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Government issues new social distancing advice for preventing coronavirus spread in schools

Governance and management Legislation and guidance Government policy Whole-school issues Senior leadership Staff wellbeing Pupil wellbeing Coronavirus
Staggering lunch times, preventing parents from gathering at the school gate, and protecting vulnerable staff members are among the social distancing actions schools are being asked to take as they remain open for a minority of pupils.

Guidance on implementing social distancing and limiting the spread of coronavrius in schools has been published by the Department for Education after pressure from trade unions (DfE/PHE, 2020).

It covers vulnerable members of staff, social distancing measures schools can practically take, and the role of parents. The guidance is to be continually updated as more information becomes available.

It comes after the DfE issued general guidance to schools on Sunday (March 22) for how they are expected to operate during the coronavirus pandemic (DfE, 2020; Headteacher Update, 2020).

Since Monday (March 23), UK schools have only been open for the children of key workers, for young people who are vulnerable, and for students with Education, Health and Care Plans (ECHPs).

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