Guidance Maintaining education and skills training provision: further education providers
Data collection and recording
Breaks in learning
ESFA funded AEB and advanced learner loans (including bursary fund) funding
rules for 2019 to 2020 already make provision for ‘breaks in learning’ for a
range of circumstances.
You and the learner can agree to suspend learning while the learner takes a
break. This allows the learner to continue later with the same eligibility
that applied when they first started their learning.
We are extending the current breaks in learning rules for ESFA funded AEB and
advanced learner loans to:

allow a break in learning at the learner’s request where a learner is self-isolating, or caring for others affected by coronavirus (COVID-19) and is unable to continue by distance learning and/or an online offer
allow a break in learning to be recorded where a provider is unable to deliver because of the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on their own business and there is no possible delivery by distance and/or online learning

Where some learning aims have been delivered, this should be evidenced in the
usual way. However, where a break in learning is now beginning or expected,
providers should include these learners in their individualised learner record
(ILR) submission and record breaks in learning as starting on the date of the
last learning activity for the aim. It is likely that these aims will have
been suspended knowing that it will be reviewed at stages over the coming
months. Under no circumstances should the current planned end date be changed.
To record breaks in learning for coronavirus (COVID-19) reasons, providers
should:

include these learners in their ILR submissions
record, retain and submit evidence in the usual way
record a break in learning in their ILR submission
ensure that the affected learners are not recorded as permanently withdrawn from their learning, by entering the ‘completion status’ field of the ILR as ‘6’, denoting that the learner has temporarily withdrawn from learning due to an agreed break in learning as a direct impact of COVID-19

Further information on data collection is included in reducing burdens on
educational and care
settings.
[ESFA]: Education Skills Funding Agency
  [AEB]: adult education budget
  *[ILR]: individualised learner record


Guidance Maintaining education and skills training provision: further education providers
Residential providers
We are expecting residential further education providers to keep their
residential provision open where necessary, and decisions will have to happen
on a case by case basis. It is especially important that residential providers
remain open to those who have particular needs that cannot be accommodated
safely at home, and those who do not have suitable alternative accommodation.
In collaboration with Public Health England and Department of Health and
Social Care (DHSC), we have produced guidance on isolation for residential
educational settings,
including further education providers with residential accommodation and
residential special colleges. This contains advice on managing the setting in
the case of self-isolation or infection.


Guidance Maintaining education and skills training provision: further education providers
Broader support to the community
Further education providers are major community institutions and have greater
capacity and organisational resilience than smaller schools.
We know a number of colleges have already taken steps to support vulnerable
learners, or the children of critical workers who can’t be supported
elsewhere.
This is a hugely valuable contribution; colleges have a vital role to play in
holding communities together and supporting our broader national response to
coronavirus (COVID-19).
Remember that, if your organisation is a charity, any help you provide for the
national effort must be consistent with your organisation’s charitable
purposes. If your organisation is a registered charity, see the Charity
Commission guidance on how charities can help while keeping within their
objects.
FE and sixth form college corporations which are helping the national effort
in ways other than education, such as giving surplus food to a food bank or
allowing key workers to use unoccupied student accommodation, are to be
applauded for contributing in this way. Governors must be satisfied that such
assistance is in their corporation’s interests, and does not create additional
risk or significant one-off or ongoing costs to the corporation, and should
record the basis for their decision.
*[FE]: further education


Guidance Maintaining education and skills training provision: further education providers
Traineeship flexibilities
The current coronavirus (COVID-19) situation means that many trainees are not
able to carry out the work placement element of the programme due to social
distancing measures and employers being closed or having ‘work at home’
arrangements that are not suitable for trainees.
We want to enable providers to continue to deliver where possible given
traineeships will play an important part in re-engaging and supporting young
people to get back into learning and work following the coronavirus (COVID-19)
outbreak.
Where flexibilities are used, providers should record this and retain it as
evidence for audit purposes.
New trainees can start programmes during this period with programme aims
adjusted in line with these flexibilities.


Guidance Maintaining education and skills training provision: further education providers
Traineeship flexibilities
Extended programme duration up to 12 months
It is our priority to enable providers to support learners to continue with
their learning online during this period, until trainees are able to complete
their traineeship.
During this period, providers can extend the traineeship programme duration up
to 12 months where one or more of the following scenarios applies:

the learner has not completed their qualification and basic skills learning aims including employability, maths or English
the learner has completed less than 70 planned work experience hours
the provider has assessed the learner as needing further work placement hours to complete this element of their traineeship

This flexibility is offered on the basis that the trainee undertakes online or
alternative distance learning to complete other non-work experience learning
and/or alternative work experience learning part of the traineeship where
online learning is possible.
Where flexibilities are used, providers should record this and retain it as
evidence for audit purposes.
Providers delivering traineeships funded by ESFA AEB can also refer to section
‘5b Breaks in learning’ of this guidance for coronavirus (COVID-19) related
breaks in traineeship learning.
[ESFA]: Education Skills Funding Agency
  [AEB]: adult education budget


Guidance Maintaining education and skills training provision: further education providers
Specific advice for learners with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
Supporting young people in general FE colleges
Young people up to the age of 25 with EHC plans in colleges and other
providers should, like their peers, go back to college and other providers if
they are in the target year groups, and where medical advice suggests they are
not clinically extremely
vulnerable to coronavirus.
For all young people with EHC plans , we would encourage colleges, other
providers and local authorities to assure themselves that risk assessments
remain current (see SEND Risk Assessment
Guidance ). Colleges and other providers should encourage any
learners to return to education settings, if the provider judges that this
would be beneficial, for example where it is no longer sustainable for a
student to be at home week-round.
We encourage colleges and other providers to pay particular attention to
learners with EHC plans who are about to make a transition to another setting
or to adult life, including those starting or finishing a supported
internship. These learners may need some form of face to face transition, even
if they are not attending their usual place of education.
We recognise that as some young people with SEND, whether they have an EHC
plan or not, will need careful preparation for their return (for example,
social stories to help with the transition, or routes round the college marked
in Braille or with other meaningful symbols to maintain social distancing).
The increase in attendance for those with EHC plans in target year groups may
be gradual and take place over a period of time.
[EHC]: education, health and care
  [SEND]: special educational needs and disabilities


Guidance Maintaining education and skills training provision: further education providers
Supporting teachers to continue to deliver
Bringing more learners into FE settings will present new challenges to
colleges and other providers. They will want to refocus their teaching staff
to support learners to come back into the classroom where this is appropriate
and sustain the online offer that they have developed to continue ongoing
learning since the decision to close educational settings was taken. The
current proposals mean that a relatively small proportion of learners will
return to face to face learning in the first instance and online learning can
continue for the majority of learners.
We know that this move will cause concern for some teachers who are having to
shield or who have family members that are at risk. It is essential that in
all of their planning, colleges and other providers continue to implement PHE
advice on supporting those who are shielding or who are at risk. Teachers who
fall into these categories should continue to be supported to take appropriate
steps to protect themselves and their families including remaining at home
should they need to.
Colleges and other providers will be planning how they can best reintroduce
more learners into their premises alongside those vulnerable learners and
children of key workers who are already present on site. We know that there
will be aspects of provision that cause concern to teachers, for example, use
of limited space in classrooms or workshops for teaching or specific
assessments of learners’ competence. The guidance on social
distancing will help colleges and other providers to make
decisions about how to deploy teachers safely on their premises and to keep
them safe when they are delivering face to face teaching or undertaking
assessments that require practical demonstration.
We are confident that providers will be able to make this transition work for
their learners and staff, so that education can continue to be delivered in
the most effective and safe way. Specific guidance for educational
settings
on social distancing and use of personal protective equipment (PPE) will
continue to be updated and should be used alongside this advice. What is most
important is getting the balance right between the need for learners and
teachers to be present onsite and making the best use of online teaching and
learning. Any additional costs arising from increasing numbers of learners
will be funded from existing college budgets.
Colleges and other providers will also be seeking to recruit new teachers to
fill existing vacancies and support delivery in future. We know that this will
be a challenge in the current circumstances, particularly as teacher
recruitment often includes a demonstration of teaching in the classroom,
however we are confident that providers can find ways to recruit teachers
using online delivery and other assessment methods where appropriate.
Providers can still register for Round 3 of the Taking Teaching Further
programme which is intended to support the
recruitment of industry professionals to teaching roles in the FE sector. For
those seeking support to recruit English, maths or SEND teachers we are still
accepting applications for In-service ITE
grants of £18,200, which are available
directly from the department.
We have also provided advice to FE Initial Teacher Education providers to
mitigate the disruption to teacher training where possible and enable as many
new teachers as possible to complete their training where they have
demonstrated they have met the required standard. This will mean that there
will still be a cohort of newly qualified teachers able to take up employment
for the coming academic year.
Support from your provider associations
Provider associations are also offering information and links to resources via
their websites:

