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| Coronavirus: School safety means two cases and pupils go home | Coronavirus: School safety means two cases and pupils go home |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The government has published its safety plans for England's return to school in September - built on the principle of keeping classes or whole year groups apart in separate "bubbles". | The government has published its safety plans for England's return to school in September - built on the principle of keeping classes or whole year groups apart in separate "bubbles". |
| Schools will have testing kits to give to parents if children develop coronavirus symptoms in school. | |
| Mobile testing units may be sent to schools which have an outbreak. | |
| Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he wanted to "reassure parents and families" that it would be safe. | |
| But Labour's Shadow Education Secretary Kate Green accused the government of being "asleep at the wheel" over getting children back into school full-time. | |
| What are the new rules for autumn? | What are the new rules for autumn? |
| The safety plans issued by the Department for Education say that "given the improved position, the balance of risk is now overwhelmingly in favour of children returning to school". | The safety plans issued by the Department for Education say that "given the improved position, the balance of risk is now overwhelmingly in favour of children returning to school". |
| The return will be based on separating groups of children into "bubbles" and minimising contacts between them, rather than social distancing. | The return will be based on separating groups of children into "bubbles" and minimising contacts between them, rather than social distancing. |
| It will mean: | It will mean: |
| All schools will have to draw up plans for the possibility of local lockdowns. | All schools will have to draw up plans for the possibility of local lockdowns. |
| And parents in England who do not send their children back to school in September will face fines "unless there's a good reason for absence". | And parents in England who do not send their children back to school in September will face fines "unless there's a good reason for absence". |
| What happens if there is an infection or pupils with symptoms? | What happens if there is an infection or pupils with symptoms? |
| If a child in school has Covid symptoms they will have to be taken home straight away, and staff waiting with them will have to wear protective equipment. | If a child in school has Covid symptoms they will have to be taken home straight away, and staff waiting with them will have to wear protective equipment. |
| If a pupil tests positive, schools will have to send home other pupils who have been in "close contact", which includes those within one to two metres for more than 15 minutes. | |
| All schools are being promised testing kits to give to parents if pupils develop symptoms at school - and if there are two confirmed cases within 14 days, or a rise in absences because of Covid-like symptoms, this could be counted as an outbreak. | |
| This could mean other pupils in the class or the year group being sent home. It could escalate to the whole school site being shut down - but the guidance says such whole-school closures "will not generally be necessary". | This could mean other pupils in the class or the year group being sent home. It could escalate to the whole school site being shut down - but the guidance says such whole-school closures "will not generally be necessary". |
| A mobile testing unit could be sent to a school with an outbreak, which could carry out tests to see whether an infection had spread, which could check a class, a year group or the whole school. | A mobile testing unit could be sent to a school with an outbreak, which could carry out tests to see whether an infection had spread, which could check a class, a year group or the whole school. |
| In the event of a local outbreak, health protection teams or local authorities may advise schools to close. | In the event of a local outbreak, health protection teams or local authorities may advise schools to close. |
| Schools say the complications are 'mind-boggling' | Schools say the complications are 'mind-boggling' |
| "The logistics of keeping apart many different "bubbles" of children in a full school is mind-boggling," said Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union. | "The logistics of keeping apart many different "bubbles" of children in a full school is mind-boggling," said Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union. |
| "There just needs to be a sense of reality about what is possible," he said - and called on the government to have a "Plan B" if the return proved unworkable. | "There just needs to be a sense of reality about what is possible," he said - and called on the government to have a "Plan B" if the return proved unworkable. |
| Head teachers have also voiced concerns about penalty fines being issued to parents if they do not send their children back to school. | Head teachers have also voiced concerns about penalty fines being issued to parents if they do not send their children back to school. |
| Michael Ferry from St Wilfrid's Secondary School in Crawley, West Sussex, called the threat of fines "ludicrous" and said that he will not issue them "in any shape or form". | Michael Ferry from St Wilfrid's Secondary School in Crawley, West Sussex, called the threat of fines "ludicrous" and said that he will not issue them "in any shape or form". |
| "A significant amount of our community has been affected by the closure of Gatwick airport and if I fine parents £120, I'm effectively saying I'm taking away eight school meals vouchers - because that's what it amounts to," he told BBC Breakfast. | "A significant amount of our community has been affected by the closure of Gatwick airport and if I fine parents £120, I'm effectively saying I'm taking away eight school meals vouchers - because that's what it amounts to," he told BBC Breakfast. |
