DfE releases new guidance for early years settings and schools ahead of wider opening

The Government said that by 1 June at the earliest early years settings and primary schools in England may be able to open to more children in the key transition years of nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.

It said that settings and schools should start to plan to do this based on scientific advice that shows that the reproduction rate of transmission of the coronavirus (often referred to as ‘R’) has decreased and that it will be safe to send more children to education settings.

The aim is for other primary years to return later in June, but this will be kept under review.

Secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges will also work towards the possibility of providing some face-to-face contact with young people in Year 10 and Year 12 to help them prepare for exams next year, the DfE said.

If the virus stays on the downward slope, and R remains below 1 it will it become safe to go further, move to the second step and reopen settings, the DfE said. (On Sunday, Boris Johnson said that the current R rate was between 0.5 and 0.9.)

As a result, the Government is asking schools and childcare providers to plan on this basis, ahead of confirmation of the scientific advice.

This will only happen when the five key tests set by Government justify the changes at the time, including the rate of infection decreasing and the enabling programmes set out in the roadmap operating effectively. 

DfE guidance for the sector sets out a range of protective measures to ensure education settings remain safe places, including:

• reducing the size of classes and keeping children in small groups without mixing with others
• staggered break and lunch times, as well as drop offs and pick ups
• increasing the frequency of cleaning, reducing the used of shared items and utilising outdoor space

The three DfE guidance documents are:

• Actions for educational and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020
• Implementing protective measures in education childcare settings

Guidance for education and childcare settings on how to implement protective measures.

• Information for parents and carers

Information for parents and carers about the wider opening of nurseries, schools and colleges, transport, attendance, free school meals and remote education.

We have summarised the guidance here, including key paragraphs from the documents that particularly mention childcare, and nursery and Reception years.

Testing

While there will be no penalty for families who do not send their children to school, families will be strongly encouraged to take up these places - unless the child or a family member is shielding or the child is particularly vulnerable due to an underlying condition. 

The department said that the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) advising the Government has a high degree of confidence that the severity of the disease in children is lower than in adults and a moderately high degree of confidence that children aged up to 11 are less susceptible to it.

All staff are already eligible for testing, and staff in shielding and high-risk groups should remain at home.

From 1 June, all children and young people eligible to return to their settings will have access to testing, if they display symptoms, as will any symptomatic member(s) of their household, the DfE said.

This will enable children and staff to get back to school if they test negative, and if they test positive a test and trace approach can be taken. Where a setting has a positive case, Public Health England will advise on the appropriate course of action, and the relevant group of people with whom the individual has mixed closely, should be sent home and advised to self-isolate for 14 days.

Priority groups, including vulnerable children and children of critical workers who have been eligible to attend throughout school closures, will continue to be able to attend schools, colleges and early years settings as they are currently.

Gavin Williamson

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said, ‘I know how hard schools, colleges, early years settings and parents are working to make sure children and young people can continue to learn at home, and I cannot thank them enough for that. 

‘But nothing can replace being in the classroom, which is why I want to get children back to school as soon as it is safe to do so. The latest scientific advice indicates it will be safe for more children to return to school from 1 June, but we will continue to limit the overall numbers in school and introduce protective measures to prevent transmission.

‘This marks the first step towards having all young people back where they belong – in nurseries, schools and colleges – but we will continue to be led by the scientific evidence and will only take further steps when the time is right.’

Commenting on the guidance, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s shadow education secretary, said, ‘This guidance raises more questions than it answers leaving headteachers and school leaders unable to adequately plan for the reopening of their schools on this basis.

‘There is still no realistic guidance for how social distancing will be kept in place with the age groups that will return first, how staff and families of children will be protected, or how class sizes of 15 will be achieved with the resources schools have.

‘The Government must urgently convene education unions and the profession to create a workable plan for the reopening of schools when the science indicates it is safe to do so and which has the confidence of all those affected.’