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25 April 2026

Tag: coronavirus

Coronavirus: £85m free laptops scheme falls short

School leaders have lambasted the government’s free laptops scheme after some were allocated a fraction of the number they were expecting. Some academy trusts have been given an initial allocation of less than a fifth of what they need – and leaders say conflicting messages from the government have left them fending off demands from […]

Coronavirus: Social distancing in schools ‘very difficult’, says government medical adviser

Social distancing of young pupils in schools “would be very difficult”, the government’s deputy chief medical officer has said. Professor Jonathan Van-Tam told today’s Downing Street press briefing that discussions about schools reopening formed part of “detailed daily deliberating and study” about how, and crucially when the government might relax social distancing measures across the […]

Coronavirus: Williamson expects ‘phased’ return to schools

The education secretary has said he expects schools to reopen “in a phased manner”. Giving evidence to the Parliamentary education committee this morning, Gavin Williamson said the government was giving “a lot of consideration” to how the return of pupils to schools will be managed. Schools have been closed to all but the most vulnerable […]

Coronavirus: Oak National Academy delivers 2m lessons in first week

The government-backed Oak National Academy delivered two million lessons in its first week of operation. Schools Week revealed earlier this month that more than 40 teachers across England had recorded lessons to be shared free via a new curriculum hub to help pupils with home learning. The project launched last Monday with government backing and […]

Coronavirus: School attendance doubles after Easter holidays

The proportion of pupils attending schools doubled in the week after the Easter holidays, updated figures from the Department for Education show. The data, which is based on schools’ reports to the DfE, shows attendance rose as high as 1.9 per cent last Wednesday, with 177,000 pupils attending. This was more than twice the rate […]

Coronavirus: Routine inspections not likely before summer, says Spielman

Ofsted is unlikely to resume routine inspections of schools this academic year, Amanda Spielman has told MPs. The chief inspector appeared in front of the Parliamentary education committee by video link this morning, to answer questions about coronavirus and other pressing issues facing the inspectorate. Here’s what we learned.   1. Routine inspections unlikely before […]

Coronavirus: New free schools face disruption after building delays

New schools due to open this September are facing delays as construction is suspended or delayed as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The setback comes as secondaries scramble to deal with a population bulge following an early-2000s baby boom. Data from the Department for Education recently revealed 17 per cent of secondary schools were […]