| However, Ashley Harrold, head of secondary school Blatchington Mill School in Brighton, said schools could "overcome" challenges around capacity - although there were still "legitimate questions around safety". | However, Ashley Harrold, head of secondary school Blatchington Mill School in Brighton, said schools could "overcome" challenges around capacity - although there were still "legitimate questions around safety". |
| How have parents reacted? | How have parents reacted? |
| "Because of a compromised immune system I've been shielding through the pandemic - will my children be expected to return to school in September?" responded Julie to the safety plans. | "Because of a compromised immune system I've been shielding through the pandemic - will my children be expected to return to school in September?" responded Julie to the safety plans. |
| "Doesn't that expose me to an unacceptable level of risk if the children pick up the virus and bring it into our home?" | "Doesn't that expose me to an unacceptable level of risk if the children pick up the virus and bring it into our home?" |
| "As a parent of teenagers I am hugely keen to have all of my children back in a full learning environment," said Jessica. | "As a parent of teenagers I am hugely keen to have all of my children back in a full learning environment," said Jessica. |
| "Life is a risk and all risk must be balanced but getting children back to normality and school life is vital to us as a family," she told the BBC. | "Life is a risk and all risk must be balanced but getting children back to normality and school life is vital to us as a family," she told the BBC. |
| "Schools have started opening back up and some have had to close again after children/teachers have tested positive," commented Sarah. | "Schools have started opening back up and some have had to close again after children/teachers have tested positive," commented Sarah. |
| "Yet parents were "guaranteed" that sending children back to school was the "right" decision to make." | "Yet parents were "guaranteed" that sending children back to school was the "right" decision to make." |
| But Kirsty said: "Everything has got to start to go back to some sort of normal sooner or later. It's worrying but I think children need the stability of school and the social aspect of seeing their friends." | But Kirsty said: "Everything has got to start to go back to some sort of normal sooner or later. It's worrying but I think children need the stability of school and the social aspect of seeing their friends." |
| "I am father of two children. I think it's good to see back children at school. But fines on parents? I don't think so," said Azeem. | "I am father of two children. I think it's good to see back children at school. But fines on parents? I don't think so," said Azeem. |
| Myriam was also annoyed by the threat of fines. "Parents, who have been homeschooling for several months, should be thanked and acknowledged rather than treated this way by the government." | Myriam was also annoyed by the threat of fines. "Parents, who have been homeschooling for several months, should be thanked and acknowledged rather than treated this way by the government." |
| A shielding parent, Eric in Sussex, said about his son's school: "With 60 kids in his year group the concept of any kind of protective "bubble" is a fantasy." | A shielding parent, Eric in Sussex, said about his son's school: "With 60 kids in his year group the concept of any kind of protective "bubble" is a fantasy." |
| "Transport to and from school a real concern too, packed like sardines on school buses," said Geraldine. | "Transport to and from school a real concern too, packed like sardines on school buses," said Geraldine. |
| Sticking with all GCSEs and A-levels | Sticking with all GCSEs and A-levels |
| After months out of school there will be "significant gaps in pupils' knowledge", say the guidelines. | After months out of school there will be "significant gaps in pupils' knowledge", say the guidelines. |
| This means "substantial modifications" to the timetable for the first term, with an emphasis on catching up with the core subjects of maths and English. | This means "substantial modifications" to the timetable for the first term, with an emphasis on catching up with the core subjects of maths and English. |
| A regular curriculum will be in place "no later" than summer term in 2021. | A regular curriculum will be in place "no later" than summer term in 2021. |
| But for pupils taking A-levels and GCSEs, the expectation is that the full range of subjects will continue to be taken - although they will start and finish later in the summer than usual. | But for pupils taking A-levels and GCSEs, the expectation is that the full range of subjects will continue to be taken - although they will start and finish later in the summer than usual. |
| England's exams regulator, Ofqual, has drawn up plans which could slim down some of the subjects and reduce teaching time - although heads said this was "little more than tinkering at the edges" despite the scale of disruption. | England's exams regulator, Ofqual, has drawn up plans which could slim down some of the subjects and reduce teaching time - although heads said this was "little more than tinkering at the edges" despite the scale of disruption. |
| There will be no reduction in the content of exams, or the number or length of exams - but there will be a reduction in practical parts of some subjects - such as geography fieldwork, science practicals or the spoken language assessment in English. | There will be no reduction in the content of exams, or the number or length of exams - but there will be a reduction in practical parts of some subjects - such as geography fieldwork, science practicals or the spoken language assessment in English. |