Yahoo Movies Revealed: The new coronavirus guidelines for schools to open in September
Teachers' unions have warned that the Government's new guidance for schools will be "enormously challenging" to implement, saying that the concept of entire year group bubbles is "mind-boggling."
The Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), the largest union representing secondary heads, said ministers needed to get a "sense of reality".
"It will be immediately apparent to anyone reading this guidance that it is enormously challenging to implement," said Geoff Barton, the general secretary of the ASCL.
"The logistics of keeping apart many different 'bubbles' of children in a full school, including whole-year groups comprising hundreds of pupils, is mind-boggling."
Mr Barton said his members "share the ambition" that all pupils return to school in September, but urged the Government to come up with a Plan B in case this turns out to be "too risky".
The UK's biggest teacher union has criticised the guidance as "poor", adding that it is "unlikely" to allay members' concerns over safety.
Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, said the guidance is made up of "rushed-through ideas" that appear based "more on hope than on science".
He said: "The guidelines put an emphasis on Test and Trace, but parents, school leaders and teachers will be wondering: 'Where is it?'
"Boris Johnson promised a 'world beating' system by June 1 but has still not delivered anything like an adequate programme.
"The Government needs to be able to inspire confidence that track, trace and isolate will be capable of taking the load by September, or we will see patterns of school closures like the one just announced in Leicester."
Read on for the full details of the guidance:
Curriculum
Schools must ensure that any gaps in children's "core knowledge" are filled, and this could mean making "substantial modifications" to the curriculum at the beginning of the academic year.
For some pupils, entire subjects could be suspended to free space in the timetable for extra English and maths lessons. Such a move should be made in "exceptional circumstances", following discussions with parents, and the full curriculum should be restored no later than the summer term.
Pupils in their first year of secondary school may need to be re-taught the Year Six syllabus for English and maths, and GCSE pupils may be asked to drop subjects so they can concentrate on getting good grades in English and maths.
Pupils should be assessed regularly through quizzes and close scrutiny of their work to make sure they are not falling behind. The guidance stresses that, as an overriding approach, schools should teach a "broad and ambitious" curriculum which includes a wide range of subjects.
'Bubbles'
Social distancing will not be applied in schools at all times, and pupils will instead be grouped into "bubbles" to limit the risk of transmission between class or year groups.
The "bubbles" will either be a class or an entire year group who have their lessons, breaks and lunchtime together. In primary school, class "bubbles" will be the norm, whereas in secondary school "bubbles" will be expanded to include entire year groups.
This approach means that, if a pupil tests positive for coronavirus, it is easier for a school to identify which of their classmates also need to self-isolate.
Older children should be encouraged to keep their distance from their peers where they can, but the guidance recognises that this is not possible for younger pupils.
Classroom layout
Teachers should stay at the front of the class and avoid close face-to-face contact within one metre of pupils.
Schools should adapt classrooms to give pupils as much space as possible, such as removing unnecessary furniture.
Windows should be kept open where possible, and desks should be set out with pupils sitting side by side, facing the front of the class, rather than sitting face-to-face with their peers.
Assemblies, choirs and sport
Year groups should be kept apart, meaning that assemblies or any other large gatherings, such as communal prayer, are banned.
School choirs and ensembles are also banned, as the guidance warns that there is an "additional risk of infection" where pupils are singing, chanting, playing wind or brass instruments or shouting. These activities could take place with special controls in place, such as limiting group sizes to 15 pupils and ensuring they stand back-to-back or side-to-side. It should be outdoors where possible, with extended social distancing.
Schools should conduct sports lessons outside where possible, and if this is not possible then a large indoor space should be used. Children should do sports lessons within their "bubbles", and equipment must be thoroughly cleaned after being used by each year group.
Lunch and break times
Schools should stagger break times and lunchtimes where they can, to make sure that each bubble of students stays apart from other bubbles as much as possible. Outdoor playground equipment should be cleaned more often.
School kitchens should be fully open from the start of term, but must comply with the Government's Covid-19 guidance for food businesses. Dining room surfaces should be cleaned between use by different "bubbles". All the normal legal requirements will apply for schools to provide lunch for those who want it, as well as those eligible for free school meals.
