UPDATED 1 SEPTEMBER 2020
This guidance is for parents and carers of children at:
We have updated this guidance to include:
All children and young people, in all year groups, will return to school and college full time from the beginning of the autumn term.
Children attending nurseries and childminders were able to return from 1 June. From 20 July, nurseries were able to return to their normal group sizes.
The prevalence of coronavirus (COVID-19) has decreased since schools and colleges restricted their opening to most pupils in March. The NHS Test and Trace system is up and running and we understand more about the measures that need to be in place to create safer environments.
The scientific evidence shows that coronavirus (COVID-19) presents a much lower risk to children than adults of becoming severely ill. There is no evidence that children transmit the disease any more than adults. However, there will still be risks while coronavirus (COVID-19) remains in the community.
To manage the risks, things will be a bit different in the new term. We have asked nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges to put in place a range of protective measures to help reduce the risks.
Your child’s nursery, childminder, school or college will be able to give you more information about the changes they have made.
Whether your child attends nursery, a childminder or another early years provider is your decision, but we do encourage you to take up a place for your child. Attending childcare can help provide a routine as young children develop their social skills.
You can check if your child is eligible for any of the free childcare entitlements on the Childcare Choices website. These are worth on average £2,500 a year to parents of 2 year olds and up to £5,000 a year to parents of 3 and 4 year olds.
It is vital that children and young people return to school and college, for their educational progress, for their wellbeing, and for their wider development. School attendance is mandatory from the beginning of the new academic year. This means that it is your legal duty as a parent to send your child (if they are of compulsory school age) to school regularly.
There is not a corresponding legal duty for post-16 education but if a young person fails to attend, their college may believe they have left the course.
Local authorities and schools have a range of legal powers to enforce attendance if a child or young person misses school without a valid reason.
If children and young people have found lockdown exceptionally difficult, then their school or college may suggest a brief phased return. This will only be if it suits the needs of your child, and is agreed with you in advance. Your child will be supported to return to full time attendance as soon as they can.
If you have concerns about your child returning to school or college because you consider they may have other risk factors, you should discuss these with your school or college. They should be able to explain ways they are changing things to reduce risks. There are resources to support you with these conversations, including this leaflet on returning to school after a period of absence.
A small number of children and young people may be unable to attend in line with public health advice because they:
If your child is unable to attend school or college for these reasons, ask your school or college what support they can provide for remote education.
Shielding advice for all adults and children was paused from 1 August. This means that children and young people can return to school or college if they:
See the guidance on shielding and protecting people defined on medical grounds as extremely vulnerable for the current advice.
Children and young people under the care of a specialist health professional may need to discuss their care with their health professional before returning to school or college. This should usually be at their next planned clinical appointment.
If children are not able to attend school because they are following clinical and/or public health advice, you will not be penalised.
As usual, you should plan your holidays within school and college holidays. Avoid seeking permission to take your children out of school during term time.
Keep in mind that you and your children may need to self-isolate when you return from a trip overseas.
Each nursery, childminder, school or college will do their own health and safety risk assessment as part of their planning for the autumn term.
As part of this, there are certain approaches that we have asked nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges to implement that are essential to reduce health risks.
We have asked nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges to:
Nurseries and childminders will also minimise contact between individuals where they can. This could mean using different rooms for different age groups and keeping those groups apart.
Schools and colleges will minimise contact and encourage maintaining distance as far as possible. They will decide how best to do this because it will be different for each school or college. This will involve asking children and young people to:
We know that younger children may not be able to maintain social distancing. It is likely that for younger children the emphasis will be on separating groups, and for older children, it will be on distancing.
Do not send your child to their nursery, childminder, school or college if:
Arrange a test if you or your child develops symptoms. Inform your nursery, childminder, school or college of the results.
If the test is positive, follow guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection, and engage with the NHS Test and Trace process.
It is really important that you help nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges to implement these actions by following the advice set out here and wider public health advice and guidance.
The latest evidence and advice is that children aged 12 and over should wear a mask where social distancing cannot be safely managed and there is widespread transmission in the area.
Nationwide, we are not recommending face coverings are necessary in nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges generally. This is because the approaches nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges are putting in place already reduce the health risks.
Nationwide, secondary schools (or schools where pupils are in year 7 or above) and colleges will have the choice to ask that pupils, staff and other visitors wear face coverings in areas outside the classroom (such as corridors) where social distancing is difficult, if they think that is the right thing in their school or college.
If you are in an area of national intervention, face coverings should be worn by adults and pupils in secondary schools and colleges in communal areas. If this is the case in your area, your school or college will let you know about the new arrangements and the need for face coverings.
Based on current evidence, face coverings will not be necessary in the classroom. This is because the approaches schools and colleges are putting in place will sufficiently reduce risk in the classroom, and because they may have a negative impact on learning and teaching.
Children in nurseries, at childminders and primary school children will not need to wear a face covering. In primary schools where social distancing is not possible in areas outside of classrooms between members of staff or visitors, for example in staffrooms, headteachers will have the discretion to decide whether to ask staff or visitors to wear, or agree to them wearing face coverings in these circumstances.