Association of Colleges (AoC) can offer support and advice with questions relating to business continuity at covid19@aoc.co.uk. AoC has also published guidance on governance
Association of Employment and Learning Providers (AELP) has collated guidance and support
Holex has produced a checklist for partially closing or closing an adult education centre
Natspec is updating a regular briefing page
Sixth Form Colleges Association (SFCA) has an online learning hub with resources that will be updated on a regular basis

[FE]: further education
  [PPE]: personal protective equipment
  [SEND]: special educational needs and disabilities
  [AoC]: Association of Colleges
  [AELP]: Association of Employment and Learning Providers
  [SFCA]: Sixth Form Colleges Association


Guidance Online English resources for home education
English: early years
Phonics
Evidence shows that learning phonics is most effective when children are
taught by following a single programme exclusively, rather than mixing them
up. If parents are to support their child’s phonics learning during school
closure, schools should try, as far as possible, to provide materials from the
same programme as they use in school.
The DfE’s validated phonics programmes, and their resources, are listed below.
Some schools will use programmes not on this list and should explore what
materials are available by visiting the website for that programme.
DfE’s validated phonics programmes are:
Bug Club Phonics
Website:
www.pearsonprimary.co.uk/BCPhonics
Access through ActiveLearn
Primary to Bug Club
Phonics e-books, activities, shared read aloud videos and resources.
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: following the Letters and Sounds programme, Bug Club Phonics
has e-books, teaching material and practice games
Registration: required for free access to Bug Club Phonics. Form available
for parents to register
Floppy’s Phonics (Oxford Reading Tree)
Websites:
www.oxfordprimary.co.uk/floppysphonicstp
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/ for phonic guidance and practise
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: online subscription enables schools to give pupils access to
materials to practise GPCs at home. Activities and advice for parents and
selected e-books available.
Registration: required for Oxford Owl for Home
Jolly Phonics
Website: www.jollylearning.co.uk
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read
Description: teaching videos covering key skills needed for reading and
writing. Access to guidance and a bank of activity sheets covering phonics,
grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Registration: not required
Letters and Sounds
Websites: www.gov.uk/government/publications/letters-and-
sounds - for
the handbook
Letters and Sounds for home and
school - filmed phonics lessons
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read.
Description: filmed phonics lessons that follow phases 2 to 5 of the
Letters and Sounds programme for reception, year 1 and learning to blend.
Parent guidance videos.
Registration: not required
Phonics International
Website: https://phonicsinternational.com - for home-learning resources
and recorded webinar for teachers
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2 to
adults learning to read.
Description: home learning resources include ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics
Skills’ and materials for reading, spelling and handwriting. The free series
of 8 e-books include 200+ cumulative, decodable sentences and texts.
Registration: not required for all open access material. Required to
download e-books ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’.
Read Write Inc.
Websites: www.ruthmiskin.com - filmed
phonics lessons
Oxford Owl Phonics -
e-books and activities
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read
Description: phonics, word reading and spelling video lessons on YouTube.
Phonics e-books, activities and advice from Oxford Owl
Registration: not required for filmed phonics lessons. Required for Oxford
Owl for Home to access e-books
Sound Discovery® Phonics
Websites: www.syntheticphonics.net
Rapid reading e-books and
resources
Key stages: nursery to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and key stage 3 pupils
learning to read.
Description: advice, activities, videos, lesson plans and sample pages for
reading, spelling and handwriting. Access to Rapid Phonics e-books and
resources.
Registration: not required for Sound Discovery® videos and sample pages.
Required for Pearson via school to access Rapid Phonics e-books.
Sounds-Write
Website: www.sounds-write.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and
key stage 3 pupils learning to read.
Description: online courses and videos for parents, IWB resources,
activity workbooks and games.
Registration: not required
Other providers
Audible
Website: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: all children’s audiobooks are available for free while
schools are closed.
Registration: not required
Authorfy
Website: https://authorfy.com
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: access to masterclasses on texts from a range of authors,
including videos from the authors and activities linked to novels.
Registration: is required
BookTrust
Website: https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/bookfinder/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, including fiction and non-fiction. Family activities are included
in the ‘Home Time’ section.
Registration: not required
Classroom Secrets
Website: https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/free-home-learning-packs/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource packs which cover a range of subjects,
including reading and writing.
Registration: not required
Literacy Counts
Website: https://literacycounts.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: free home learning packs for parents covering reading and
writing. A school offer is also available.
Registration: is required
Love Reading 4 Kids
Website: https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, covering fiction and non-fiction.
Registration: not required
Manorfield Primary School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEaSVZf7cZR1kNQkuIRoUg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics and reading
Registration: not required
Purple Mash
Website: https://2simple.com/purple-mash/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: free during the school closure period. Each week, a selection
of daily activities is produced on different subjects, including comprehension
and grammar.
Registration: is required
St. Peter’s School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM5pEwawjlZt69qmczAiQvg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics, reading, spelling,
punctuation and grammar
Registration: not required
Storytime with Nick
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDe74j1F52zQ51fqNpKV07E71knNl8HFn
Key stages: early years foundation stage and key stage 1
Description: films of well-loved stories read by Nick Cannon, a trained
actor, teacher and trainer available Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2pm.
Registration: not required
The Children’s Poetry Archive
Website: https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: an archive of spoken poetry recordings. Children can listen
to poems read out loud.
Registration: not required
*[DfE]: Department for Education


Guidance Online English resources for home education
English: key stage 1
Phonics
Evidence shows that learning phonics is most effective when children are
taught by following a single programme exclusively, rather than mixing them
up. If parents are to support their child’s phonics learning during school
closure, schools should try, as far as possible, to provide materials from the
same programme as they use in school.
The DfE’s validated phonics programmes, and their resources, are listed below.
Some schools will use programmes not on this list and should explore what
materials are available by visiting the website for that programme.
DfE’s validated phonics programmes are:
Bug Club Phonics
Website:
www.pearsonprimary.co.uk/BCPhonics
Access through ActiveLearn
Primary to Bug Club
Phonics e-books, activities, shared read aloud videos and resources.
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: following the Letters and Sounds programme, Bug Club Phonics
has e-books, teaching material and practice games
Registration: required for free access to Bug Club Phonics. Form available
for parents to register
Floppy’s Phonics (Oxford Reading Tree)
Websites:
www.oxfordprimary.co.uk/floppysphonicstp
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/ for phonic guidance and practise
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: online subscription enables schools to give pupils access to
materials to practise GPCs at home. Activities and advice for parents and
selected e-books available.
Registration: required for Oxford Owl for Home
Jolly Phonics
Website: www.jollylearning.co.uk
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read
Description: teaching videos covering key skills needed for reading and
writing. Access to guidance and a bank of activity sheets covering phonics,
grammar, spelling and punctuation.
Registration: not required
Letters and Sounds
Websites: www.gov.uk/government/publications/letters-and-
sounds - for
the handbook
Letters and Sounds for home and
school - filmed phonics lessons
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read.
Description: filmed phonics lessons that follow phases 2 to 5 of the
Letters and Sounds programme for reception, year 1 and learning to blend.
Parent guidance videos.
Registration: not required
Phonics International
Website: https://phonicsinternational.com - for home-learning resources
and recorded webinar for teachers
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2 to
adults learning to read.
Description: home learning resources include ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics
Skills’ and materials for reading, spelling and handwriting. The free series
of 8 e-books include 200+ cumulative, decodable sentences and texts.
Registration: not required for all open access material. Required to
download e-books ‘Alphabetic Code and Phonics Skills’.
Read Write Inc.
Websites: www.ruthmiskin.com - filmed
phonics lessons
Oxford Owl Phonics -
e-books and activities
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2
children learning to read
Description: phonics, word reading and spelling video lessons on YouTube.
Phonics e-books, activities and advice from Oxford Owl
Registration: not required for filmed phonics lessons. Required for Oxford
Owl for Home to access e-books
Sound Discovery® Phonics
Websites: www.syntheticphonics.net
Rapid reading e-books and
resources
Key stages: nursery to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and key stage 3 pupils
learning to read.
Description: advice, activities, videos, lesson plans and sample pages for
reading, spelling and handwriting. Access to Rapid Phonics e-books and
resources.
Registration: not required for Sound Discovery® videos and sample pages.
Required for Pearson via school to access Rapid Phonics e-books.
Sounds-Write
Website: www.sounds-write.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and
key stage 3 pupils learning to read.
Description: online courses and videos for parents, IWB resources,
activity workbooks and games.
Registration: not required
Other providers
Audible
Website: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: all children’s audiobooks are available for free while
schools are closed.
Registration: not required
Authorfy
Website: https://authorfy.com
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: access to masterclasses on texts from a range of authors,
including videos from the authors and activities linked to novels.
Registration: is required
BookTrust
Website: https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/bookfinder/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, including fiction and non-fiction. Family activities are included
in the ‘Home Time’ section.
Registration: not required
Classroom Secrets
Website: https://classroomsecrets.co.uk/free-home-learning-packs/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource packs which cover a range of subjects,
including reading and writing.
Registration: not required
Emile Education
Website: https://web.emile-education.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: game-based resources covering phonics, grammar and spelling.
Schools need to register and distribute log-ins to pupils.
Registration: is required
English Mastery
Website: https://www.englishmastery.org/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource books providing 8 weeks of activities.
Registration: not required
JMB Education
Website: https://www.jmbeducation.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: 3 months free access available to game-based resources
covering reading, writing and grammar
Registration: is required
Literacy Counts
Website: https://literacycounts.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: free home learning packs for parents covering reading and
writing. A school offer is also available.
Registration: is required
Literacy Shed
Website: https://www.literacyshedplus.com/en-gb/browse/free-resources
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource packs with tasks based on video clips
on YouTube.
Registration: not required
Love Reading 4 Kids
Website: https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, covering fiction and non-fiction.
Registration: not required
Manorfield Primary School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEaSVZf7cZR1kNQkuIRoUg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics and reading
Registration: not required
Pobble 365
Website: https://www.pobble365.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: a new image is published each day as a basis for creative
writing. Story starters, questions and drawing ideas are provided.
Registration: not required
Purple Mash
Website: https://2simple.com/purple-mash/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: free during the school closure period. Each week, a selection
of daily activities is produced on different subjects, including comprehension
and grammar.
Registration: is required
St. Peter’s School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM5pEwawjlZt69qmczAiQvg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics, reading, spelling,
punctuation and grammar
Registration: not required
Storytime with Nick
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDe74j1F52zQ51fqNpKV07E71knNl8HFn
Key stages: early years foundation stage and key stage 1
Description: films of well-loved stories read by Nick Cannon, a trained
actor, teacher and trainer available Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2pm.
Registration: not required
The Children’s Poetry Archive
Website: https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: an archive of spoken poetry recordings. Children can listen
to poems read out loud.
Registration: not required
The Day newsletter
Website: https://theday.co.uk/subscriptions/the-day-home
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: a daily newsletter for parents and carers at home with
children, helping to enrich learning with real-world knowledge and skills.
Registration: is required
*[DfE]: Department for Education


Guidance Online English resources for home education
English: key stage 5
Century Tech for Schools
Website:
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: courses and micro-lessons covering a range of topics.
Sections for schools, parents and carers and pupils
Registration: is required
Seneca
Website: https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a range of downloadable resources covering the GCSE
curriculum, categorised by examination board.
Registration: not required
The Day newsletter
Website: https://theday.co.uk/subscriptions/the-day-home
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a daily newsletter for parents and carers at home with
children, helping to enrich learning with real-world knowledge and skills.
Registration: is required
*[GCSE]: General Certificate of Secondary Education


Guidance Online English resources for home education
English
This list of English resources has been collected and assured with support
from English Hub schools and trusted teachers.
Reading is another activity that your child should be encouraged to do.
Reading, especially for primary age children, is critical to educational
development and something that families can do together.
Some publishers are making their catalogues available for free. Schools should
check what is available for the books used in their schools.


