coronavirus | Schools Week

Coronavirus: FSM vouchers to provide ‘£3 per meal’, as caterers criticised for ‘shameful’ hampers

Pupils are set to get weekly supermarket vouchers totalling £15 to replace their free school meal entitlements under a new national scheme, Schools Week understands. But heads have been told the scheme won’t be rolled out until next week. The voucher payments work out at £3 per day – an increase of 70p on the […]

Coronavirus: Committee of MPs to probe DfE’s response to disease

The response of the Department for Education to the coronavirus outbreak and the impact of the disease on schools will be investigated by an influential committee of MPs. The parliamentary education committee has launched an inquiry into the impact of COVID-19 on education and children’s services. It follows criticism of the government’s support for schools […]

Coronavirus: Heads expect ‘better’ safety guidance

The NAHT headteachers’ union has said it expects the government to publish “better” safety guidance for schools after vague advice was circulated last night. The new guidance on implementing social distancing in education and childcare settings, published by the Department for Education and Public Health England, has been criticised for telling leaders little that they […]

Coronavirus: Children’s minister claims relaxing SEND support rules ‘strikes right balance’

New emergency powers that “relax” requirements on councils to provide support for SEND pupils “strike the right balance in difficult times”, the government has said. The proposed coronavirus bill states councils won’t be penalised for failing to provide support outlined in pupils’ education, health and care plans (EHCPs) as long as they show “reasonable endeavours” […]

Coronavirus: Pay suppliers ‘as normal’, government tells schools

Schools should continue to pay their suppliers “as normal” even if their service delivery is disrupted or suspended by coronavirus, the government has said. New guidance for public bodies sets out how organisations like schools, local authorities and academy trusts can continue to keep the supply chain moving and protect jobs outside their gates. The […]

Coronavirus: Universities warned over rush to unconditional offers

The universities regulator has said it will use “any powers available” to prevent institutions from switching pupils’ offers to unconditional in the wake of the government’s cancellation of this summer’s exam series. It would be quite wrong for any university or college to respond to the coronavirus crisis by making unconditional offers Following the announcement last […]

Coronavirus: No change for schools as country enters lockdown

Schools will continue to open for vulnerable and key workers’ children, the government has confirmed, after the U.K. was put into lockdown. Prime minister Boris Johnson this evening announced police will be ordered to enforce a strict coronavirus lockdown – including a ban on gatherings of more than two people, all non-essential shops to close […]

Coronavirus: How schools have dealt with day one of mass closures

Schools saw a “manageable” number of pupils arrive at their doors today as they begin to adjust to a new way of working, as parents “heeded calls” to keep their children at home unless they had no other option. But things did not go as smoothly elsewhere – with leaders reporting the requirement to submit […]

Coronavirus: Ofsted pauses publication of inspection reports

Ofsted has paused the publication of all inspection reports during the coronavirus crisis and promised that it will have “do the right thing” as its mantra going forward. Deputy director for further education and skills Paul Joyce told a webinar on Saturday run by sister title FE Week that the inspectorate had taken the decision […]