On this page:
- Government information for settings and schools: General / England / Wales / Scotland / Northern Ireland
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Impact of COVID-19 on Early Education office opening, training and events
Elsewhere on our site:
Useful resources
- Supporting School Recovery and Transition in the EYFS (document from Coventry Improvement & Standards Team)
- Learning Through Landscapes have produced resources including a poster on social distancing outdoors and advice on hygiene and cleaning for school grounds and outdoors.
Information for settings and schools
NSPCC guidance on safeguarding and COVID-19
England
Department for Education coronavirus helpline
The Department for Education coronavirus helpline is now 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
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)
If you work in a school, please have your unique reference number (URN or UKPRN) available when calling the helpline.
Core guidance
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) asymptomatic testing for staff in primary schools and nurseries (Note that deliveries to maintained nursery schools are now expected w/c 1 February 2021)
- National lockdown - 5 January 2021
- Actions for early years and childcare providers during the COVID-19 outbreak
- Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from COVID-19
- Education national restrictions guidance
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) contingency framework for education and childcare settings
- EYFS disapplications guidance
- Action list for schools and an action list for early years and childcare providers must follow in the event that a child or young person displays symptoms or if they confirm they have tested positive for coronavirus (COVID-19)
- Use of free early education entitlements funding during COVID-19
- Guidance for schools and local authorities on free school meals arrangements during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
- Guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable
- Safe working in education, childcare and children’s social care
- Conducting a SEND risk assessment during the coronavirus outbreak
- Early Years ITT requirements and supporting advice
- Testing for essential workers - critical workers in England - including staff working in early years settings - can now access COVID-19 testing. From 24 April, employers can register and refer self-isolating staff, and employees will be able to book a test directly for themselves or members of their household who are experiencing symptoms – a high temperature or a new and continuous cough.
- Guidance on protective measures for providers of community activities, holiday or after-school clubs, tuition and other out-of-school settings offering provision to children during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak (10 July) include considering group sizes (including the position for early years settings which provide care for both those under and over the age of 5).
- Guidance for managing playgrounds and outdoor gyms
Latest updates
FAQs from sector discussions with the DfE (7 Jan 2021)
The DfE have issued (5 Jan 2021) the following rationale for keeping early years settings open:
- The reason schools have been restricted is not that they are unsafe but because additional measures are needed to contain the spread of the virus. The wider restrictions in place as part of the national lockdown to contain the spread of the virus in the community enable us to continue prioritising keeping nurseries and childminders open, supporting parents and delivering the crucial care and education needed for our youngest children.
- Early years settings remain low risk environments for children and staff. 0-5 year olds continue to have the lowest confirmed rates of coronavirus of all age groups, and there is no evidence that the new variant of coronavirus disproportionately affects young children. Evidence shows that pre-school children are less susceptible to infection and are not playing a driving role in transmission. There is no evidence the new strain of the virus causes more serious illness in either children or adults and there continues to be strong evidence that children are much less susceptible to severe clinical disease than older people.
- PHE advice remains that the risk of transmission and infection is low if early years settings follow the system of controls, which reduce risks and create inherently safer environments.
- Early years settings have been open to all children since 1 June and there is no evidence that the early years sector has contributed to a rise in virus cases within the community. Early evidence from SAGE showed that early years provision had a smaller relative impact on transmission rate than primary schools, which in turn had a smaller relative impact than secondary schools.
- Early years childcare providers were one of the first sectors to have restrictions lifted last summer, in recognition of the key role they play in society. Childminders and nursery staff across the country have worked hard to keep settings open through the pandemic so that young children can be educated, and parents can work. The earliest years are the most crucial point of child development and attending early education lays the foundation for lifelong learning and supports children’s social and emotional development. We continue to prioritise keeping early years settings open in full because of the clear benefits to children’s education and wellbeing and to support working parents. Caring for the youngest age group is not something that can be done remotely.
A new national lockdown has been announced in England from Wednesday 6 January. Under this, the guidance confirms that "All early years providers (including registered childminders but not including reception years in primary schools) can remain open during this period of national lockdown." This means that maintained nursery schools, nursery classes (unless impacted by the wider closure of their school), early years provision on school sites, private, voluntary and independent providers, childminders and childcare on domestic premises can remain open. Childcare bubbles can continue to operate and nannies can also continue to work.
All guidance has been updated to reflect updated self isolation information to 10 days from the day after contact with the individual tested positive (from 14 days) (14 December)
The EYFS disapplications guidance has been updated to remove reference to the transition period for the original disapplications, which ended on 25 November 2020; remove reference to extending the validity of PFA certificates if certificate requalification training is prevented for reasons associated directly with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, or by complying with related government advice. The period up to which the validity of certificates could be extended ended on 25 November 2020.
Clarification on employees whose health has been affected by coronavirus or other conditions: Employees can be furloughed where they are unable to work because they:
- are shielding in line with public health guidance (or need to stay at home with someone who is shielding)
- have caring responsibilities resulting from coronavirus, including employees that need to look after children
The CJRS is not intended for short-term sick absences. If, however, employers want to furlough employees for business reasons and they are currently off sick, they are eligible to do so, as with other employees.
Furloughed employees who become ill, due to coronavirus or any other cause, must be paid at least Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). As under the CJRS previously, it is up to employers to decide whether to move these employees onto SSP or to keep them on furlough, at their furloughed rate. For further information, see the guidance
Briefing on the medical and scientific advice on children in education and childcare settings (13 Nov 2020)
Public Health England (PHE) new dedicated advice service, delivered by NHS Business Services Authority, for nurseries, schools and colleges. The service is for those needing support on the action they should take when they have been informed of a confirmed case of coronavirus (COVID-19) in their setting (i.e. a pupil or staff member testing positive). It can be reached by calling the Department for Education coronavirus (COVID-19) helpline on 0800 046 8687 and selecting option 1. This option will take you through to a dedicated team of NHS Business Services Authority advisors who will work through a risk assessment with you to identify close contacts, and will inform you what action is needed based on the latest public health advice. Advisors will be responsible for referring more complex cases to the PHE regional health protection team, as necessary, following a triaging of your circumstances during the call. Phone: 0800 046 8687 – option 1, Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm
Reminder from DfE:
It is vital that educational settings only ask children or staff to self-isolate and recommend they get a test if they develop symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). Those sent home to self-isolate, having been in close contact with someone who has tested positive, should only get tested if they develop symptoms themselves. The symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) are a high temperature, a new, continuous cough, or a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste. The capacity of the NHS Test and Trace system must be protected for those with symptoms of the virus. Booking is essential for drive in and walk in test sites, and under 18s must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
In line with the guidance, the home test kits supplied to schools and colleges must be reserved for those who face significant barriers to accessing a test and would not otherwise get tested. The Department of Health and Social Care is emailing all schools and colleges with details of how to access additional test kits. An order may be placed each month for a number of kits proportionate to the number of pupils or students at your school or college.
No one with symptoms should attend their nursery, school, college or university. If anyone in your early years setting, school or college confirms to you a positive test for coronavirus (COVID-19), you should notify your local health protection team immediately. The health protection team will work with you to carry out a rapid risk assessment and identify the appropriate next steps.
Help children aged 2 to 4 to learn at home during coronavirus (COVID-19) - Advice for parents and carers of children who have not yet started school.
Supporting your children's education during coronavirus (COVID-19) - Information, guidance and support for parents and carers of children who are learning at home.
Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19) - Understand how to follow safeguarding procedures when planning remote education strategies and teaching remotely during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19) - Information, guidance and support for teachers and leaders on educating children during the coronavirus outbreak.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): SEND risk assessment guidance - Guidance for special schools, specialist colleges, local authorities and any other settings managing children and young people with complex special educational needs and disability (SEND).
COVID-19: Attendance recording for educational settings
Educational resources from Public Health England - general resources and resources for schools
We are involved in regular conference calls with the DfE about the situation as it develops, so email us if you wish us to raise any queries or issues.
Wales
Written Statement: Continued Operation of Childcare and Play Provision in Wales (18 January 2021)
Return to school and college arrangements from January (11 January 2021)
Childcare and play: alert level 4 frequently asked questions (updated 5 Jan 2021)
Coronavirus self-isolation and quarantine reduced to ten days in Wales and therefore updated guidance for schools (9 December)
£500 payment scheme now open to parents and carers of children required to self-isolate Parents and carers of children asked to self-isolate will be eligible for the Self-Isolation Support Scheme the Welsh Government has announced. (7 December)
Keeping children safe in childcare: coronavirus (4 Nov)
Childcare and play: coronavirus firebreak guidance (from 23 Oct)
Education and childcare: coronavirus FAQs
Infection control in the Foundation Phase environment: A collation of top tips for adapting your continuous provision in the Foundation Phase to support infection control.
Operational Guidance for schools and settings autumn term 2020 (updated 11 August)
Reopening children's playgrounds and outdoor play areas: coronavirus
COVID-19 workforce risk assessment tool
The Welsh Government has published a series of guidance for schools, colleges and child care settings. A series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) around schools reopening on 29 June has also been published.
- Guidance published to help schools, colleges and childcare settings
- Keep education safe: guidance on learning over the summer term
- Keep education safe: Operational guidance for schools and settings (COVID-19)
- Protective measures in childcare settings: keep childcare safe
- Guidance for providers of school and community based counselling services: coronavirus
- Schools increasing operations from 29 June: coronavirus (FAQs)
- Education and childcare: corona virus
- Education safeguarding guidance: coronavirus
- Health and well-being for school staff and learners: coronavirus
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The Welsh government on 6 April announced free childcare for critical workers during the pandemic, with more details of this childcare assistance scheme to follow.
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Confirmation that Childcare Offer for Wales payments to settings in Wales will continue even if children do not attend due to coronavirus isolation
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Written Statement: Eligibility for ongoing provision for children who are vulnerable, or whose parents are critical to the COVID-19 response
Scotland
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Coronavirus (COVID-19): support to childcare sector (updated 13 Jan 21)
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): school re-opening arrangements for January 2021
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Scottish Childminding Association: latest COVID-19 restrictions
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Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on preparing for the start of the new school term in August 2020
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The Scottish Government has published guidance for early learning and childcare (ELC) providers in the local authority, private and third sectors to support a safe reopening of these settings.: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Phase 3: guidance on reopening early learning and childcare services
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Early Learning & Childcare Directorate Update as at 29 May 2020
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Statement on closure of schools and early learning providers other than for the support of keyworkers and vulnerable children, including confirmation of continued funding
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Coronavirus (COVID-19): school and early learning closures - guidance about key workers and vulnerable children
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Coronavirus (COVID-19) supplementary national child protection guidance
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Coronavirus (COVID-19): social distancing in education and childcare settings
Northern Ireland
- Guidance for Schools and Educational settings in Northern Ireland - January 2021
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): Guidance for School and Educational Settings in Northern Ireland
- Blog from Early Education trustee Glenda Walsh about life after lockdown in early years classrooms in the Northern Ireland context.
- Latest COVID-19 guidance from the Department for Education
- Implementing social distancing in education settings in NI: coronavirus (Covid-19)
Impact of COVID-19 on Early Education office opening, training and events
During lockdown, staff will be working from home, with occasional visits to the office to deal with post. Phone calls will be diverted to a staff mobile, and will be answered where possible. Alternatively, you may prefer to contact us be email.
Publications will be dispatched less frequently during lockdown. Please enquire about delivery times if timescale is an issue.
We will follow government advice in relation to COVID-19 therefore no face to face events are planned in the immediate future. We have introduced a series of webinars to allow you to access professional development while the social distancing regulations remain in place. Branch events will also be taking place online.