Guidance Online English resources for home education
English: key stage 2
Audible
Website: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: all children’s audiobooks are available for free while
schools are closed.
Registration: not required
Authorfy
Website: https://authorfy.com
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: access to masterclasses on texts from a range of authors,
including videos from the authors and activities linked to novels.
Registration: is required
BookTrust
Website: https://www.booktrust.org.uk/books-and-reading/bookfinder/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, including fiction and non-fiction. Family activities are included
in the ‘Home Time’ section.
Registration: not required
Bug Club Phonics
Website:
www.pearsonprimary.co.uk/BCPhonics
Access through ActiveLearn
Primary to Bug Club
Phonics e-books, activities, shared read aloud videos and resources.
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: following the Letters and Sounds programme, Bug Club Phonics
has e-books, teaching material and practice games
Registration: required for free access to Bug Club Phonics. Form available
for parents to register
Century Tech for Schools
Website: https://www.century.tech/
Key stages: key stage 2
Description: courses and micro-lessons covering a range of topics.
Sections for schools, parents and carers and pupils
Registration: is required
Elevenses with the World of David Walliams
Website: https://www.worldofdavidwalliams.com/elevenses/
Key stages: key stage 2
Description: one free audio book reading is available to listen to every
day.
Registration: not required
Emile Education
Website: https://web.emile-education.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: game-based resources covering phonics, grammar and spelling.
Schools need to register and distribute log-ins to pupils.
Registration: is required
English Mastery
Website: https://www.englishmastery.org/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource books providing 8 weeks of activities.
Registration: not required
Floppy’s Phonics (Oxford Reading Tree)
Websites:
www.oxfordprimary.co.uk/floppysphonicstp
https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/reading/ for phonic guidance and practise
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: online subscription enables schools to give pupils access to
materials to practise GPCs at home. Activities and advice for parents and
selected e-books available.
Registration: required for Oxford Owl for Home
JMB Education
Website: https://www.jmbeducation.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: 3 months free access available to game-based resources
covering reading, writing and grammar
Registration: is required
Literacy Counts
Website: https://literacycounts.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: free home learning packs for parents covering reading and
writing. A school offer is also available.
Registration: is required
Literacy Shed
Website: https://www.literacyshedplus.com/en-gb/browse/free-resources
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource packs with tasks based on video clips
on YouTube.
Registration: not required
Love Reading 4 Kids
Website: https://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a site with recommended booklists, categorised by age range
and topic, covering fiction and non-fiction.
Registration: not required
Manorfield Primary School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnEaSVZf7cZR1kNQkuIRoUg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics and reading
Registration: not required
Pobble 365
Website: https://www.pobble365.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: a new image is published each day as a basis for creative
writing. Story starters, questions and drawing ideas are provided.
Registration: not required
Poetry by Heart
Website: https://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/
Key stages: key stage 2
Description: a wide selection of poetry covering different topics
Registration: not required to view poems, but it is required to access
teaching resources.
Purple Mash
Website: https://2simple.com/purple-mash/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: free during the school closure period. Each week, a selection
of daily activities is produced on different subjects, including comprehension
and grammar.
Registration: is required
Sound Discovery® Phonics
Websites: www.syntheticphonics.net
Rapid reading e-books and
resources
Key stages: nursery to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and key stage 3 pupils
learning to read.
Description: advice, activities, videos, lesson plans and sample pages for
reading, spelling and handwriting. Access to Rapid Phonics e-books and
resources.
Registration: not required for Sound Discovery® videos and sample pages.
Required for Pearson via school to access Rapid Phonics e-books.
Sounds-Write
Website: www.sounds-write.co.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 1. Key stage 2 and
key stage 3 pupils learning to read.
Description: online courses and videos for parents, IWB resources,
activity workbooks and games.
Registration: not required
St. Peter’s School
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM5pEwawjlZt69qmczAiQvg/playlists
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: YouTube videos covering phonics, reading, spelling,
punctuation and grammar
Registration: not required
Storytime with Nick
Website:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDe74j1F52zQ51fqNpKV07E71knNl8HFn
Key stages: early years foundation stage and key stage 1
Description: films of well-loved stories read by Nick Cannon, a trained
actor, teacher and trainer available Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 2pm.
Registration: not required
The Children’s Poetry Archive
Website: https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: an archive of spoken poetry recordings. Children can listen
to poems read out loud.
Registration: not required
The Day newsletter
Website: https://theday.co.uk/subscriptions/the-day-home
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: a daily newsletter for parents and carers at home with
children, helping to enrich learning with real-world knowledge and skills.
Registration: is required


Guidance Online English resources for home education
English: key stage 4
Audible
Website: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: all children’s audiobooks are available for free while
schools are closed.
Registration: not required
Century Tech for Schools
Website:
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: courses and micro-lessons covering a range of topics.
Sections for schools, parents and carers and pupils
Registration: is required
English and Media Centre
Website: https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/publications/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: downloadable resources covering a range of texts for key
stage 3. GCSE resources are categorised by examination board.
Registration: not required
Pobble 365
Website: https://www.pobble365.com/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: a new image is published each day as a basis for creative
writing. Story starters, questions and drawing ideas are provided
Registration: not required
Poetry by Heart
Website: https://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: A wide selection of poetry covering different topics.
Registration: not required to view poems, but it is required to access
teaching resources.
Seneca
Website: https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a range of downloadable resources covering the GCSE
curriculum, categorised by examination board.
Registration: not required
The Children’s Poetry Archive
Website: https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: an archive of spoken poetry recordings. Pupils can listen to
poems being read aloud.
Registration: not required
The Day newsletter
Website: https://theday.co.uk/subscriptions/the-day-home
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a daily newsletter for parents and carers at home with
children, helping to enrich learning with real-world knowledge and skills.
Registration: is required
*[GCSE]: General Certificate of Secondary Education


Guidance Online English resources for home education
English: key stage 3
Audible
Website: https://stories.audible.com/start-listen
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: all children’s audiobooks are available for free while
schools are closed.
Registration: not required
Century Tech for Schools
Website:
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: courses and micro-lessons covering a range of topics.
Sections for schools, parents and carers and pupils
Registration: is required
English Mastery
Website: https://www.englishmastery.org/
Key stages: key stage 3
Description: downloadable resource books providing 12 weeks of activities
covering writing and poetry.
Registration: not required
English and Media Centre
Website: https://www.englishandmedia.co.uk/publications/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: downloadable resources covering a range of texts for key
stage 3. GCSE resources are categorised by examination board.
Registration: not required
Pobble 365
Website: https://www.pobble365.com/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: a new image is published each day as a basis for creative
writing. Story starters, questions and drawing ideas are provided
Registration: not required
Poetry by Heart
Website: https://www.poetrybyheart.org.uk/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: A wide selection of poetry covering different topics.
Registration: not required to view poems, but it is required to access
teaching resources.
Seneca
Website: https://senecalearning.com/en-GB/
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a range of downloadable resources covering the GCSE
curriculum, categorised by examination board.
Registration: not required
The Children’s Poetry Archive
Website: https://childrens.poetryarchive.org/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: an archive of spoken poetry recordings. Pupils can listen to
poems being read aloud.
Registration: not required
The Day newsletter
Website: https://theday.co.uk/subscriptions/the-day-home
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a daily newsletter for parents and carers at home with
children, helping to enrich learning with real-world knowledge and skills.
Registration: is required
*[GCSE]: General Certificate of Secondary Education


Guidance Online maths resources for home education
Maths: key stage 2
Century Tech for Schools
Website: https://www.century.tech/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: learning resources available for schools, parents and
guardians, and students.
Registration: is required
Effective Maths
Website: https://www.effectivemaths.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: teacher professional development resources as well as some
quizzes for children to complete at home.
Registration: not required
Hamilton Trust (home learning section)
Website: https://www.hamilton-trust.org.uk/blog/learning-home-packs/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource packs with teacher guidance. A week’s
worth of resources is provided for each year group.
Registration: not required
Maths Genie
Website: https://www.mathsgenie.co.uk/resources.html
Key stages: key stage 2 to key stage 5
Description: past papers and mark schemes for a range of key stages.
Registration: is required
Mathematics Mastery
Website: https://www.mathematicsmastery.org/free-resources
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable guidance and resource packs for parents and
pupils.
Registration: not required
Nrich
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 4
Description: a range of activities and articles aimed at students, parents
and guardians, and teachers, categorised into age groups.
Registration: not required
Oxford Owl
Website: https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: activities and support for learning at home.
Registration: not required
Pearson – The Maths Factor
Website: https://www.themathsfactor.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: games and daily sessions for parents and students to work
through at home.
Registration: not required
Top Marks
Website: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: a range of interactive maths games categorised by age group,
suitable for parents and students to work through.
Registration: not required
White Rose Maths (home learning)
Website: https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: presentations and downloadable workbooks which are easy to
use for parents. New material is being released each week.
Registration: not required


Guidance Online maths resources for home education
Maths: early years
Mathematics Mastery
Website: https://www.mathematicsmastery.org/free-resources
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable guidance and resource packs for parents and
pupils.
Registration: not required
Maths with Parents
Website: https://mathswithparents.com/teachers/
Key stages: early years foundation stage
Description: videos and activities for home-based learning, with resources
for both parents and teachers available.
Registration: is required
Nrich
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 4
Description: a range of activities and articles aimed at students, parents
and guardians, and teachers, categorised into age groups.
Registration: not required
Numberblocks
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/help-your-child-with-
maths
Key stages: early years foundation stage and key stage 1
Description: videos for numeracy development designed for children aged 0
to 6. There are fun activities that can be applied to everyday life and play.
Registration: not required
Top Marks
Website: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: a range of interactive maths games categorised by age group,
suitable for parents and students to work through.
Registration: not required
White Rose Maths (home learning)
Website: https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: presentations and downloadable workbooks which are easy to
use for parents. New material is being released each week.
Registration: not required


Guidance Online maths resources for home education
Maths
This list of maths resources has been collected and assured with support from
the National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCETM), and
other maths teachers.
Some maths publishers are now making their offers to schools free or providing
free trials. Schools already using a trusted or familiar maths package should
continue to do so.
*[NCETM]: National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics


Guidance Online maths resources for home education
Maths: key stage 3
Bowland Maths Resources
Website: https://www.bowlandmaths.org.uk/
Key stages: key stage 3
Description: downloadable assessments on a range of subjects, including
sample answers and assessment tips, with content suitable for parents,
students and teachers.
Registration: not required
Hegarty Maths
Website: https://hegartymaths.com/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: interactive activities including videos and questions.
Teachers can track student progress and tailor next steps.
Registration: requires school registration
MangaHigh
Website: https://www.mangahigh.com/en-gb/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: interactive maths resources, including topic-specific
questions and games that allow teachers to track student progress and set
activities.
Registration: requires school registration
Mathigon
Website: https://mathigon.org/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: interactive maths resources that allow teachers and parents
to track student progress and set activities.
Registration: not required
Mathematics Mastery
Website: https://www.mathematicsmastery.org/free-resources
Key stages: key stage 3
Description: downloadable guidance and resource packs for parents and
pupils.
Registration: not required
Nrich
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 4
Description: a range of activities and articles aimed at students, parents
and guardians, and teachers, categorised into age groups.
Registration: not required
Nrich Core Maths
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/12524
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: games and puzzles as well as mathematical-thinking and
problem-solving questions. Content is categorised by topic and age group.
Registration: not required
Nrich ‘Solving Together’ project
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/solvingtogether
Key stages: key stage 3
Description: this is a project that provides activities for parents and
carers to try with children.
Registration: not required
Sparx
Website: https://sparx.co.uk/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: a virtual classroom which supports teachers in building and
running lessons as well as tracking pupil progress.
Registration: requires school registration
Top Marks
Website: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: a range of interactive maths games categorised by age group,
suitable for parents and students to work through.
Registration: not required
White Rose Maths (home learning)
Website: https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: presentations and downloadable workbooks which are easy to
use for parents. New material is being released each week.
Registration: not required


Guidance Online maths resources for home education
Maths: key stage 5
Integral
Website - Core maths: https://amsp.org.uk/teachers/core-maths/resources
Website - A level maths: https://amsp.org.uk/news/free-resources-190320
Key stages: key stage 5
Description: teaching and learning materials for level 3 core maths, A
level maths and A level further maths.
Registration: requires school registration
Nrich Core Maths
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/12524
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: games and puzzles as well as mathematical-thinking and
problem-solving questions. Content is categorised by topic and age group.
Registration: not required
STEP Support Programme
Website: https://maths.org/step/welcome
Key stages: key stage 5
Description: the STEP Support Programme is offered by the University of
Cambridge to help university applicants develop their advanced mathematical
problem-solving skills and prepare for STEP mathematics exams. Assessments are
downloadable.
Registration: not required
Underground Maths
Website: https://undergroundmathematics.org/
Key stages: key stage 5
Description: a range of interactive tasks and questions linked to the A
level maths and further maths curriculums.
Registration: not required


Guidance Online maths resources for home education
Maths: key stage 1
Century Tech for Schools
Website: https://www.century.tech/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: learning resources available for schools, parents and
guardians, and students.
Registration: is required
Effective Maths
Website: https://www.effectivemaths.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: teacher professional development resources as well as some
quizzes for children to complete at home.
Registration: not required
Hamilton Trust (home learning section)
Website: https://www.hamilton-trust.org.uk/blog/learning-home-packs/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable resource packs with teacher guidance. A week’s
worth of resources is provided for each year group.
Registration: not required
Mathematics Mastery
Website: https://www.mathematicsmastery.org/free-resources
Key stages: early years foundation stage, key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: downloadable guidance and resource packs for parents and
pupils.
Registration: not required
Nrich
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 4
Description: a range of activities and articles aimed at students, parents
and guardians, and teachers, categorised into age groups.
Registration: not required
Numberblocks
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/grownups/help-your-child-with-
maths
Key stages: early years foundation stage and key stage 1
Description: videos for numeracy development designed for children aged 0
to 6. There are fun activities that can be applied to everyday life and play.
Registration: not required
Oxford Owl
Website: https://home.oxfordowl.co.uk/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: activities and support for learning at home.
Registration: not required
Pearson – The Maths Factor
Website: https://www.themathsfactor.com/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: games and daily sessions for parents and students to work
through at home.
Registration: not required
Top Marks
Website: https://www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: a range of interactive maths games categorised by age group,
suitable for parents and students to work through.
Registration: not required
White Rose Maths (home learning)
Website: https://whiterosemaths.com/homelearning/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 3
Description: presentations and downloadable workbooks which are easy to
use for parents. New material is being released each week.
Registration: not required


Guidance Online maths resources for home education
Maths: key stage 4
Corbett Maths
Website: https://corbettmaths.com/contents/
Key stages: key stage 4
Description: a range of videos and downloadable questions categorised by
topic and predicted grade suitable for students.
Registration: not required
Hegarty Maths
Website: https://hegartymaths.com/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: interactive activities including videos and questions.
Teachers can track student progress and tailor next steps.
Registration: requires school registration
MangaHigh
Website: https://www.mangahigh.com/en-gb/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: interactive maths resources, including topic-specific
questions and games that allow teachers to track student progress and set
activities.
Registration: requires school registration
Mathigon
Website: https://mathigon.org/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: interactive maths resources that allow teachers and parents
to track student progress and set activities.
Registration: not required
Maths Kitchen
Website: https://mathskitchen.com/topics
Key stages: key stage 4
Description: an interactive GCSE revision website. Resources are
categorised by topic, including video lessons and practice questions.
Registration: not required
Nrich
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 4
Description: a range of activities and articles aimed at students, parents
and guardians, and teachers, categorised into age groups
Registration: not required
Nrich Core Maths
Website: https://nrich.maths.org/12524
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: games and puzzles as well as mathematical-thinking and
problem-solving questions. Content is categorised by topic and age group.
Registration: not required
Sparx
Website: https://sparx.co.uk/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: a virtual classroom which supports teachers in building and
running lessons as well as tracking pupil progress.
Registration: requires school registration
*[GCSE]: General Certificate of Secondary Education


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Science: secondary
BBC Bitesize
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: interactive resources covering the key stage 3 and key stage
4 science curriculums. Includes separate sections for biology, physics and
chemistry. Suitable for independent student use.
Registration: not required
Century Tech
Website: https://www.century.tech/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: online learning courses and assessments covering the key
stage 3 and key stage 4 science curriculums. Options for either school or
parent/pupil sign-up, and suitable for independent pupil use or teacher use.
Registration: is required (school or parent)
Institute of Physics (IOP)
Website: https://spark.iop.org/covid-19-support-schools-and-colleges
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a set of articles and resources designed to support teachers
who are teaching remotely. Suitable for teacher use.
Registration: not required
Isaac Physics
Website: https://isaacphysics.org/
Key stages: key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: online problem-solving activities and regular live video
tuition to support teachers and students. The content focusses on physics but
also covers some maths and chemistry. Suitable for independent student use or
teacher use.
Registration: not required, but registration increases functionality
Kerboodle
Website: https://www.kerboodle.com/
Key stages: key stage 4
Description: bank of resources and assessments to support the latest AQA
GCSE science courses. Core content will be relevant to all GCSE specifications
but teachers using other awarding bodies may need to select appropriate
resources. Suitable for teacher use.
Registration: school registration required
Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
Website: https://edu.rsc.org/remote-teaching-support
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: a set of articles and resources designed to support teachers
who are teaching remotely. Suitable for teacher use.
Registration: not required, but registration increases functionality
STEM Learning
Website: https://www.stem.org.uk/resources/curated-collections/secondary-
and-level-science-0
Key stages: key stage 3, key stage 4 and key stage 5
Description: an online resource bank listing quality-assured resources on
external websites. The site features a live chat function offering support
from subject experts. Main resource bank suitable for teacher use. New ‘home
learning support for families’ section suitable for pupil/parent use.
Registration: is required for some resources
*[GCSE]: General Certificate of Secondary Education


