Roadmap needed for re-opening of schools
The prime minister is being urged to set out a roadmap for re-opening schools to all pupils by the children’s commissioner for England and Solace, the members' network for local government and public sector professionals throughout the UK.
Anne Longfield and Ade Adetosoye, Solace spokesperson for Children and Families, have written to Boris Johnson outlining what [...]
Government distributes further 300,000 devices for disadvantaged children
A further 300,000 laptops and tablets have been distributed by the government to enable disadvantaged children and young people to learn at home.
The total number of laptops and tablets that have now been distributed under the Get Help with Technology Programme is 1.3 million.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “I know just how difficult the past [...]
Ofsted moves to remote inspections
Ofsted will carry out inspections remotely until February half-term following the government’s advice to ‘act as if you have the virus’.
The inspectorate has regularly sought advice from Public Health England and remains satisfied that their planned on-site activity would be safe and appropriate under current restrictions. However, given the new government messages and the practical [...]
Increase in school attendance risks undermining lockdown, warn heads
The demand for school places is at risk of undermining lockdown, the National Association of Headteachers has warned.
The NAHT says contradictory guidance from the government has increased the levels of attendance significantly which could undermine the efforts of lockdown in containing the spread of COVID-19.
A survey of its members revealed that almost three quarters (74%) [...]
Child abuse in schools an ‘open secret’
Child abuse within schools was an ‘open secret’, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has found.
Perpetrators of child sexual abuse frequently had reputations as abusers and their behaviour was often an ‘open secret’, the research based on the statistical analysis of accounts of victims and survivors who were sexually abused in the context of [...]
Fears raised around children returning to school amid new strain of Covid
Questions around the safety of children returning to primary schools amid the new strain of COVID and rising cases have been raised by teaching unions.
The National Education Union highlighted at the end of December that the minutes of SAGE 74 held on 22nd December reveal that SAGE told ministers that they needed to close schools [...]
