Schools urged to make contingency plans for local lockdowns

The Department for Education added a section on contingency planning to its Guidance for full opening: schools which was published on 2 July after Prime Minister Boris announced all schools and nurseries would reopen fully next month.

In the event of local lockdowns “PHE health protection team or local authority may advise a school or number of schools to close temporarily to help control transmission”, the guidance states.

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“Schools will also need a contingency plan for this eventuality. This may involve a return to remaining open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers, and providing remote education for all other pupils,” it adds.

It goes on to state that in some circumstances single classes, year groups or small numbers of children may be asked to self-isolate.

“Schools are expected to consider how to continue to improve the quality of their existing offer and have a strong contingency plan in place for remote education provision by the end of September,” the guidance adds.

The document warns that DfE may seek to formally issue all schools with a temporary continuity direction which would legally require all schools to take steps to meet with government expectations around remote education.

It lays out such expectations including the use of a curriculum which offers high-quality resources on and offline, access to remote learning tools and the provision of printed materials for children without internet access.

It also advises schools to work with the families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who “may not be able to access remote education without adult support”.

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The guidance reveals that the Oak National Academy - the online learning platform used by the government - will increase resources aimed at pupils with SEND “during the autumn term”.

It also states that the government’s scheme to provide laptops and tablets to disadvantaged children will be extended to benefit disadvantaged pupils in years 3 to 11 and clinically extremely vulnerable children from all year groups unable to attend school. 

However, the scheme has been widely criticised over claims laptops for year 10 students to use during lockdown were not received by schools until the last week of term. 

The updated guidance comes amid a deepening row between the government and education unions over whether it is safe to reopen schools in September. 

What have the unions said?

Earlier this week Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said a not yet published study by Public Health England “makes it clear there is little evidence that the virus is transmitted at school”.

Boris Johnson added that it was a “moral duty” to ensure all pupils returned to school in September.

However, teaching unions have called on the government to come up with a “plan B” in the event of a second spike of Covid-19.

The National Education Union’s (NEU) coronavirus recovery plan recommends building so-called Nightingale classrooms.

Its says: “The NEU plan requires the government to find extra classroom space and to mobilise supply teachers, beginner teachers finishing colleges and those who have left the profession. 

“If the government could build and staff the Nightingale Hospital then it should be able to build and staff Nightingale classrooms to ensure our children can get back to school.”

Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, echoed calls for a back-up plan adding that that schools are "losing patience" with the government. 

He said one “obvious” way to limit the number of children travelling to and on school sites would be to introduce a “week on, week off” rota system.

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, added: “The last thing anyone wants to see is the re-opening of schools leading to a resurgence in the prevalence of the virus. There are many factors that will contribute to this, most of which are entirely outside a school’s control. 

“The success of September’s return to school rests as much on what happens outside the school gates as within. The government needs to ensure that everyone knows what actions they should be taking to keep everyone safe – we’re all going to need to work together to be successful.”

A new Coronavirus Crisis checklist has been drawn up by the NEU, together with GMB union, Unison and Unite which asks members to consider a number of questions when deciding whether it is safe to fully re-open. 

These include:

• Whether sufficiently small groups/bubbles of early years children can be maintained given that they cannot socially distance?

• If each classroom will be provided with gloves and disinfectant spray in case a pupil coughs or sneezes on a piece of equipment or furniture?

• If appropriate measures for employees who are clinically vulnerable or at increased risk, such as working from home, working in amended roles or wearing PPE will be agreed?

• Whether a relaxed school uniform policy will be in place to make it easier for everyone to wear clean clothes?

Meanwhile, Children’s Commissioner for England Anne Longfield has called for weekly testing for all teachers and pupils to help stop the spread of the virus.