DFE Coronavirus Updates
Guidance for parents and carers: keeping children safe online
We have updated our information for parents and carers to include a section on keeping children safe online. It provides links to online resources that will help support parents and carers in keeping their children safe online.
Full details can be found in section 6.3 of the guidance for parents and carers on the closure of educational settings:
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This is your daily email to keep you updated on the government’s response to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Exam preparation and Ofqual adviceWe recognise that students, parents, schools and colleges will be concerned about the possible impact of coronavirus on the 2020 summer exam series. Ofqual’s advice at this time is to continue to prepare for exams and other assessments as normal. Ofqual continues to work closely with exam boards, other regulators and the Department for Education to plan for a range of scenarios, as the public would expect. Our overriding priorities are fairness to students this summer and keeping disruption to a minimum. It is still many weeks until exams start and we will issue updated advice if necessary, giving schools and colleges as much notice as possible.
Department for Education coronavirus helplineThe Department for Education coronavirus helpline is now available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UKPRN) available when calling the helpline. Where to find the latest information
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This is your daily email to keep you updated on the government’s response to COVID-19 (coronavirus). Statement from the Education SecretaryGavin Williamson, Secretary of State for Education, will be making a statement to the House of Commons at 5pm. Further updates will be circulated following this statement. COVID-19 Emergency BillInformation was released yesterday on the COVID-19 Emergency Bill, which is to be published later this week. The Bill will include:
The measures in the Bill are temporary, proportionate to the risks, will only be used when strictly necessary and will be in place only for as long as required to respond to the situation. This Bill will ensure the government has the powers it needs, when it needs them, to allow our vital public services to keep functioning and to save lives. Further detail will be available when the Bill is published later this week. Updated advice for non-essential travel worldwideThe Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) now advises British people against all non-essential travel worldwide. This advice takes effect immediately (from 17 March) and applies initially for a period of 30 days.
Funding for free childcare offers to continue in the event of coronavirus closuresYesterday, the Chancellor has confirmed the Government will continue to pay for free early years entitlement places even if settings are closed on the advice of Public Health England or children are not able to attend due to coronavirus. We expect local authorities to follow the Department’s position, and to continue early entitlements funding for all childminders, schools and nurseries. We will not be asking for funding back from local authorities. The Government’s advice remains that childcare settings should stay open unless advised otherwise by Public Health England, and yesterday’s announcement should help settings to continue to do so. This will minimise both longer-term disruption to parents and any income losses that providers may otherwise experience.
Handwashing adviceThe most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves is to wash their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Public Health England recommends that in addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport.
Department for Education coronavirus helplineThe Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
Please note, we are currently experiencing high volumes of calls. We appreciate your patience at this time and apologise for any wait that you may experience. To ensure that we answer your calls as quickly as possible, we have now extended our opening hours to cover weekends and are increasing the number of call handlers available to answer your calls. If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UK PRN) available when calling the hotline. Where to find the latest information
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This is your daily email to keep you updated on the government’s response to COVID-19 (coronavirus). New guidance for households with symptomsYesterday, the Government introduced new guidance on whole household isolation in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:
The symptoms are:
The full stay at home guidance for households with these symptoms can be found here: The Prime Minister’s statement from Monday 16 March can be found here: Temporary suspension of Ofsted inspectionsOfsted is to temporarily suspend routine inspections of schools, colleges, early years settings, children’s social care providers and local authorities to reduce the burden on staff who are providing vital services to the nation in response to coronavirus. The current medical and scientific advice is for schools and other educational establishments to stay open. If this changes and the Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser say closing schools, colleges, and early years settings is in the best interests of children and teachers the Department will take that step. The full announcement made by Gavin Williamson can be viewed here: Handwashing adviceThe most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves is to wash their hands more often, for at least 20 seconds, with soap and water. Public Health England recommends that in addition to handwashing before eating, and after coughing and sneezing, everyone should also wash hands after using toilets and travelling on public transport. Watch this short NHS film for guidance: |