Correspondence

ESFA Update local authorities: 24 June 2020

Published 24 June 2020

This correspondence was withdrawn on 29 December 2021

This has been withdrawn as it’s out of date. Read the latest editions of ESFA Update for up to date news and information.

Applies to England

1. Latest information on coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Department for Education has published guidance about COVID-19 in educational settings for staff, parents and carers, pupils and students on GOV.UK.

Please check GOV.UK regularly for updates.

2. Action: coronavirus (COVID-19) schools fund claim

We’ve published the claim form for schools and academies to claim exceptional costs relating to coronavirus (COVID-19). Please read the instructions and video on completing the form

3. Information: schools forum meetings

The Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012 have been amended so that schools forums can meet remotely until 31 March 2021 because of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. That means that schools forums can, but are not limited to, meet by telephone conferencing, video conferencing, live webcast, or live interactive streaming.

We understand that meetings may have been arranged and then cancelled because of the public health guidance following the outbreak of Covid-19 but we would remind local authorities that The Schools Forums (England) Regulations 2012 require that schools forums meet at least 4 times a year. We would therefore be grateful if local authorities can publish the accessibility details to the meetings and the meeting dates on their schools forum webpage, as these are public meetings.

We have updated the published schools forum operational and good practice guide, to reflect this change.

4. Information: pupil premium allocations for 2020 to 2021

We have published pupil premium allocations for 2020 to 2021 financial year.

5. Information: guidance for schools post Reading terrorist attack, 20 June 2020

Following the terror attack that took place on Saturday 20 June 2020 in Reading, the following guidance and advice may be of assistance should any schools in your local area be seeking support in the aftermath of the incident.

5.1 Support

The Home Office’s Victims of Terrorism Unit website, includes access to support services, including mental health and other medical services.

5.2 Resources

Whether or not any schools in your local area were directly affected, students may have concerns over news coverage and online footage. The following online resources may be of specific assistance to educators (safeguarding leads and teachers) with discussions about terrorist attacks:

• The PSHE Association Frameworks: Primary and Secondary resources
• Educate Against Hate
• NSPCC

The following online resources may be of specific assistance to parents and children with discussions about terrorist attacks:

• LGfL: Talking to Children about terrorism (for parents)
• NSPCC: How should you talk to children about terrorism? (for parents)
• Childline: Worries about the world page (for children)

Additional Support

If schools have specific concerns relating to extremism in an education setting or require further support not covered by the services listed above, they can email counter.extremism@education.gov.uk.