The ISC is working closely with all of its member associations and the Boarding Schools' Association (BSA) to provide schools with advice and guidance in relation to coronavirus (COVID-19). However, please note that neither the ISC nor the other associations referenced are medical, statutory or legal authorities and advice must be read in that context.

Government guidance on school restrictions during lockdowns

The Government has published details on steps schools may be asked to take in the event of local coronavirus lockdowns. The intention is to keep schools open as much as possible, with other local measures taken before any school restrictions are imposed. The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, said: "Changes to school attendance will only ever be an absolute last resort."

The Department of Health has published an updated contain framework setting out how national and local decision-makers will work together to manage local outbreaks and the series of measures that could be taken. Annex 3 of the guidance sets out a four tier system of school restrictions – with the guidance saying: "In the exceptional circumstances where some level of restriction to education or childcare is required in a local area, local and national partners will carefully consider which of the tiers is the most appropriate one to implement."

The tiers are:

• Tier 1 – The default position for areas in national government intervention is that education and childcare settings will remain open. Therefore, under Tier 1 schools remain open, the only difference being that face coverings should be worn by staff and pupils in corridors and communal areas in settings where pupils in Year 7 and above are educated.
• Tier 2 – Early years settings, primary schools and special schools will continue to allow all children to attend on-site. Secondary schools move to a rota model, combining on-site provision with remote education, while allowing full-time attendance on-site to vulnerable children and young people and the children of critical workers. Further details on rotas are provided below.
• Tier 3 - Early years settings, primary schools and special schools will continue to allow all children to attend on-site. Secondary schools would allow full-time on-site provision only to vulnerable children, the children of critical workers and selected year groups (to be identified by the Department for Education). Other pupils should not attend on-site. Remote education to be provided for all other pupils.
• Tier 4 – Early years settings and schools closed, except for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other pupils should not attend on-site and should receive remote education. Special schools will remain open for all pupils.

In addition, the DfE has published separate guidance for secondary schools on implementing rota systems under Tier 2 restrictions. The rota systems are intended to limit the number of pupils on-site and ensure pupils spend sufficient time off-site to allow any potential Covid-19 symptoms to develop. Key elements of the guidance are:

• Schools should ideally operate a rota system that means pupils spend two weeks on-site followed by two weeks at home (so, 10 days on-site, with a weekend in between, followed by 16 days at home, or in their boarding house for pupils in residential settings who cannot return home).
• Schools can choose to operate a one week rota (so, five days on-site, followed by nine days at home) if this is necessary for the effective delivery of the curriculum. This should still allow time for symptoms to present in the vast majority of cases.
• It is for schools to decide how best to split their pupils into two distinct rota groups, however it is suggested that "rota groups should consist of 'bubbles' that avoid mixing with one another".
• Different rota groups can use the same classrooms and facilities.
• For middle schools with some primary year groups and some secondary year groups, the primary year groups should be attending full-time during a Tier 2 intervention and avoid mixing with the secondary year groups operating a rota system.

Physical activity in schools

Government guidance has been updated - see 'physical activity in schools'.

ISC coronavirus FAQs

There is a coronavirus FAQs page for schools on the Member Zone of the ISC website (login required), which is updated regularly.