In colleges, students may also be asked to wear face coverings where:
It is really important that face coverings are worn correctly. All schools and colleges should have a process for making sure face coverings are put on, removed, stored and disposed of properly. They should let you know what their process is.
Some pupils may be exempt from wearing face coverings. These exemptions will apply in schools and colleges, so any requirement to wear a face covering does not apply to children and young people who:
Some nurseries, schools or colleges may need to stagger or adjust start and finish times. This helps keep groups apart as they arrive and leave the premises. If schools or colleges choose to do this it should not reduce the amount of time they spend teaching - but it could mean that your child’s start or finish times change.
Schools and colleges will work with any school transport and other transport providers to coordinate, as necessary.
Your nursery, childminder, school or college will be in touch to set out any changes they are making. This might also include new processes for drop off and collection.
Everyone needs to play their part in reducing the demand for public transport. If possible, you should look for alternative transport options, especially walking or cycling, particularly at peak times.
This will help to ensure that there is enough public transport capacity to allow those who need to use it to travel safely. It will also benefit your family’s health. See the guidance from:
If you and your child rely on public transport to get to their nursery, childminder, school or college, the safer travel guidance for passengers will apply. In some areas, local authorities may be providing extra dedicated school transport services to help children and young people get to school or college.
Children and young people, and their parents and carers must not travel to nursery, childminders, school or college if they or a member of their household has symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19).
Local authorities’ duty to provide free home to school transport for eligible children is unchanged. This is set out in the home to school travel and transport guidance.
Your local authority might ask you to accept a personal travel budget or mileage allowance instead of a seat on dedicated transport. This may be so they can ensure there is enough dedicated transport capacity for everyone who needs it.
We would ask you to accept that offer if you can. It will not affect your child’s eligibility for dedicated transport in the future. The local authority can’t make you accept if you don’t want to or are not able to.
Local authorities should not expect you to commit to accepting a personal payment or mileage allowance for a specified period of time, but the local authority would need reasonable notice to reinstate home to school transport for your child.
Local authorities, schools and transport providers will not be required to uniformly apply the social distancing guidelines for public transport, on dedicated school or college transport. This is because:
Local authorities, schools and transport providers will do all that is reasonably practicable to maximise social distancing where possible and minimise the risk of transmission. What is practicable is likely to vary according to local circumstances. This might include:
It is important that you follow any local advice provided and that your child knows and understands the importance of following any rules that are set.
Most children and young people aged 11 and above are now required to wear a face covering on public transport. This does not apply to children and young people who:
We advise that children and young people aged 11 and over also wear a face covering when travelling on dedicated transport to secondary school or college, apart from those who are exempt.
If your child needs to share a car to school with someone outside of their support bubble or household, they should:
It is really important that face coverings are worn correctly. All schools and colleges should have a process for making sure face coverings are put on, removed, stored and disposed of properly. They should let you know what their process is.
We have set out what we expect schools to teach when pupils return in the autumn. Schools will provide an ambitious and broad curriculum in all subjects.
There may need to be changes to some subjects, such as PE and music, so that schools can teach these subjects as safely as possible.
We expect colleges to return to full, high-quality study programmes in the new academic year.
Schools and colleges will also make plans for providing remote education if needed. This means that if your child needs to stay at home, due to shielding or self-isolation, their school or college will support them to continue learning.
We have already announced a catch up package worth £1 billion to ensure that schools have the resources they need to help pupils make up for lost teaching time, with extra support for those who need it most.
Children and young people have missed a critical period of their education due to schools having to close to the majority of pupils to control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). It is vital that we better understand the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on children’s education and give support to schools that need it the most. To support this, we are planning for the early years foundation stage (EYFS) profile and all existing statutory primary assessments to return in the 2020 to 2021 academic year, following their usual timetable.
No exams took place in summer 2020 due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. To enable pupils to receive qualifications, we announced that pupils who were due to sit A level, AS level or GCSE exams this summer would receive a calculated grade.
For each pupil, schools and colleges have provided a centre assessment grade for each subject. This is the grade their school or college believes they would be most likely to have achieved had exams gone ahead. They will have considered a range of evidence including, for example, non-exam assessment and mock results.
This grade was intended to be put through a process of standardisation, using a model developed by Ofqual, to arrive at the final calculated grade.
On Monday 17 August, the Secretary of State confirmed that there would no longer be a standardisation process for AS/A levels and GCSEs. Instead, all pupils will be awarded the centre assessment grade submitted by their school or college. If the centre assessment grade is lower than their calculated grade, the calculated grade will stand.
Unless there is evidence that a processing error has been made, these grades will be final.
Pupils will be able to use the grades they receive in the summer to move onto their next step. These grades will have the same currency as grades in previous years.
We recognise that some pupils may be unhappy with their summer grade or they may need an improved result to move onto the next stage of their education. There will also be a small group of pupils for whom there was not enough evidence for a grade to be awarded in the summer. It is important that these pupils can sit exams in autumn 2020.
