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| Coronavirus: School safety plans will keep groups apart | Coronavirus: School safety plans will keep groups apart |
| (32 minutes 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. | 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. | Mobile testing units may be sent to schools which have an outbreak. |
| The education secretary said there must be a "concrete determination" to get pupils back to class. | The education secretary said there must be a "concrete determination" to get pupils back to class. |
| "By working together we will make sure that their hopes and dreams of a future are not to be knocked off course," Gavin Williamson told journalists. | |
| "We cannot sit back and... just say that children are not going to go back to school." | |
| He said a "system of control" would "minimise the risk" from Covid-19. | |
| Children will not be taught a "watered-down" curriculum, he added - insisting that it will be "world-class ". | Children will not be taught a "watered-down" curriculum, he added - insisting that it will be "world-class ". |
| Labour's shadow education secretary Kate Green accused the government of being "asleep at the wheel" over getting children back into school full-time. | |
| Head teachers said it would be "mind-boggling" to try to keep groups of pupils apart all day in school. | Head teachers said it would be "mind-boggling" to try to keep groups of pupils apart all day in school. |
| 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: |
| If you could fast forward to September and schools in England were not opening there would be outrage from parents. | |
| Pubs would have opened, there might be a few holiday suntans and whatever is left of the High Street will be back in business. | |
| So it would have been impossible not to have a plan for a return to school. | |
| In many ways these plans represent the art of the possible, rather than the ideal. | |
| But parents have raised doubts about the tactic of separate bubbles. | |
| What happens if families have children in different years? What about all the mixing up of children on public transport? | |
| There are big academic unknowns too. How will full versions of GCSEs and A-levels go ahead when pupils have missed months of school? | |
| And tucked away in the details are suggestions Year 7 might have to retake chunks of Year 6 again because of all the holes in learning. | |
| It's not going to be easy - and there could be "stop-starting" from local lockdowns - but not going back at all would have been much more politically toxic. | |
| 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. |
| The guidelines warn of behaviour problems being likely after a "lack of routine" for pupils out of the school for so long. | The guidelines warn of behaviour problems being likely after a "lack of routine" for pupils out of the school for so long. |
| They also say that Year 7 pupils, in the first year of secondary, might have to be re-taught maths and English from primary school to fill the "gaps" in their knowledge. | They also say that Year 7 pupils, in the first year of secondary, might have to be re-taught maths and English from primary school to fill the "gaps" in their knowledge. |
| 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. | 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. | 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. |
| The National Education Union said the plans were "more based on hope than science". | The National Education Union said the plans were "more based on hope than science". |
| Head teachers also voiced concerns about penalty fines for parents if they do not send their children back to school. | Head teachers also voiced concerns about penalty fines for 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? |
| "'Bubbles'... More silly Downing Street nonsense. A parent with a child in Year 8, another in Year 10 and a third in Year 12. How do they not segregate and cross contaminate? Same inconsistent contradictory messaging all the time," commented Anthony. | "'Bubbles'... More silly Downing Street nonsense. A parent with a child in Year 8, another in Year 10 and a third in Year 12. How do they not segregate and cross contaminate? Same inconsistent contradictory messaging all the time," commented Anthony. |
| "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." |
| "I can't see 'normal' until well into next year," commented Malcolm. "Our school has already been closed due to a kiddie testing positive, and that's after a week.... so get used to disruption." | "I can't see 'normal' until well into next year," commented Malcolm. "Our school has already been closed due to a kiddie testing positive, and that's after a week.... so get used to disruption." |
| 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 is a real concern too, packed like sardines on school buses," said Geraldine. | "Transport to and from school is 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 |
| Exams are going to start and finish later next summer, but pupils are not expected to drop any of their GCSE or A-level subjects. | Exams are going to start and finish later next summer, but pupils are not expected to drop any of their GCSE or A-level subjects. |
| 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 significant reduction in the content of exams, or the number or length of exams taken next year. | There will be no significant reduction in the content of exams, or the number or length of exams taken next year. |
| Instead there will be a reduction in practical parts of some subjects - such as geography fieldwork, science practicals or the spoken language assessment in English. | Instead there will be a reduction in practical parts of some subjects - such as geography fieldwork, science practicals or the spoken language assessment in English. |
| The National Education Union said it was "unrealistic" to think this could make up for months out of school. | The National Education Union said it was "unrealistic" to think this could make up for months out of school. |
| The guidelines for September also expect "substantial modifications" to the timetable for the first term, with an emphasis on catching up with the core subjects of maths and English. | The guidelines for September also expect "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. |