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Mental wellbeing: secondary
BPS
Website: https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-blogs
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: advice on dealing with school closures and talking to
children about COVID-19.
Registration: not required
Children’s Society
Website: https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/coronavirus-information-and-
support
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: information and support on different aspects of mental health
and wellbeing.
Registration: not required
MindEd
Website: https://www.minded.org.uk/
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: an educational resource for all adults on children and young
people’s mental health.
Registration: is required
Rise Above
Website: https://riseabove.org.uk/topic/my-mind/
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: videos with tips on gaining confidence, dealing with anxiety
and coping strategies from other young people.
Registration: not required
The Child Bereavement Network
Website: http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/covid-19.aspx
Key stages: key stage 3 to key stage 5
Description: advice on supporting grieving children during the coronavirus
outbreak.
Registration: not required


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Physical education (PE) and physical activity
This updated list of physical education (PE) and physical activity resources
has been collected and assured with support from organisations including:

the Association for Physical Education
Public Health England
Sport England
the Yorkshire Sport Foundation

These resources will help young people to get the daily 60 minutes of activity
recommended by the UK Chief Medical Officer in fun ways.
All the resources listed here are for activities designed to be carried out
indoors or, if available, a garden. Children and their parents/carers can
exercise outside as often as they wish.
Exercise or recreation can be:

alone
with members of your household
with 1 other person from outside your household, while keeping 2 metres apart at all times

Outdoor exercise could include a walk, run or cycle with members of your
household.
Children and young people should always follow the latest official advice on
social distancing.
The activities can be adapted to suit the abilities and physical, emotional
and learning needs of individual children and young people. Always make sure
that the space and any equipment children and young people will use for these
activities are safe.
*[PE]: Physical education


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Mental wellbeing
This list of mental wellbeing resources has been collected and assured with
support from our partners, the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and
Families.
It is designed to provide guidance on how to support the wellbeing of children
and young people being educated remotely.
Many organisations already working with schools will be able to provide remote
support, and schools are encouraged to discuss what ongoing support might be
available during this time.


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Science
This list of science resources has been collected and assured with support
from learned societies and subject organisations, including:

the Association for Science Education (ASE)
the Institute of Physics (IOP)
the Royal Society
the Royal Society of Biology (RSB)
the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC)
STEM Learning

These resources link closely to the national curriculum, however there are
many other resources supporting enrichment and practical activities available
on the societies’ websites and elsewhere.
Care should be taken that all activities, especially practical activities, are
undertaken safely and with due regard for the abilities of the pupil.
Teachers and parents/carers should check that activities are appropriate for
the intended user and that they can be carried out safely in the home
environment.
[ASE]: the Association for Science Education
  [IOP]: the Institute of Physics
  [RSB]: the Royal Society of Biology (RSB)
  [RSC]: the Royal Society of Chemistry
  *[STEM]: Science, technology,engineering and maths


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Other resources
There are other resources available. BESA’s LendEd
website and the EdTech Impact
website, for example, include varied resources
that teachers already use and rate within the websites.
These have not been verified by DfE’s educational experts but we have included
them on the list because they also cover other areas of the curriculum that
are not covered above.
[BESA]: British Education Suppliers Association
  [DfE]: Department for Education


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Science: primary
BBC Bitesize
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/primary
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: interactive resources covering the primary science
curriculum. Suitable for pupil/parent use.
Registration: not required
Century Tech
Website: https://www.century.tech/
Key stages: key stage 2
Description: online learning courses and assessments covering the key
stage 2 science curriculum. Options for either school or parent sign-up,
suitable for independent pupil use or teacher use.
Registration: is required (school or parent)
STEM Learning
Website: https://www.stem.org.uk/primary-science
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: an online resource bank listing quality-assured resources on
external websites. The site features a live chat function offering support
from subject experts. Main resource bank suitable for teacher use. New ‘home
learning support for families’ section suitable for parent use.
Registration: is required for some resources


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
SEND: online, downloadable and printable resources
Active Learn Primary
Website: https://www.activelearnprimary.co.uk/
Description: the Rapid Reading and Rapid Phonics programmes focus on
accelerating progress in reading skills for pupils with dyslexia and with low
levels of literacy. Designed for teachers, but suitable for parents too.
Registration: is required
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Website: https://www.annafreud.org/media/11160/supporting-schools-and-
colleges.pdf
Description: a downloadable guide to supporting the mental health and
wellbeing of pupils and students during periods of disruption. Designed for
teachers, but suitable for parents too.
Registration: not required
Charles Dickens Primary
Website: http://www.charlesdickens.southwark.sch.uk/
Description: the Jenny Wren Virtual School SEN Hub offers daily lessons
for pupils with moderate learning difficulties, focusing on Makaton and a
daily activity to complete with a parent or teacher.
Registration: not required
Do2Learn (USA)
Website: https://do2learn.com/
Description: a range of downloadable resources grouped by theme. Themes
include: social skills, songs and games, and picture cards.
Registration: not required
Inclusive Teach
Website: https://inclusiveteach.com/free-printable-sen-teaching-
resources/
Description: downloadable and printable accessible teaching resources for
parents and teachers to support pupils with a range of SEND needs, including
Autism, PMLD, SLCN, MLD, SLD
Registration: not required
PMLD thematic units – from the Northern Ireland Curriculum
Website:
http://www.nicurriculum.org.uk/curriculum_microsite/SEN_PMLD_thematic_units/index.asp
Description: comprehensive guidance on themed activities for learners with
PMLD. A full sensory curriculum is offered. More suitable for teachers, but
activities and resources will be useful for parents too.
Registration: not required
Priory Woods School
Website:
http://www.priorywoods.middlesbrough.sch.uk/page/?title=Resources&pid=3
Description: resources from an award-winning, innovative school, rated by
Ofsted as outstanding and put together by SEND teachers for parents and
teachers. The resources include apps and programmes.
Registration: not required
School Cloud
Website: https://www.parentseveningsystem.co.uk/features-video-
meetings.asp
Description: a secure online video call service to connect pupils, parents
and teachers. Potential use might include pupils with SEND and/or their
parents having a weekly video call with a SENCo to monitor their progress with
home learning.
Registration: is required
SEND Gateway
Website: https://www.sendgateway.org.uk/whole-school-send/find-wss-
resources/nqt-videos.html
Description: guidance videos created in collaboration with the Centre for
Education and Youth (CfEY) to increase the knowledge and awareness of a range
of SEND conditions. Aimed at newly qualified teachers but also provides
helpful resources and tips that will be useful for parents.
Registration: not required
SENict Activities
Website: https://www.ianbean.co.uk/senict-members-resource-portal
Description: downloadable activities aimed particularly at learners with
PMLD, SLD and those who are learning to use assistive technology to access the
curriculum. Suitable for parents and teachers.
Registration: not required
SEN Teacher
Website: https://www.senteacher.org/
Description: downloadable and printable resources that can be adapted to
suit the needs of pupils. Resources are aimed at a range of abilities. Website
has over 300,000 regular users and is suitable for both parents and teachers.
Registration: not required
Speech and Language Kids
Website: https://www.speechandlanguagekids.com/free-speech-language-
resources/
Description: an extensive range of education and therapy resources for
parents and teachers of children with speech and language problems. A podcast
is also available on iTunes for verbal and non-verbal children.
Registration: not required
Speech Link Multimedia Ltd
Website: https://speechandlanguage.info/parents
Description: a parent portal with links to downloadable resources,
activities and games developed by a team of speech and language therapists and
software engineers who work with over 4,000 schools in the UK.
Registration: not required
Teaching Students with Visual Impairments
Website: https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/
Description: a range of downloadable resources and instructional
strategies to support blind and visually impaired pupils. Suitable for parents
and teachers.
Registration: is required
The Autism Page
Website: https://www.theautismpage.com/
Description: online support and information aimed at supporting parents
with young autistic children. Information and ideas to support the
implementation of autism specific teaching methods.
Registration: not required
UCL Centre for Inclusive Education
Website: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/departments-and-
centres/centres/centre-inclusive-education/homeschooling-children-
send/managing-transition-home-schooling
Description: a guide to help parents adjust to remote learning by
providing advice and links to resources.
Registration: not required
[SEND]: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
  [PMLD]: Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
  [SLD]: Severe Learning Difficulties
  [CfEY]: Centre for Education and Youth


