The Welsh Government’s Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, announced earlier this week schools in Wales would be closing at the end of today (20 March) as part of the latest effort to tackle Coronavirus in Wales.
Here she will seek to allay the concerns of parents and offer advice about where they can seek further information. The Minister will also be answering your questions during a webchat on Mumsnet between 12.30pm-1pm on Monday next week.
We know each government in the UK is offering support and advice in these trying times, but we are doing everything in our powers to help councils and schools identify key workers and help them with childcare in every way we can in Wales.
The situation is evolving every day, but here our latest answers to common questions. You can also check out our FAQ for further information.
Q When are schools in Wales closing?
Schools across Wales will close for the statutory provision of education by 20 March 2020. We are working quickly to repurpose our schools so that, from Monday, they are open to support our most vulnerable children and the children of workers involved in the immediate response to the outbreak.
Education Minister Kirsty Williams’ statement is available here.
Q Why are schools closing?
We are acting on a change of expert advice and increasing numbers of staff who are self-isolating.
Q What about A Level, GCSE and other summer exams?
We have had to take the decision to cancel exams for summer 2020 given that there can be no guarantee for when exam centres will be able to re-open and conduct exams safely and securely. The respective governments for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland have made the same decision with their summer exams
Q What about exam results?
We are working with Qualification Wales, WJEC and fellow UK regulators to ensure that learners due to sit their A levels will be awarded a fair grade to recognise all their hard work. Grades for GCSE and A level qualifications in 2020 will be calculated using a range of evidence. They will be based on a combination of factors including marks for work completed to date, for example AS results for A level grades, and teacher assessed grades.
We will not be using the results to publish performance measure outcomes in 2020
Q When will schools open again?
We cannot assume schools will re-open for normal classes after the Easter break – this situation is being kept under constant review.
From Monday, schools will have a new purpose. They will help support those most in need, including people involved in the immediate response to the coronavirus outbreak. We are working across government and with local government to develop and finalise these plans.
The key areas we are looking at are supporting and safeguarding the vulnerable and ensuring continuity of learning. We are looking in detail at how we can support and safeguard all those who benefit from free school meals and children with additional learning needs.
Distance learning is available through Hwb
Further information will be made available as soon as possible.
Q What will happen to schools next week?
We expect that Head Teachers will be in school next week and school staff should expect to continue to work, having regard to the latest advice on social distancing and self-isolation. We expect Local Authorities to use their powers to direct activity in schools and make best use of the resources available.
Q What is happening to childcare settings?
Given the latest scientific advice, we are recommending that all children are cared for at home wherever possible. It is imperative that, as far as possible, we minimise social contact. This means if children can stay safely in their home, they should, to limit the chance of the virus spreading. Quite simply the fewer people having social contact, the more effective the overall impact of the current measures will be.
We are recommending that childcare settings remain open to ensure there is care available for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children where they can. We understand that some may be unable to do so especially if they are experiencing severe staff shortages. We will work with local areas to use neighbouring schools, colleges and childcare providers to continue to support vulnerable children and children of critical workers.
Q But will childcare settings still be supported financially if the number of children attending falls?
Welsh Ministers have agreed if a setting is closed on medical advice or if children are not able to attend due to Covid-19, existing government funding will still be made available. This will include funding for the childcare offer for Wales.
This funding will also continue where staffing numbers fall to a level that the setting is no longer safe to operate.
Welsh Ministers also expect local authorities to maintain payments for childcare provided under Flying Start and for the provision of early education.
The childcare offer for Wales provides 30 hours a week of government-funded early education (FPN) and childcare for eligible working parents of three to four-year-olds, for up to 48 weeks of the year. This is available throughout Wales.
Childcare settings that do not currently have government-funded places should also be eligible for assistance under the wider packages of support for businesses being put in place across Wales and the UK.
Q Will childcare setting receive any financial support if they needs to close as a result of advice from Public Health Wales or the Welsh Government due to Coronavirus?
The Welsh Government has confirmed that it will continue to pay for hours of childcare booked under our Childcare Offer.
We will pay for booked hours where a child is unable to attend due to sickness or needing to isolate. We will also pay for booked hours where a setting is required to close by the Welsh Government or following advice from the Chief Medical Officer or Public Health Wales. We are working with local authorities regarding funding for Flying Start and early education provided through Foundation Phase Nursery.
Q How are you working with local authorities about what schools provide?
Our priorities for ongoing provision in schools, which we would like Local Authorities and Head Teacher to focus on, are:
For learners eligible for free school meals, putting in place short term measures to ensure their needs can be met in a flexible way
Securing appropriate provision for vulnerable learners
Identifying children of people involved in the immediate response to the coronavirus outbreak and making provision available
Q What plans are in place for children who normally get free school meals?
We are working closely with schools and local authorities across Wales to make sure eligible pupils have continued access to free school meals. For next week, local authorities are making arrangements – they will naturally vary based on local needs, but may be a mix of ‘pick up and go’ from schools or food delivered to home or community locations. Please check with your local school and/or local authority. We are developing a Wales-wide approach to provide support through vouchers and we are working with the Governments in Scotland and England on this. Further details will be available soon.
Sources of general guidance
Welsh Government coronavirus website
Welsh Government guidance for educational settings
Welsh Government FAQ about school closures
Covid-19: travel guidance for the education sector
Guidance on social distancing
Public Health England and Public Health Wales websites
Qualifications Wales website
Qualification Wales latest statement on exam results
WJEC statement
Follow us on Twitter or Facebook. Sign up to Dysg.
Note from MNHQ: We are working on getting updates on education for parents in other parts of the UK.
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
MNHQ have commented on this thread
Guest posts
Guest post: What you need to know about education response in Wales to Covid-19
18 replies
BojanaMumsnet · 20/03/2020 18:16
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.