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<p>Given the critical importance of ensuring that all children and young people continue
to learn during the national lockdown, the Department has updated the expectations
for schools and colleges to clarify and strengthen what is expected during this period
and drawing on our evolving understanding of best practice in remote education.</p><p>With
most pupils now being taught remotely and schools having made huge progress in developing
their remote education provision, it is right that we increase the expectations on
what pupils receive. Schools should follow the remote education expectations set out
in the actions for schools during the COVID-19 outbreak: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#res"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#res</a>.
Pupils will be set between 3 and 5 hours per day of remote education depending on
their age, with daily check-ins on their engagement, and involving the effective use
of digital education platforms.</p><p>To help schools and further education (FE) colleges
in meeting these expectations, the Government has invested in a remote education support
package. Our Get Help with Remote Education page provides a one stop shop for teachers
and leaders, signposting the support package available: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-remote-education"
target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-help-with-remote-education</a>. This
includes helping schools and FE colleges to access technology that supports remote
education, as well as peer to peer training and guidance on how to use technology
effectively. It also includes practical tools, a good practice guide and school led
webinars to support effective delivery of the curriculum, as well as information on
issues such as safeguarding, statutory duties and expectations.</p><p>As part of over
£300 million invested to support access to remote education and online social care,
over one million laptops and tablets have been secured for disadvantaged children
and young people. This figure includes 560,000 that were delivered to schools, trusts
and local authorities in 2020. By the end of this week we expect to deliver three
quarters of a million devices. The Department has also partnered with some of the
UK’s leading mobile network operators to provide free data to disadvantaged families,
which will support access to education resources, including Oak National Academy,
and other websites. Schools, trusts and local authorities can access this support
through the Get Help with Technology service.</p><p>The BBC has also adapted their
education support for the spring term 2021 and will be making educational content
available on the television. This will help to ensure all children and young people
can access curriculum-based learning from home.</p><p>Where pupils continue to experience
barriers to digital remote education, we expect schools to work to overcome these
barriers. This could include supplementing digital provision with different forms
of remote education such as printed resources or textbooks. This should be supplemented
with other forms of communication to keep pupils and students on track or answer questions
about work.</p><p> </p><p> </p>
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