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Special educational needs and disabilities (SEND)
This list of SEND resources has been developed with a focus on accessibility
and inclusivity and is based on the recommendations of:

trusted organisations
charities
multi-academy trusts
special education headteachers

The vast majority of the resources on this list are suitable for both parents
and teachers to use in supporting the home learning of children and young
people with SEND.
We encourage parents, teachers and schools to explore beyond this list to
identify what support is best for their children and pupils with SEND.
*[SEND]: Special Educational Needs and Disabilities


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
SEND: apps and games
(Apps must be downloaded onto a compatible device)
Brain Parade
Website: http://www.brainparade.com/products/see-touch-learn-free/
Description: a visual instruction app, including flash cards and picture-
choosing games, for children with autism and special needs.
HelpKidzLearn
Website: https://www.helpkidzlearn.com/
Description: a collection of games and resources designed for a range of
educational needs and stages. It includes provision for school closure.
Sensory App House Ltd
Website: https://www.sensoryapphouse.com/
Description: a range of apps are available for pupils with Profound and
Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) or Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD).
All are interactive and many do not require significant coordination
abilities.
Visuals2Go
Website: https://www.visuals2go.com/
Description: an all-in-one app created to support people with
communication and learning difficulties. For verbal and non-verbal learners.
[PMLD]: Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties
  [SLD]: Severe Learning Difficulties


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
Mental wellbeing: primary
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Website: https://www.annafreud.org/coronavirus-support/support-for-early-
years/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: wellbeing advice for all those supporting children and young
people.
Registration: not required
British Psychological Society (BPS)
Website: https://www.bps.org.uk/news-and-policy/bps-offers-advice-
schools-parents-and-carers-help-children-through-uncertainty
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: advice on dealing with school closures and talking to
children about COVID-19.
Registration: not required
Children’s Commissioner
Website: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/publication/childrens-
guide-to-coronavirus/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: a downloadable guide for children about coronavirus.
Registration: not required
MindEd
Website: https://www.minded.org.uk/
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: an educational resource for all adults on children and young
people’s mental health.
Registration: not required, but registration increases functionality
The Child Bereavement Network
Website: http://www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk/covid-19.aspx
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: advice on supporting grieving children during the coronavirus
outbreak.
Registration: not required


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
PE and physical activity: secondary
Seneca
Website:
https://app.senecalearning.com/courses?Price=Free&Age+Group=GCSE&Subject=Physical+Education
Key stages: key stage 4
Description: digital revision materials focussing on the GCSE PE
curriculum
Registration: not required
#ThisIsPE
Website: https://www.afpe.org.uk/physical-education/thisispe-supporting-
parents-to-teach-pe-at-home/
Key stages: key stage 3 and key stage 4
Description: videos delivered by teachers focussing on the PE curriculum
which are accessible on YouTube.
Registration: not required
[GCSE]: General Certificate of Secondary Education
  [PE]: Physical education


Guidance Online science, PE, wellbeing and SEND resources for home education
PE and physical activity: primary
Boogie Beebies
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006mvsc
Key stages: early years foundation stage
Description: videos that get younger children up and dancing with CBeebies
presenters.
Registration: not required
Disney 10 Minute Shakeups
Website: https://www.nhs.uk/10-minute-shake-up/shake-ups
Key stages: early years foundation stage to key stage 2
Description: 10-minute activities based on Disney films that count towards
a child’s 60 active minutes per day.
Registration: not required
Super Movers
Website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/teach/supermovers
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: videos which help children move while they learn. They
support curriculum subjects, including maths and English.
Registration: not required
#ThisIsPE
Website: https://www.afpe.org.uk/physical-education/thisispe-supporting-
parents-to-teach-pe-at-home/
Key stages: key stage 1 and key stage 2
Description: videos delivered by teachers focussing on the PE curriculum
which are accessible on YouTube.
Registration: not required
*[PE]: Physical education


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
National voucher scheme
Redeeming the vouchers
Once families have received their voucher, they will be able to redeem them in
store at the selected retailer by either:

presenting the voucher on a smartphone or tablet
presenting a paper copy of the voucher

Guidance
is available from Edenred for parents to help answer any questions they may
have.
Families are free to select the most appropriate food and drink for their
child. When selecting products, we encourage families to consider health and
nutrition. The School Food
Standards and the NHS Eat Well website may act as a useful guide for
families.
Vouchers must not be used for age-restricted items, such as alcohol,
cigarettes or lottery tickets.


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Additional costs
The payments for the national voucher scheme will be met centrally by DfE.
We understand that other approaches, such as providing food parcels or
purchasing vouchers for shops not in the national scheme, may mean that
schools incur additional costs. We have published guidance on the financial
support available for schools who incur these additional
costs in this way.
Schools will be able to claim up to a certain limit, depending on their number
of pupils, and where they are unable to meet these additional costs from their
existing resources, or which they could only meet by drawing down on reserves
and undermining their long-term financial sustainability. In exceptional
instances where individual schools face additional costs that are higher than
the grant’s limits, schools will be able to apply to increase their limit.
*[DfE]: Department for Education


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
National voucher scheme
Alternative approach
You can choose a supermarket on the family’s behalf and either post the eGift
card to the parent or carer or arrange for them to collect it. The family will
be able to redeem the eGift card as soon as it arrives. You should take this
approach if the family receiving the voucher does not have access to an email
address or the internet.
If you choose this option, you should think carefully about which shops and
supermarkets are most convenient for families to access - if possible, ask the
families.


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Providing meals or food parcels through your food provider
We know that many schools and food providers are already finding very
effective ways to ensure that eligible children already receive free healthy
meals during this period.
As schools prepare to open more widely, they should speak to their school
catering team or provider about the best arrangements for school meals.
Schools should ensure that they are supported to return to school to provide
food both for those children attending school and for those remaining at home
who are eligible for free school meals.
We have published a planning guide for
schools to help schools prepare for children returning
to school. This includes suggested approaches to help school leaders in their
decision making around school meals, including working out arrangements for
lunch so that children do not mix with children from other groups.
This could mean having several lunch sittings or serving lunch in more than
one location, including if appropriate in a classroom, or asking your caterers
to look at other flexible ways of giving pupils access to lunch such that it
can be eaten in the small group setting (for example taking cold or ‘packed’
lunches to children in the areas they are in for the day).
In addition, please speak to your catering teams and food suppliers about the
most effective ways to manage the ordering and delivery of food during this
period. This may include:

arranging fewer food deliveries each week compared with standard periods when the school is open to all pupils
ordering longer shelf life products during this period, such as frozen foods or foods that can be safely stored at room temperature

In addition to providing meals in schools, you should consider with suppliers
whether they can prepare meals or food parcels that could be collected by or
delivered to families that are not in attendance. If you do provide meals or
food parcels, ensure they are distributed in line with guidance on social
distancing at all times.
The Food Standards Agency has issued general guidance for food
businesses.


