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<p>The department has worked closely with Public Health England (PHE) to publish comprehensive
guidance based on a system of controls which, when implemented in line with a revised
risk assessment, creates an inherently safer environment for staff, pupils and students
where the risk of transmission of the infection is substantially reduced. This provides
a framework for all schools to put in place proportionate protective measures to measure
risk effectively. New guidance has been published on the period during the national
lockdown, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak#history"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak#history</a>.</p><p>We
recognise that social distancing and other protective measures can be harder to implement
in specialist settings, particularly when working with children and young people with
complex needs, or those who need close contact care. The guidance for full opening:
‘Special Schools and other specialist settings’ has been developed with experts from
PHE and provides advice on how special schools and other special education settings
specifically can implement a system of controls to reduce the risk of transmission.
Specialist settings should use their discretion and assess their own individual circumstances
to achieve the greatest reduction in contacts. This should not unduly limit the quality
or breadth of teaching, or access to support, specialist staff and therapists. This
guidance can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings#the-system-of-controls-protective-measures"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings#the-system-of-controls-protective-measures</a>.</p><p>The
government is delivering a programme of rapid asymptomatic testing from the start
of January 2021 for staff, pupils and students in secondary schools and colleges.
The DfE has provided guidance on delivering asymptomatic testing in specialist settings
to support delivering testing in special schools and specialist colleges. More information
can be found via this link: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/mass-asymptomatic-testing-in-specialist-settings"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-for-full-opening-special-schools-and-other-specialist-settings/mass-asymptomatic-testing-in-specialist-settings</a>.
The government also announced that all primary schools, including primary special
schools, will receive testing kits for staff from the 18 January 2021.</p><p>The PPE
portal can be used by residential special settings to access COVID-19 personal protective
equipment (PPE). These providers will have received an email invitation to register
with the portal. Depending on local arrangements, special schools and special post-16
settings may be able to access PPE for their COVID-19 needs via their local authority
or local resilience forum.</p><p> </p><p>Following the reintroduction of shielding,
clinically extremely vulnerable staff are advised not to attend the workplace. Staff
who are in this group will previously have received a letter from the NHS or their
GP telling them this. Staff who are identified as clinically extremely vulnerable
should follow government guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically
extremely vulnerable from COVID-19, which can be found here: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19</a>.</p>
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