The remote education temporary continuity direction is still in place and applies from the start of the academic year 2021 to 2022. It extends the requirement on schools to provide high-quality remote education across the academic year for pupils when they cannot attend school due to COVID-19.
The Schools COVID-19 operational guidance, updated 24 February 2022, informed schools that they should continue to ‘maintain your capacity to deliver high-quality remote education for the next academic year, including for pupils who are abroad, and facing challenges to return due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, for the period they are abroad’.
The remote education provided should be equivalent in length to the core teaching pupils would receive in school.
Get Help with Remote Education provides a one-stop-shop for teachers and leaders, signposting the support available. Senior leadership teams and governors will want to assure themselves that their remote education offer meets the expectations in this guidance by reviewing and self-assessing their current practice.
Publishing information about remote education
Since 25 January 2021, schools have been expected to publish information about their remote education provision on their school website and can use the DfE’s optional template.
Get help with technology
Get help with technology during COVID-19 provides guidance on the devices and support available to provide remote education. It includes information on:
- ordering laptops and tablets
- repairing or replacing faulty devices
- resetting devices
- device ownership
- helping children, families and young people using the devices received
- support and funding for internet access
- funded training and support to set up and use technology effectively
Laptops, tablets and 4G wireless routers
‘Restricted’ Windows devices provided through the Get help with technology programme came with security software. The licenses were due to expire on Thursday 30 September 2021, but they have been extended until 30 September 2022. Schools will need to reset these laptops, tablets and routers and apply your own safeguarding settings as soon as possible.
You do not need to reset devices provided by the Get help with technology programme from October 2021 onwards. You do not need to reset ‘Standard’ Windows devices, Chromebooks or iPads.
As always, it’s your responsibility to safeguard children and young people in your care. If you have any questions or encounter issues during the reset process, please contact the DfE Get Help with Technology team.
Support for remote education
The DfE has published a remote education good practice document to support school leaders in developing their remote education contingency plans. The DfE has also published a remote education framework to help schools identify strengths and areas for improvement in provision. This is not statutory and schools can amend and adapt it. Ofsted has published a guide on what is working well in remote education.
Ofsted has also published information on how remote education is working for children and young people with SEND.
Ofsted’s video about remote education and what is working for children and young people with SEND is now available to watch.
Support for remote education continues to be available through Oak National Academy.
The EEF has created a Rapid Evidence Assessment. It examines existing research into approaches to support remote learning and offers suggestions about things to consider when planning and implementing strategies.
Information to support parents and carers of children learning at home
The DfE has updated the following pages: supporting your children’s remote education during COVID-19. Additional resources and links have been added along with a new section that explains what parents should expect of remote education.
Safeguarding and remote education
The DfE’s safeguarding and remote education guidance is about safeguarding in the context of remote learning and home education. This should be read in conjunction with existing safeguarding guidance (as explained above). The guidance is designed to help school staff towards ensuring safe education at home. Schools should of course remember to include online safety in their ongoing communications with parents and carers. The guidance covers:
- safeguarding pupils and teachers online
- reporting concerns
- communicating with parents
- carers and pupils
- virtual lessons and live streaming
- providing pastoral care remotely
- personal data and GDPR
Harmful online challenges and online hoaxes has been provided by the DfE in collaboration with partners in the UK Council for Internet Safety’s Education subgroup and the Samaritans. It’s intended to provide advice to support your school’s approach to tackling harmful online challenges and online hoaxes, whilst keeping children safe online.
The UK Council for Internet Safety’s Education subgroup, in consultation with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, have also recently updated guidance for education settings working with children and young people. The guidance provides advice on responding to incidents and safeguarding children where nudes and semi-nudes are shared, including images, videos or live streams online.
In addition, the DfE have added extra resources to Coronavirus (COVID-19): keeping children safe online. This is the advice for parents and carers about how to keep children safe from online harm.
Keeping children safe online remains a high priority for all of us.