Danesfield Church of England School Living and Learning Together
Coronavirus update
Government advice is reviewed daily and updated regularly. For the latest information, advice and guidance, check out https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wuhan-novel-coronavirus-information-the-public.
Danesfield School will reopen for those Year 6 children who have booked a place. as of 1st June.
We will also look after key worker children. If you are a key worker and need to book a place for your children, please ring the office on 01984 632581 from 1st June.
When booking a slot, please note that we will be asking parents and carers for a letter from their employer evidencing that they are a critical key worker. We will also be asking for:
- A letter from the employer evidencing that the parent carer is a critical key worker
- The shift timetable (weekly)
- Evidence that the partner is unable to care for the child/ren.
Thank you for your understanding.
A critical worker list can be found by following this link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-maintaining-educational-provision/guidance-for-schools-colleges-and-local-authorities-on-maintaining-educational-provision
Advice from the Government is as follows (updated on 25.5.20):
Schools and nurseries on track to open to more children from 1 JuneThe Prime Minister has confirmed that schools and nurseries across England remain on track to open to more children from 1 June, subject to the Government’s five tests being met. Primary schools will welcome back children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6, while nurseries and other early years providers will begin welcoming back children of all ages. Full details of this announcement can be found here: Online educational resources to support children to continue learning at homeWe have updated our list of online resources that schools and parents can consider to support children’s continued learning at home. Schools have already been drawing on existing resources and tools they are familiar with to support children to continue learning at home and should continue to do so. More information can be found here:
Testing now available to anyone with symptoms of coronavirusThe government has announced that anyone with symptoms of coronavirus is now eligible to book a test, ahead of the rollout of the test and trace service. Anyone experiencing a new, continuous cough; high temperature; or a loss of, or change, in their normal sense of smell or taste (anosmia) can book a test. A coronavirus test can be booked here: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/ Essential workers in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland, can apply for priority testing through GOV.UK. A coronavirus test can be booked here: https://www.gov.uk/apply-coronavirus-test-essential-workers
Secretary of State for Education’s statement on coronavirusSecretary of State for Education, Gavin Williamson, spoke at the daily press conference on Saturday about the Government’s response to the coronavirus outbreak and plans for schools safely opening to more pupils. The transcript of the speech can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/education-secretarys-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19-16-may
Preparing for wider opening of schools: a planning guide for primary schoolsWe have published a planning guide for primary school leaders to help them open their schools to more pupils from week commencing 1 June. The guide has been designed by school leaders for school leaders. It is intended to be a starting point from which those responsible for mainstream primary schools can develop their plans for wider opening to include all pupils in Reception, year 1 and year 6, alongside the children of critical workers and vulnerable children. This planning guide builds on the recently published planning framework. The planning guide for primary schools can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june The initial planning framework for schools in England can be found here:
New guidance on safe working in education, childcare and children’s social careWe have published new guidance on preventing and controlling infection, including the use of personal protective equipment (PPE), in education, childcare and children’s social care settings during the coronavirus outbreak. This guidance is for all staff in education, childcare and children’s social care settings, young people and parents. This guidance explains the principles of infection prevention and control to enable safe working during the coronavirus outbreak including advice on minimising contact, changes to work practices, hand and respiratory hygiene, increased cleaning of the environment and when you might need to use PPE. The guidance can be found here:
Coronavirus testing eligibility and how test and testing kits workAnyone in England showing symptoms of coronavirus who has to leave the home to go to work, or is aged 65 and over, is eligible for testing along with members of their households with symptoms. This is in addition to all essential workers with symptoms. Guidance on coronavirus testing, including who is eligible for a test, how to get tested and the different types of test available can be found here:
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has published guidance for members of the public and patients about coronavirus tests and testing kits, including information on the different types of tests available and how they work. The guidance can be found here:
The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategyThe government has published its roadmap for how and when the UK will adjust its response to the coronavirus outbreak. This document describes the progress the UK has made to date in tackling the coronavirus outbreak and sets out the plans for moving to the next phase of its response to the virus.
Frequently asked questions on what you can and can’t do during the coronavirus outbreak have also been published. Those relating to schools and childcare can be found at section 6:
Guidance for parents and carers as schools and other education settingsin England open to more children and young peopleWe have published guidance for parents and carers on the opening of schools and other education settings to more children. This guidance provides information on when and how we will open education settings to more children.
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Phased opening of early years settings and schools to more pupils from 1 June
The Prime Minister announced that from 1 June at the earliest, primary pupils may be able to begin going back into school in stages, beginning with Reception, year 1 and year 6. Our ambition is that secondary pupils facing exams next year will get some time with their teachers before the summer holidays. We will also ask childcare settings to prepare to open for more children from 1 June.
We will publish further guidance setting out more information for early years, schools and colleges later today. We will send a second email update once they are available on GOV.UK.
The transcript and recording of the Prime Minister’s address to the nation can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-address-to-the-nation-on-coronavirus-10-may-2020
Public Health England has updated their guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection
Public Health England has published guidance for households with grandparents, parents and children living together where someone is at risk or has symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.
The guidance can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance
Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing eligibility extended to help protect the most vulnerable
The government has announced that anyone in England showing symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) who has to leave the home to go to work, or is aged 65 and over, is eligible for testing along with members of their households with symptoms. This is in addition to all essential workers with symptoms. Testing can be booked through a new online system.
Guidance on coronavirus (COVID-19) testing, including who is eligible for a test, how to get tested and the different types of test available can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested
Updates to the school admission appeals process
It is important parents continue to have the right to appeal any school admission decisions. To enable this, we have made regulatory changes that came into force on 24 April 2020 and will remain in place until 31 January 2021. The new regulations give admission authorities the flexibility to manage appeals whilst ensuring families are supported and not disadvantaged by current measures to protect public health.
The guidance can be found here:
Guidance for parents and carers on supporting their children’s education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
We have published information, guidance and support for parents and carers of children who are learning at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Guidance on helping children aged 2 to 4 learn at home can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-children-aged-2-to-4-to-learn-at-home-during-coronavirus-covid-19
Guidance on helping primary school aged children learn at home can be found here:
Guidance on helping children with special educational needs and disabilities learn at home can be found here:
Department for Education coronavirus helpline
The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is available to answer questions about COVID-19 relating to education and children’s social care. Staff, parents and young people can contact this helpline as follows:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Opening hours:
8am to 6pm – Monday to Friday
10am to 4pm – Saturday and Sunday
If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UK PRN) available when calling the hotline.
Handwashing advice
The most important thing individuals can do to protect themselves is to wash their hands more often. Soap and water and regular handwashing for at least 20 seconds is the best way of staying safe. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside) but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.
A video on hand washing can be found at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQCP7waTRWU&feature=youtu.be
The e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.
Resources are currently available for KS1, KS2 and KS3 and can be used in various settings including schools and at home:
Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.UK
All of the Department for Education’s coronavirus guidance for educational settings can now be found in one place on GOV.UK at:
Our main guidance for schools, the ‘school closures guidance’, will be regularly kept up to date. Any new advice for schools on specific issues, such as food, exams or safeguarding, will be linked from it:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-school-closures
We now have further information from the Government, giving details of those who are considered to be key workers. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO VIEW LIST.
You will see that the Government has said, "if it is at all possible for children to be at home, then they should be'. This is the safest place for your child and the rest of the community.
Children will be supervised in school in order that key worker parents can go to work. School staff are engaged in supporting all students at home and school.
Children in school will continue to wear school uniform.
Updated on 26.3.20
Guidance on implementing social distancing in education and childcare settings
On 24 March, we published new guidance on how to implement social distancing in education and childcare settings. This guidance also gives advice for individuals in vulnerable health groups:
It is important to read this alongside the overall guidance for social distancing:
School governance update
We have published an update about school governance which includes guidance in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19):
Guidance for commercial suppliers
You may be aware that Cabinet Office has issued guidance on providing support to suppliers during and after coronavirus (COVID-19).
A Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 220 sets out information and guidance for public bodies on payment of their suppliers to ensure service continuity:
We are aware of the high number of requests you have already had from your suppliers requesting support in line with the PPN. Please make sure you are familiar with this guidance before agreeing any support with your suppliers.
Contracting authorities, including the Department for Education (DfE), are considering how to respond to suppliers at risk, so that they are in a position to resume normal contract delivery once the outbreak is over.
We are working to provide more detailed advice and guidance to you on what this means for the suppliers that support you.
Please direct any questions to the DfE Commercial team by emailing:
- PPN0220.SectorQuestions@education.gov.uk
Resources for educational settings
We have updated our guidance for schools and other educational settings on how best to provide advice about coronavirus (COVID-19). A new poster resource is now available:
Collection of guidance for educational settings on GOV.UK
All of the Department for Education’s coronavirus guidance for educational settings can now be found in one place on GOV.UK:
Government advice is reviewed daily and updated regularly. For the latest information, advice and guidance, check out https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public/
New guidance for households with symptoms
The Government introduced guidance on whole household isolation in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak:
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The symptoms are:
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The full stay at home guidance for households with these symptoms can be found here: