Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will introduce new and proportionate mitigation measures to schools and other compulsory education settings to curb the transmission of covid-19.

Our priority is for all nurseries, schools and colleges to deliver face-to-face, high-quality education to pupils and students and to minimise disruption to education. The department has worked closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKSHA) throughout our response to the COVID-19 outbreak and to revise our guidance from Step 4 of the roadmap when the government relaxed most restrictions across all parts of society.

The department continues to closely review data, analysis, and advice from a number of different sources including UKSHA, the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies, and the Office for National Statistics. We also continue to work closely with local authorities and their Directors of Public Health to inform our planning and response. We will continue to keep all measures under review in partnership with health experts and informed by the latest scientific evidence and advice.

As our guidance outlines, nurseries, schools and colleges should continue to keep good hygiene measures in place, keep spaces well ventilated, and follow public health advice on testing, self-isolation and managing confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The contingency framework describes the principles of managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in nurseries, schools and colleges, and sets out the measures that all settings should be prepared for if they were advised to take extra measures to help break chains of transmission. It also sets out thresholds for managing COVID-19 cases and when settings should consider seeking public health advice. The contingency framework can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-local-restrictions-in-education-and-childcare-settings/contingency-framework-education-and-childcare-settings.

All education providers should have contingency plans in place describing what they would do if children, pupils, students, or staff test positive for COVID-19 or how they would operate if they were advised to reintroduce any additional measures. If a provider is concerned because they have reached the thresholds outlined in the contingency framework, or if they are concerned about transmission within the setting, they can seek public health advice via the department’s helpline.