Remote Education: Coronavirus

(asked on 24th September 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if his Department will make support available for children who are unable to study effectively at home outside of ordinary school hours during the covid-19 outbreak.


Answered by
Nick Gibb Portrait
Nick Gibb
This question was answered on 2nd October 2020

The Department is committed to the continuation of high quality education for all pupils during this difficult time.

Where a pupil is unable to attend school because they are complying with clinical and/or public health advice, we expect schools to be able to offer them access to remote education immediately. The Department has asked schools to monitor engagement with this activity, which should align as closely as possible with in-school provision. The Department expects all schools to have had remote education contingency plans in place since the end of September at the latest. On 2 July, the Department published guidance for the opening of schools, including 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 provided a range of resources to support schools in delivering remote education. This includes examples of teaching practice during COVID-19, which provides an opportunity for schools to learn from each other’s approaches to remote education. More information is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/remote-education-practice-for-schools-during-coronavirus-covid-19.

The Department has also worked with sector led initiatives such as Oak National Academy. The Department has made £4.84 million available for Oak National Academy, both for the summer term of the academic year 2019-20 and then for the 2020-21 academic year, to provide free and optional video lessons for reception up to year 11. It provides lessons across a broad range of subjects and includes specialist content for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Reticulating Splines