school reopening | Schools Week

Long read: Schools let down by government’s hot air on ventilation

Has England been left flapping in the wind as other countries race ahead with ventilation policies for schools? Schools Week investigates… The government’s “minimal” and “negligent” approach to ventilation in England’s classrooms is failing to protect pupils, say scientists and campaigners, including a leading epidemiologist. Instead, they say, it should immediately provide air filters. The […]

DfE officials grilled over Covid-19 response, 7 things we learned

Senior officials from the Department for Education were grilled by MPs this morning about the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. DfE permanent secretary Susan Acland-Hood, Covid response director Mike Pettifer and director general for early years and school groups, appeared in front of the public accounts committee. Here’s what we learned. 1. DfE […]

Attendance: Almost 1 in 5 pupils were in school the week before reopenings

Almost one in five pupils were in school last week, just days before wider reopenings, new attendance data shows. Survey data from the Department for Education shows 18.7 per cent of pupils were in attendance at state schools nationwide last Thursday, up from 18.3 per cent the week before. The data also shows a large […]

Government medic warns of school disruption as Covid testing regime beds in

Schools may see a “larger number” of children forced to self-isolate during the first weeks of reopening while new Covid testing regimes bed in, the government’s deputy chief medical officer has said. Dr Jenny Harries told the Downing Street briefing this afternoon she expected to see an impact on transmission rates as pupils return to […]

Longer days and early appointments on cards as schools gear up for ‘mammoth’ Covid testing effort

School leaders are exploring staggered starts and extended days to ease the “mammoth logistical task” of mass Covid testing returning pupils. Boris Johnson announced on Monday that schools would begin reopening from March 8, with secondaries testing pupils three times on-site in their first two weeks back. Some leaders said that larger schools would struggle, […]

Ofsted monitoring inspections paused for week of schools’ return

Ofsted will pause its remote monitoring inspections for the week beginning March 8 to allow schools to focus on wider reopening. The watchdog has been carrying out remote monitoring visits since January in place of routine in-person inspections, which have been suspended during the pandemic. But the inspectorate has updated its guidance this afternoon to […]

DfE pledges £302m ‘recovery premium’ for schools and £200m summer schools fund for secondaries

Schools will split a £302 million “recovery premium” to support catch-up and secondaries will get £200 million to run summer schools programmes under plans announced by the government today. Ministers have also pledged £200 million for the “expansion” of the National Tutoring Programme, extension of the 16 to 19 tuition fund and additional support for […]

March 8 school reopening guidance: 13 things we learned

The government has confirmed its school reopening plans, with all settings expected to reopen on March 8. Secondary schools will be given flexibility on how they manage testing in the first week back. The need for face coverings will also be extended to secondary school classrooms. Prime minister Boris Johnson confirmed the plans in Parliament […]

PM sets out March 8 school reopening plans

Boris Johnson has set out the government’s school reopening plans, confirming that all schools will reopen to all pupils on March 8. The prime minister said that “two weeks from today, pupils and students in all schools and further education settings can safely return to face-to-face teaching, supported by twice weekly testing of secondary schools […]