Staggered starts
Schools should stagger the start and end of the day to alleviate congestion and to prevent different year groups or classes from mixing with one another.
The school day does not need to be extended to accommodate this, but break times or free periods could be moved around to make it work. The start and end of a school day should not coincide with rush hour, and parents must be told not to congregate at the gate or come on to the premises unless they have an appointment.
Schools need to make it clear to pupils and staff that any face masks they wore while travelling to school must be removed on arrival.
Behaviour
Schools should update their behaviour policies to include sanctions for breaching the new hygiene or "bubble" regimes, and the new rules must be clearly explained to pupils and their parents.
Teachers are told to prepare for an increase in bad behaviour among children who may have suffered from adversity, trauma and a lack of routine during lockdown.
Pupils may struggle to re-engage with learning, and teachers will need to work hard to "reintegrate" them into school life. Schools can discipline unruly children, but should only expel them as a "last resort".
The guidance reminds teachers that "off-rolling" is "never acceptable" and that parents should not be pressured into home-schooling their child.
Transport
Pupils should walk or cycle to school where possible and avoid using public transport, particularly at peak times such as rush hour.
Schools could set up "walking buses", where a teacher accompanies a group of children walking to or from school.
Where pupils are using dedicated school transport, they do not need to socially distance from one another, but pupils should remain in their bubbles where they can. If they are mixing with other bubbles, they should wear face masks. Children should use hand sanitiser when getting on and off a school bus, while vehicles should be regularly cleaned.
Hygiene and PPE
Children and staff should wash their hands immediately when they arrive at school, as well as regularly throughout the day.
The mantra of "catch it, bin it, kill it" should be drilled into all pupils, meaning anyone who coughs or sneezes should use a disposable tissue and then throw it away. Schools need to make sure there are enough tissues and bins in the school for pupils to follow this directive.
Frequently-touched surfaces should be cleaned using detergents and bleach, and the whole school premises should be regularly cleaned.
Face masks are generally not necessary in schools as they inhibit communication, and personal protective equipment (PPE) is only necessary if a child develops coronavirus symptoms while at school and a teacher is unable to stay two metres away while waiting for them to be picked up by their parents.
Remote learning
Teachers have been told to make sure that remote learning is fully integrated into their lesson plans since it may need to be an "essential component" of children's learning if there is a local lockdown and a school is closed down.
Schools must have contingency plans in place for remote learning by the end of September at the latest. This should include high quality online resources for children and teaching videos, as well as printed worksheets and textbooks for those who do not have computers.
Children who are leaning at home must be set "meaningful and ambitious" work in different subjects every day, and this must be equivalent in standard to what they would have learnt during a normal school day.
Remote learning plans should also be in place for any students who are self-isolating, as well as pupils who are shielding.
Read more: Home-schooling tips and secrets for parents
Tests and performance
All league tables are suspended for the next academic year. GCSEs and A-levels will take place in summer 2021, but with some "adaptations", including those which will "free up teaching time".
The exam regulator, Ofqual, will publish detailed proposals on this in the coming weeks. Schools will also be expected to put on a full series of GCSE and A-level exams this autumn for pupils wishing to appeal against the predicted grades they are given this summer.
All statutory tests, including the phonics screening check, Year Four times tables tests and Year Six Sats, will take place next academic year as normal.
Outbreaks
If a school has two or more confirmed cases of coronavirus within two weeks, or an overall rise in sickness or absence where coronavirus is suspected as a cause, this will be seen as a possible outbreak. In such a case, the school must liaise with their local health protection team who will advise on whether further action is needed.
The health protection team may recommend that a number of other pupils stay at home and self-isolate as a precaution. This could include an entire year group or even all pupils in the whole school.
School closures will "not generally be necessary" and should not be implemented unless on the advice of health experts. If an outbreak in a school is declared, a mobile testing unit may be sent to the school so that any pupils or staff can be tested. Testing will initially focus on the ill pupil's class, followed by their year group and, if necessary, the entire school.
