DfE Update to all education and childcare settings and providers - 29 March 2022

This is your email to keep you updated on key education issues. If you have colleagues who would like to receive this email directly, please ask them to use this subscription form.

Today’s email includes:

Update on the schools white paper

This week the DfE has published the schools white paper – opportunity for all: strong schools with great teachers for your child. This sets out the department’s long-term vision for a school system that helps every child to fulfill their potential, by ensuring that they receive the right support, in the right place, at the right time.

This rests on four pillars of delivery:

Read more about the schools white paper and its ambitions in the Teacher Bulletin email that was sent on Monday 28 March.

Update on the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and alternative provision green paper

This week, the DfE launched its green paper on SEND and alternative provision – right support, right place, right time.

This follows the SEND review, which was launched in acknowledgement that the system was failing to deliver improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND or alternative provision.

The green paper is focused on delivering improved outcomes for children and young people with SEND, or who need alternative provision, building confidence and improving experiences, within a financially sustainable system. It proposes a number of reforms, including:

Read more about the SEND and alternative provision green paper and its ambitions in the Teacher Bulletin email that was sent on Tuesday 29 March.

Visit the SEND campaign website to find a range of information and graphics setting out key proposals from the green paper. There are also details of webinars where you can find out more about the SEND consultation.

An update for schools on children and young people arriving under the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine

All children and young people arriving under the Ukraine Family Scheme and Homes for Ukraine, will have the right to access state education whilst in the UK. We believe that the best place for all children to be educated is in schools. Local authorities will work with families to enable all children to attend school in the local area as soon as possible, even if these places are not in the immediate vicinity of their accommodation. We understand the challenge of finding suitable school places for new arrivals and will work with local authorities where helpful, to make this as smooth as possible.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has published guidance for local authorities regarding the Homes for Ukraine scheme, as well as a frequently asked questions resource. We also have a dedicated team at DfE working on support for children and young people arriving from Ukraine. If you have any further questions, please contact the team by email.

Education and Skills Funding Agency adult education budget (AEB) funding and performance management rules 2021/22 Ukrainian visa schemes

All Ukrainian adults and their family members supported through the Ukraine Family Scheme and Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme are immediately eligible for further education 19+ funding, and are exempt from the 3 year residency requirement, in line with the current AEB funding rules.

Individuals applying for these schemes from outside the UK, will receive an official permission letter from the Home Office, confirming that they can travel to the UK. When they arrive with the permission letter, the UK Border Force officers will endorse their passport with a 6 month entry stamp. The 6 month entry stamp will be evidence of their right to work, study and claim benefits in the UK. Within 6 months of their arrival in the UK, they will be required to submit their biometrics to extend their stay for up to 3 years, and will be issued a biometric residence permit, as evidence of their immigration status.

Individuals applying from inside the UK, will need to book and attend an appointment at the UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services service point, where they will need to give their biometric information to get a biometric residence permit.

If you have any questions, please contact us using our enquiry form.

Information for all education and childcare settings on gas and electricity contracts

We provided information in last week’s email about energy prices.

Cabinet Office has issued further advice for public bodies with contracts with suppliers from Russia and Belarus. This advises you to:

You should seek advice from an energy expert or a relevant public sector buying organisation before taking action to terminate an existing energy supply contract. In addition to talking to your current provider or a relevant public sector buying organisation, schools can also visit get help buying for schools for commercial and procurement advice. Legal advice should be sought through your setting’s usual channels.

Update on COVID-19 vaccination for 5 to 11 year olds and 12 to 15 year olds

Thank you for your work to support the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccination programme for 12 to 15 year olds in schools.

The in-school COVID-19 vaccination programme will end on Friday 1 April. 12 to 15 year olds will still be able to access the vaccine outside of school, at a vaccination centre, pharmacy or walk-in centre.

Healthy 5 to 11 year olds will be offered the COVID-19 vaccine from the beginning of April. Vaccinations will take place outside of school, in vaccination centres, pharmacies, GP surgeries and walk-in centres. Parents of 5 to 11 year olds will receive a letter from the NHS with further information on the vaccine.

For 5 to 11 year old and 12 to 15 year old vaccinations, please signpost parents to where they can book COVID-19 vaccination appointments online, at a vaccination centre or pharmacy, or find a walk-in COVID-19 vaccination site without needing an appointment. Appointments and walk-ins can be accessed for 12 to 15 year olds now, and bookings will open up for 5 to 11 year olds from the beginning of April.

Some schools have received campaign letters and emails with misinformation about the vaccine programme. Please notify your regional DfE team of any anti-vaccination activity. Schools are advised to ensure they only share information from trusted sources, if in any doubt please check authenticity before sharing, and do not engage directly with misinformation.

Webinars for schools on attendance best practice

School attendance best practice webinars are now underway. This series focuses on how a range of schools across the country have maintained or improved their attendance levels, and the approaches they have taken.

Details on our upcoming webinars and how to register are below:

The series of effective practice attendance webinars will continue after the Easter holidays. All webinars will be recorded and shared as part of our improving attendance good practice for schools and multi-academy trusts.

The information below has not changed since our last update

Department for Education COVID-19 helpline

The Department for Education COVID-19 helpline is 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: