The Government announced new measures yesterday (30 December 2020) that will mean Barnet primary schools will provide remote education for most pupils in the first two weeks of term.
Keep Barnet Safe
Keep Barnet Safe
Barnet secondary school pupils will return a week later than the plans that were announced shortly before the Christmas holiday, and will receive remote education.
This is part of the Department for Education’s contingency framework that will apply to most London boroughs and other parts of south-east England. The framework is designed as a means of reducing transmission of COVID-19 within education settings and the wider community. It will also give secondary schools extra time to prepare for introducing rapid mass testing for pupils and staff.
School
w/c 4 January
w/c 11 January
w/c 18 January
Vulnerable children (see definition below) and children of critical workers
Return to school – all schools open for vulnerable and critical worker children
Continue at school – all schools open for vulnerable and critical worker children
Continue at school – all schools open for vulnerable and critical worker children
Special schools
Return to school encouraged
Continue at school
Continue at school
Alternative Provision (Pupil Referral Units)
Return to school
Continue at school
Continue at school
Primary schools
Closed for all years from Reception to Year 6, except for vulnerable and critical worker children. Remote education for other children.
Closed for all years from Reception to Year 6, except for vulnerable and critical worker children. Remote education for other children.
Not yet known – government announcement the week before
Nursery classes in Primary schools
Check with the school.
Check with the school
Check with the school
Nursery schools / Settings
Return to school / PVI (private nurseries)
Continue at school / PVI
Continue at school / PVI
Secondary schools – Years 11 and 13
Closed except for vulnerable and critical worker children. Remote education for other children.
Return to school for Years 11 and 13. Also open for vulnerable and critical worker children. Remote education for other children.
Open for all children, subject to any government announcements
Secondary schools – Years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12
Closed except for vulnerable and critical worker children. Remote education for other children.
Closed except for vulnerable and critical worker children and students in years 11 and 13. Remote education for other children.
Return to school subject to any government announcements
Vulnerable children and children of critical workers
All schools will be open from the start of term for vulnerable children and children of critical workers who require a full-time school place for their child. It is expected that all vulnerable children will attend school. Please contact your school about arrangements for attendance if your child is vulnerable or you are a critical worker and require a place for your child.
Vulnerable pupils are:
assessed as being in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989, including children and young people who have a child in need plan, a child protection plan or who are a looked-after child
have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
have been identified as otherwise vulnerable by educational providers or local authorities (including children’s social care services), and who could therefore benefit from continued full-time attendance. This might include:
children and young people on the edge of receiving support from children’s social care services or in the process of being referred to children’s services
adopted children or children on a special guardianship order
those at risk of becoming NEET (‘not in employment, education or training’)
those living in temporary accommodation
those who are young carers
those who may have difficulty engaging with remote education at home (for example, due to a lack of devices or quiet space to study)
care leavers
other children and young people at the provider and local authority’s discretion including pupils who need to attend to receive support or manage risks to their mental health
Children of critical workers:
Guidance on who qualifies as a critical worker and which children are regarded as vulnerable can be found here External link.
Primary schools
Barnet’s primary schools will provide remote education for the first two weeks of January, except for children of critical workers and vulnerable children who can attend school in person. Please check your school’s website for information about this. The DfE will review the arrangements in the week before 18 January.
Secondary schools
Barnet’s secondary schools will provide remote education 4 – 8 January, except for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children. Pupils in Years 11 and 13 will return in person to school from 11 January. All other years will return in person from 18 January. Please check your school’s website for information about this. The DfE will review the arrangements in the week before 18 January.
Special schools and Alternative Provision (PRUs)
All special schools and PRUs should open for all pupils, as planned, from the start of term.
Early years settings
Early years settings are expected to remain open for all children, but primary schools with nursery classes will decide whether their nursery classes will open from the start of term or later when the schools open for all pupils. Please check with your school or setting.
Return dates for schools in neighbouring local authorities
Parents/carers of children resident in Barnet who attend school in another local authority area should check with their school when they will be open for which children. All schools should be open for all vulnerable and critical workers’ children from the start of term, as should all special schools and Alternative Provision.
Secondary school opening should be the same as for Barnet schools.
Primary schools that are not in ‘Contingency Framework’ local authorities are expected to be open from the start of term. Currently, that includes Harrow, Haringey, Camden and Islington.
Check Annex A of the DfE’s ‘Contingency Framework’ Implementation guidance for the list of local authorities facing the same restrictions on school opening as Barnet External link.
Extra support for parents and guardians
We know that this is an extremely difficult and stressful time for parents and carers and for their children. If you’re in need of extra support – whether it’s financial, feeding your family, or for the mental health of you or someone in your family – our Directory of Family Support- can point you to the help available.
Our Barnet Learning and Wellbeing Hub External link also provides great home learning content for parents and children, including fun educational videos and e-books.