To support these pupils, we are running an additional series of exams. AS and A level exams will take place in October and GCSE exams in November.
Pupils wishing to enter for autumn exams should do so via the school or college where they were due to sit their exams in the summer. The deadlines for entering are:
In the autumn term, Ofsted inspectors will visit a sample of nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges to discuss how they are supporting children and young people coming back. These visits will not result in a graded judgement.
It is intended that routine Ofsted inspections will restart from January 2021. The exact timing is being kept under review.
If you have applied to a school and it does not offer your child a place, you have the right to appeal this decision.
Admission appeals can now be held by telephone, video conference or in writing, instead of face-to-face hearings.
If you are applying for a place for your child at a selective school4, there may be some changes to how entry tests are run this year.
It is up to those who are responsible for selective tests (either the school or the local authority) to decide when to run tests. We have advised them to consider delaying entry tests to late October or early November. This means that you are unlikely to get the results before you are asked to express your preferences for schools (31 October).
In case your child does not meet the required standard in the entry test, you should use your final preference(s) for a local non-selective school, where you consider you have a good chance of securing a place.
If you decide to choose only grammar schools, but your child does not meet the required standard in the entry test, your child will be allocated to a non-selective school. This will not be one of your chosen schools.
Contact the admission authority if your child cannot attend the planned test date(s) because they are:
The school or local authority will make alternative arrangements to assess your child for ability or aptitude.
Nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges may update their behaviour policies to reflect any new rules or approaches they are making. They will let you know what these changes are.
Schools decide their own uniform policy.
We are encouraging all schools to return to their usual uniform policies in the autumn term.
You do not need to clean uniforms differently or any more often than usual because of coronavirus (COVID-19).
School and college kitchens should be fully open from the start of the autumn term.
They will provide food to all pupils who want it, including free school meals and universal infant free school meals as usual for those who are eligible.
Most people, including children, have been spending more time online, whether that is in the classroom or at home.
See the support for parents and carers to keep children and young people safe from online harm. It suggests resources to help keep children and young people safe from different risks online and where to go for support and advice. Support to stay safe online includes information on security and privacy settings.
Nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges will understand that some children and young people may be experiencing feelings such as anxiety, stress or low mood as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
There are online resources available to help you and your child with mental health, including:
Barnardo’s See, Hear, Respond service, provides support to children, young people and their families who aren’t currently seeing a social worker or other agency, and who are struggling to cope with the emotional impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19). You can access via the ‘See, Hear, Respond’ service self-referral webpage or Freephone 0800 151 7015.
It is also vital to report any safeguarding concerns you have about any child. Contact the NSPCC helpline.
During the outbreak, we needed to make some of the specified special education and health care provision within EHC plans more flexible.
This flexibility has now ended, which means that if your child has an EHC plan they should receive the support they need as usual when they return to school.
From the autumn term, schools and colleges can resume educational day trips in the UK. They must follow the latest public health guidance and wider guidance for schools and colleges on the actions they can take to reduce risks.
We currently advise against overnight trips in the UK and overseas educational visits.
Schools can run breakfast and after-school activities from the autumn term. Schools will need to make sure these can be delivered in line with the wider guidance on protective measures. This means they may need to run things differently.
Talk to your child’s school to check whether they are running breakfast and after-school activities.
Out-of-school settings, such as holiday or after-school clubs, can open to children and young people of all ages. It remains important that they put protective measures in place to help reduce the risk of transmission.
To minimise risks, consider:
Ask the organisation that runs the activity what they are doing differently to reduce any risks.
There is advice available for parents on the use of out-of-school clubs and activities.
Nurseries, childminders, schools and colleges will contact their local health protection team if they:
The local health protection team will advise what action is required. Usually, closure will not be necessary, but some groups may need to self-isolate.
If an outbreak in a school or college is confirmed, a mobile testing unit may be dispatched. They will test everyone who may have been in contact with the person who has tested positive. Testing will first focus on the person’s class, followed by their year group, then the whole school or college, if necessary.
If your local area sees a spike in infection rates that results in localised community spread, the government will decide what actions need to be taken. In local areas where restrictions are implemented for other sectors, we anticipate that education and childcare will usually remain fully open to all.
Your child’s school or college should provide remote education if:
Nursery and childminder or nurseries and childminders refer to registered nurseries, registered childminders, pre-schools, playgroups and maintained nursery schools. ↩
Primary and secondary schools includes independent schools, maintained schools, academies, free schools, infant schools, junior schools and middle schools. ↩
Colleges refers to sixth form colleges, general further education colleges, independent training providers, designated institutions, adult community learning providers and special post-16 institutions. ↩
Selective schools include grammar schools (which select all their children based on their high academic ability), partially selective or ‘bilateral’ schools which select a proportion of their intake by ability or aptitude, schools which ‘band’, i.e. they test all children for ability but admit children of all abilities (equal numbers of high and low ability children) and schools which admit 10% of their intake based on aptitude in the performing or visual arts, sport, modern foreign languages, design and technology or IT. ↩