Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps the Government is taking to support children who are missing education as a result of having to self-isolate.

The Department is committed to the continuation of high quality education for all pupils during this difficult time and expects all schools to have remote education contingency plans in place by the end of September. On 2 July, the Department published guidance that sets out what is expected from schools for their remote education provision. This guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools#section-3-curriculum-behaviour-and-pastoral-support.

The Department has already delivered over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers to children who would not otherwise have online access, as part of over £100 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care. The Department is supplementing this support by making an initial 150,000 laptops and tablets available to support disadvantaged children through this scheme. Devices will be available to schools so they may support the most disadvantaged pupils in year 3 to year 11 who would not otherwise have access to a device, and whose education is disrupted.

Schools will also be able to support disadvantaged children across all year groups who might be shielding at home on official or medical advice due to them or a close family a member of their household being clinically extremely vulnerable.

Where education is disrupted in hospital schools, they will be able to order devices for children in all year groups. Further education colleges registered to teach 14-16 year olds may also apply for devices for disadvantaged children in Key Stage 4. Schools and colleges will be able to lend and reallocate the devices between pupils as they see fit.