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| Coronavirus: School safety means two cases and pupils go home | Coronavirus: School safety means two cases and pupils go home |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The government has published its safety plans for the 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 the return to school in September - built on the principle of keeping classes or whole year groups apart in separate "bubbles". |
| But it means if there are two confirmed coronavirus cases in 14 days, all the pupils in that group, or even the whole school, could have to be sent home. | But it means if there are two confirmed coronavirus cases in 14 days, all the pupils in that group, or even the whole school, could have to be sent home. |
| Schools will have testing kits to give to parents if children show symptoms. | Schools will have testing kits to give to parents if children show symptoms. |
| Mobile testing units will be sent to schools which have an outbreak. | |
| 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 guidance sets out how schools will operate with all pupils back full time - with an expansion of the "protective bubble" system already used in schools. | The guidance sets out how schools will operate with all pupils back full time - with an expansion of the "protective bubble" system already used in schools. |
| The new rules for autumn will mean: | The new rules for autumn will mean: |
| The approach is to minimise the points of contact that could allow infections to spread - and does not primarily rely on enforcing social distancing. | |
| Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said this week: "It's "not about one metre, it's not about two metres." | Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said this week: "It's "not about one metre, it's not about two metres." |
| Earlier this week, Mr Williamson told the BBC that 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". | Earlier this week, Mr Williamson told the BBC that 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? | |
| 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. | |
| All schools are being promised testing kits to give to parents - 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". | |
| 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. | |
| What are schools saying about the plans? | What are schools saying about the plans? |
| "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. | |
| 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". | |
| "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. |
| He also warned that the school "cannot be full" on any given day, if pupils and teachers face any level of social distancing. | He also warned that the school "cannot be full" on any given day, if pupils and teachers face any level of social distancing. |
| 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". |
| His school had drafted four plans designed to bring all pupils back without shrinking the curriculum. | His school had drafted four plans designed to bring all pupils back without shrinking the curriculum. |
| "If we just get some clear parameters of what is safe on site, we will find ways to make this work but at the moment we're playing a really complicated board game without sight of the rules," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "If we just get some clear parameters of what is safe on site, we will find ways to make this work but at the moment we're playing a really complicated board game without sight of the rules," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| How have parents reacted? | How have parents reacted? |
| "I am a parent, and will not be sending my child back to school, if it is not safe to do so," Anthony told the BBC, when draft plans were revealed this week. | "I am a parent, and will not be sending my child back to school, if it is not safe to do so," Anthony told the BBC, when draft plans were revealed this week. |
| 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." |
| The issue of transport to school was raised by a number of families - with questions about how that would work with "bubbles". | The issue of transport to school was raised by a number of families - with questions about how that would work with "bubbles". |
| "Living in a rural area, my sons get a three-carriage train to school with 70 other boys and girls across all secondary year groups (and Joe Public)," wrote Iain. | "Living in a rural area, my sons get a three-carriage train to school with 70 other boys and girls across all secondary year groups (and Joe Public)," wrote Iain. |
| "Moving start times by 15 minutes here and there will make no difference to the train they catch in the morning - so how do you 'bubble' that?" | "Moving start times by 15 minutes here and there will make no difference to the train they catch in the morning - so how do you 'bubble' that?" |
| "Transport to and from school a real concern too, packed like sardines on school buses, with no additional funds for more buses. Where will the funds for cleaning come from?" said Geraldine. | "Transport to and from school a real concern too, packed like sardines on school buses, with no additional funds for more buses. Where will the funds for cleaning come from?" said Geraldine. |
| Another highlighted that families could have worries about relatives. "Some grandparents live with their children and grandchildren. Some of us parents are at higher risk than others," said Ade. | Another highlighted that families could have worries about relatives. "Some grandparents live with their children and grandchildren. Some of us parents are at higher risk than others," said Ade. |
| There are also questions about how the bubble system will operate when families might have children in different year groups. | There are also questions about how the bubble system will operate when families might have children in different year groups. |
| "The government have made everything blurred and while there is no vaccine the risks are still huge. I'll keep mine off until I'm sure of safety. Fine me or whatever - I'm looking after my family," said Eddie. | "The government have made everything blurred and while there is no vaccine the risks are still huge. I'll keep mine off until I'm sure of safety. Fine me or whatever - I'm looking after my family," said Eddie. |
| But Ian said: "Just send them back as normal and let them get on with it for goodness sake." | But Ian said: "Just send them back as normal and let them get on with it for goodness sake." |
| Sticking with all GCSEs and A-levels | Sticking with all GCSEs and A-levels |
| The plans for returning also recognise that pupils need to catch up after many months out of school. | |
| This means a "modified" timetable for the first term, with an emphasis on the core subjects of maths and English, and a regular curriculum will not return until the 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. | But for pupils taking A-levels and GCSEs, the expectation is that the full range of subjects will continue to be taken. |
| Attendance will be compulsory - with confirmation earlier this week that penalty fines can once again be issued to parents who do not send their children back to school. | |