To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the mental health of pupils of their update to the guidance on remote education expectations advising that teachers should check in on self-isolating pupils on a weekly, rather than a daily, basis.
Answered on
21 December 2020
The government has reviewed remote education guidance and published updated expectations to provide further clarity for schools, colleges, parents and pupils.
Where a class, group or a small number of pupils need to self-isolate, or local restrictions require pupils to remain at home, we expect schools to have the capacity to offer immediate remote education.
Primary schools are expected to provide a minimum of three hours a day of remote education on average across the school cohort, with secondary schools expected to provide at least four hours worth per day for pupils. The number of hours set has been carefully considered and was informed by the department’s work with schools.
Schools will be expected to check and provide feedback on pupils’ work at least weekly. Schools will also be expected to have systems for checking, at least weekly, whether pupils are engaging with their work, and inform parents immediately where engagement is a concern.
In the spring term, the department will also ask schools to set out details of their remote provision on their websites, so that parents can better understand their school’s remote education offer.