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<p>The Department’s priority is for schools to deliver face-to-face, high quality
education to all pupils. The evidence is clear that being out of education causes
significant harm to educational attainment, life chances, mental and physical health.</p><p>The
Department for Education has worked closely with the Department of Health and Social
Care and Public Health England to revise guidance for schools from Step 4, available
to view here: <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/999602/Schools_guidance_Step_4_update.pdf"
target="_blank">https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/999602/Schools_guidance_Step_4_update.pdf</a>.
The aim is to balance the risks associated with COVID-19 whilst moving to a ‘steady
state’ that minimises both the burden of implementing a system of controls on staff
and parents and the impact those measures have on young people’s educational experience.</p><p>The
Department will be removing the need to keep children and young people in consistent
groups (‘bubbles’) in schools, colleges, and out-of-school settings, and the need
to reduce mixing in nurseries from Step 4.</p><p>Face coverings will no longer be
recommended in schools or on dedicated school transport. Individuals are free to wear
a face covering in communal areas and on dedicated transport to school, where social
distancing is difficult to maintain, if they wish to.</p><p>Twice weekly home testing
will continue to be offered over the summer break in settings that remain open (e.g.,
nurseries, summer schools and colleges). On return in the autumn, asymptomatic testing
is expected to resume for staff and for students of secondary age and above. Schools
and colleges are preparing to offer students two lateral flow device tests at an on-site
Asymptomatic Test Site, 3 to 5 days apart. Following the first two on-site tests,
students should then prepare to resume twice weekly testing at home. New guidance
emphasises that it is vital that staff and secondary school and college students continue
to test for the last few weeks of this term, and throughout September.</p><p>From
Step 4, schools and childcare settings will not routinely be required to undertake
contact tracing. Instead, pupils who test positive will be subject to the normal test
and trace process, which will identify close contacts. Unless they test positive,
children and those who are fully vaccinated will not be required to isolate from 16
August, if they are identified as a close contact. Self-isolation continues for those
who have tested positive for COVID-19.</p><p>In areas where there is a high prevalence
of the Delta variant, the Department is increasing the availability of testing for
staff, pupils, and families. We are also working with directors of public health to
reduce local transmission. On 8 June, the Government announced an enhanced support
package for any areas affected by local outbreaks. The package includes specialist
Rapid Response Teams, surge testing and enhanced contact tracing, military support,
specialist communication, supervised in-school testing, and discretion to reintroduce
face coverings in communal areas in schools if directors of public health decide it
is appropriate. Further information on responding to individual or regional outbreaks
can be found in the contingency framework for education and childcare: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings</a>.</p><p>Throughout
the COVID-19 outbreak, the Department has acted swiftly to help minimise the impact
on pupils’ education and provide extensive support for schools. We know the COVID-19
outbreak has caused challenges for some children who may already have been disengaged
from education. That is why the Department is working closely with local authorities
and schools to help them re-engage pupils, including providing best practice advice.
In June 2020, the Department announced a £1 billion catch-up package including a National
Tutoring Programme and a catch-up premium for this academic year. In February 2021,
the Department committed to further funding of £700 million to fund summer schools,
the expansion of tutoring programmes and a Recovery Premium for the next academic
year.</p><p>Where pupils are away from school for a limited period, for example because
they are self-isolating, schools have a legal duty to provide remote education. To
provide clarity to the sector, the Department issued the temporary continuity direction
in October 2020 which places an express legal duty on schools to provide remote education
for state-funded, school-age children unable to attend school due to COVID-19.</p><p>Where
remote education is needed, the strengthened remote education expectations published
on 7 January 2021 remain in place. These require schools to deliver 3 to 5 hours per
day dependent on key stage and have a system in place for checking on a daily basis
whether pupils are engaging actively with their work and education.</p><p> </p>
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