Gov.uk Update: 29 November – Coronavirus – Update to all early years, children’s social care, schools and further education providers

FAO: All Schools / All Phases

Updated guidance to reflect new measures announced on Sunday 28 November

On Saturday 27 November, the Prime Minister announced new temporary measures following the emergence of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the UK.

On Sunday 28 November, the Department for Education announced the measures as they apply to education and childcare.

We have updated the information on contact tracing and isolation, travel and quarantine, face coverings and vaccination of under 18 year olds in the following guidance to reflect the new measures:

schools COVID-19 operational guidance actions for early years and childcare providers during the COVID-19 pandemic further education COVID-19 operational guidance higher education COVID-19 operational guidance

Guidance for other settings will be updated shortly.

Plans for COVID-19 testing in education and childcare settings over the holidays and on return in January

In Friday’s email, we updated you with the plans for COVID-19 testing in education and childcare settings over the holidays and on return in January.

As a reminder, we have asked all secondary schools to prepare to test their pupils once on-site on return in January. After this test on return, pupils should continue to test in line with government guidelines.

Further education and higher education students, and staff in all education and childcare settings, should take one self-test at home either the evening or morning before they return in January. They should then continue to test in line with government guidelines.

To enable testing on return in January, you will need to order sufficient test kits by Tuesday 30 November.

Please check your test kit stock levels and make an order of test kits so that both staff and students are able to test over the holiday period if required, and for the first week of January. Please complete this stock-take form and ensure your stock is in date.

Department for Education COVID-19 helpline

The Department for Education COVID-19 helpline and the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) Advice Service, (formally the Public Health England (PHE) Advice Service) are available to answer any questions you have about COVID-19 relating to education and childcare settings and children’s social care.

Department for Education guidance

Our guidance to support education and childcare providers, local authorities and parents during the COVID-19 pandemic can be accessed using the links below:

Guidance for early years and childcare providers Guidance for schools Guidance for further and higher education providers Guidance for local authority children’s services Guidance for special schools and other specialist settings Guidance for parents and carers

Last Updated: : 30 November 2021