Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what steps he is taking to ensure that class rooms will be kept at sufficiently warm levels in winter months while simultaneously being effectively ventilated to prevent the spread of covid-19.

The Government has been clear that our plan is for all pupils, in all year groups, to return to school full-time from the beginning of the autumn term and on 2 July we published guidance to help schools prepare for this. The guidance can be viewed at:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools.

This guidance advises schools to ensure there is good ventilation in classrooms and directs them to the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on air conditioning and ventilation during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Arrangements for ventilation will vary in each setting based on individual circumstances. As normal, schools will need to continue to ensure good ventilation during the winter heating period.