more confirmed cases within 14 days, or an overall rise in suspected coronavirus sickness absence - teachers will liaise with local health teams.
Secondary schools in England have been allowed to reopen for Years 10 and 12 since 15 June. Teaching of vulnerable children and those of critical workers in all year groups will continue. A mobile testing unit may arrive - focusing first on those in the affected child or teacher's class, followed by their year group, and then the whole school if necessary.
But only a quarter of eligible pupils are allowed in school at any one time. A large number of pupils may be asked to self-isolate at home as a precaution, but the government says a whole school closure "will not generally be necessary" unless advised by health officials.
Students who do return are encouraged to travel separately and avoid public transport. How will the school day work?
Health Secretary Matt Hancock conceded that England's secondary schools may not fully reopen until September "at the earliest". Schools will be asked to return "to a broad and balanced curriculum," Education Secretary Gavin Williamson told the Commons.
What about nursery and primary schools? They will be asked to minimise the number of contacts each pupil has during the day, by keeping classes or whole year groups apart in separate "protective bubbles" rather than practising individual social distancing.
Plans to get all primary pupils in England back for four weeks before the summer holidays have been dropped. Schools must:
But some nursery and pre-school children - plus pupils in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 - started to go back on 1 June. The government expects school kitchens to be open from September.
Not all schools have reopened, some due to local council advice and some because they don't have the staff or space to safely accommodate pupils. Some parents have chosen not to send their children back. What about getting to and from school?
On 11 June, 868,000 children in England - or 9.1% - are estimated to have been in classes. There may be staggered start and finish times to keep groups apart - although that should not reduce the amount of overall teaching time.
How will pupils catch up? Walking or cycling to school will be encouraged. Parents should not gather in groups at school gates or go on site without an appointment.
What about the rest of the UK? Public transport use should be kept to an "absolute minimum", especially at peak times.
Schools in Wales will reopen from 29 June to all age groups - but only a third of pupils will be in classes at any one time. Dedicated school transport services will be asked to:
Schools and councils will make their own decisions over managing their return. Schools will also need a process for staff and pupils to remove face coverings safely on arrival at school.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says early learning and childcare will be allowed to start up again in Scotland on 15 July. What about breakfast or after-school clubs?
Scottish schools will reopen at the start of the autumn term on 11 August, using a blended model, with some continued home-learning. If possible these should resume in September, but the government acknowledges it will be "logistically challenging" and may take longer for some schools.
Some Northern Irish pupils preparing for exams and those about to move to post-primary schools will go back in late August, with a phased return for the rest in September. Children should ideally stay within their year groups or bubbles - but if this can't be done then schools should use "small, consistent groups" to minimise the risk of infection.
How does school differ now? What else does the government say?
Plans in England include keeping classroom doors and windows open to encourage air flow, and introducing one-way systems around school buildings. Which children won't be back in class?
Here are seven other things that could be different: Pupils who are self-isolating will not be required to attend.
If any pupils or staff - or anyone they live with - develop coronavirus symptoms, they will be asked to stay away from school. This will be because they have had symptoms or a positive test result themselves - or because they are a close contact of someone who has Covid-19.
Is it safe to send my child to school? Children who have been shielding - because they or someone in their household are clinically extremely vulnerable - will be expected to go to school in September.
The risk of coronavirus to pupils in the classroom is "very, very small, but not zero", according to sources in the government's scientific advisory group, Sage. Shielding advice for adults and children is due to pause in England on 1 August - subject to a continued decline in virus transmission rates.
The group has published documents about the safety and impact of reopening English schools, which also say teachers would not be at above-average risk compared with other occupations. The government says it expects this will mean "most staff" can go back to school.
Teachers' unions have warned it is not safe to allow more children into primary schools. If rates of the disease rise in a local area, shielding advice will be introduced once again - but only while local rates remain high.
The government acknowledges some schools are not ready to open, but says the necessary five tests for easing the lockdown in England have been met. Children who are not shielding, but who remain under the care of a specialist health professional, should discuss their ongoing care before September.
Do I have to send my child to school? Schools should offer remote learning to children who are self-isolating or temporarily shielding.
It is not currently compulsory to send children to school.
This temporary arrangement - where usual sanctions do not apply - is expected to continue in England during the summer term.
What about exams?
Summer exams have been cancelled in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This includes GCSEs and A-levels in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, plus primary school Sats national curriculum tests in England. In Scotland, Highers and Nationals will not be going ahead.
The Education Secretary Gavin Williamson says exams will take place in 2021 in England. "We are working with Ofqual and the exam boards on our approach to this," he told MPs.
Have you been affected by the school closures due to coronavirus? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Have you been affected by the school closures due to coronavirus? Please get in touch by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
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