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
School food contracts
Speak to your catering provider(s) about your arrangements in response to the
coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
The Cabinet Office has published guidance for public bodies (Procurement
Policy Note 02/20) on payment of suppliers
that are at risk. It provides details on identifying suppliers that are at
risk.
Inform suppliers who you consider to be at risk that they will be paid as
normal (even if service delivery is disrupted or suspended) until at least the
end of June.
The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding,
including funding to cover free school meals and universal infant free school
meals, throughout this period.
You should continue to make payments to food suppliers (that are considered at
risk) for the cost of free school meals and universal infant free school
meals. Payments should be based on the previous 3 months’ invoices, provided
the supplier agrees to act on an open book basis and make cost data available.
Schools should make payments to suppliers promptly and on time.
This does not apply to the costs of meals usually purchased by parents for
pupils who are not eligible for free school meals.


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Free school meal eligibility
You should continue to accept and verify free school meal applications. The
eligibility criteria for free school meals can be found at apply for free
school meals.
During the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, we are temporarily extending free
school meals eligibility to include some groups who have no recourse to public
funds (NRPF).
This temporary extension covers both children who are attending school and who
are at home.
See guidance for the temporary extension of free school meals eligibility to
NRPF groups for more information.
Pupils who attend a breakfast provision
We are committed to supporting schools and their pupils who would usually
benefit from the DfE breakfast programme.
If you’re on the programme, you will have received an email from the National
School Breakfast Programme about children who would normally receive a healthy
breakfast at school.
You can choose to support eligible children in the way which works best for
them, this could include:

running breakfast provision in school for children who are attending
families collecting food parcels
delivering breakfast food parcels to families

The breakfast food parcels should be arranged alongside the school’s wider
support for children on benefits-related free school meals, and schools must
follow Public Health England’s advice on social distancing at all times.
[NRPF]: no recourse to public funds
  [DfE]: Department for Education


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
National voucher scheme
Sending eCodes to families
You can send a redemption eCode from the Edenred system directly to the parent
or carers of the pupil(s) eligible for free school meals. They should receive
the eCode and instructions on how to use this to create an eGift card within 4
days.
You should only consider this approach if the family receiving the support has
a working email account which they can access.


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Support for pupils who have to stay at home
Under normal circumstances, schools do not provide free school meals to
eligible children who are not in school. But during the coronavirus (COVID-19)
outbreak, we expect schools to continue supporting children eligible for
benefits-related free school meals who are at home.
The steps you take will depend on your circumstances. This could include:

providing meals or food parcels through your food provider
using the Department for Education’s (DfE) centrally-funded national voucher scheme
providing alternative vouchers for a local shop or supermarket

Free school meals should be offered to eligible pupils not attending school
during term time weeks. Costs of the national voucher scheme to provide free
school meals for eligible pupils will also be met by DfE over the Easter and
May half-term holidays.
Schools can claim for additional costs incurred in supporting free school
meals pupils, for example by providing vouchers for an alternative local
retailer, as outlined in the additional costs section below.
Universal infant free school meals
Schools should provide meal options free of charge to all infant pupils
attending school, including Reception and year 1 children returning from 1
June.
There is no requirement to provide universal infant free school meals to
infant pupils who are not in school.
Free meals for further education students
Further education institutions should continue to provide support for free
meal students where their existing funding and delivery arrangements allow for
this.
Further information is available in the 16 to 19 free meals in further
education guidance.
*[DfE]: Department for Education


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
Providing meals for pupils attending school
Schools should provide meal options for all children who are in school, and
meals should be available free of charge to all infant pupils and pupils who
meet the benefits-related free school meals eligibility criteria.
The government will continue to provide schools with their expected funding,
including funding to cover benefits-related free school meals and universal
infant free school meals, throughout this period.


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
National voucher scheme
How to order vouchers
Schools have received an email from Edenred with an activation code and a
step-by-step
guide
to using the online ordering portal.
Once you have activated your account on the Edenred portal, you can begin to
order vouchers.
When ordering vouchers, please do so in an efficient manner to cover multiple
weeks.
You can:

order a single voucher to cover a longer time frame, for example, £45 to support one eligible child over 3 weeks
order a single voucher to cover more than one eligible child within the same household, for example, £90 to support three eligible children over 2 weeks
set a weekly £15 rolling voucher

Once you have confirmed the voucher’s value, you can either:

send an eCode directly to the parent or carers of the pupils(s) eligible for free school meals - they will need to choose an eGift card from a range of supermarkets
select an eGift card on the parent or carer’s behalf, and print and post the eGift card to them
select an eGift card on the parent or carer’s behalf, print the eGift card and arrange for families to collect it


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
National voucher scheme
As schools open more widely, and their kitchens reopen, we expect schools to
make food parcels available for collection or delivery for any children that
are eligible for free school meals who are staying at home.
Arranging food parcels helps ensure that eligible children have access to a
healthy free meal, and can also help the school to stay in contact with those
families. We know that many schools have made excellent food parcel
arrangements throughout this period.
If your school catering service cannot provide meals or food parcels for
children who are at home, you can continue to offer vouchers to families of
eligible pupils.
Before ordering vouchers, check which pupils are eligible and would be
receiving benefits-related free school meals.
We are monitoring voucher orders at school level to broadly check if they are
ordering in line with our estimates of the number of eligible children,
recognising that for some schools this will be lower if they are providing
food parcels, or using a local arrangement. If a school’s orders are higher
than expected, we may speak to the school about why this has occurred and will
take forward any necessary action to rectify the position. A cross check will
also be done for those making a claim for free school meals funding via the
financial support available for
schools.
For any voucher queries, please email:

freeschoolmeals@edenred.com for schools
freeschoolmealsparentscarers@edenred.com for parents and carers


Guidance Providing free school meals during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak
National voucher scheme
Supermarkets available
Through Edenred, you can access eGift cards for:

Aldi
Asda
M&S
McColl’s
Morrisons
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Waitrose


Guidance Remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Remote education resources for teachers
We have published an initial list of online educational
resources covering various subjects and age
groups that have been recommended by teachers and school leaders.
The BBC
Bitesize Daily has been
developed by the BBC to provide new lessons every weekday for pupils in year 1
to year 10. Created in collaboration with teachers and educational experts,
its videos and interactive activities cover core subjects and other topics on
the school curriculum. Content is available for free on television, online and
through BBC iPlayer.
Oak National Academy
Schools might also consider using resources from Oak National
Academy, which was created by teachers from
schools across England in response to school closures. This free resource for
teachers will provide the equivalent of 3 hours of lessons a day for primary
school pupils and 4 hours a day for secondary across a variety of subjects.
Lessons have been created by practising teachers, combining videos, quizzes
and worksheets.
Schools can download the Oak schools
pack, which provides guidance
and videos to share should schools want to use Oak as part of their remote
education plans. Packs are available for primary, secondary and specialist
schools, and include the full Oak curriculum (until the end of the summer
term) to help schools plan.


Guidance Remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Guidance on remote education during coronavirus
Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Understand how to follow safeguarding procedures when planning remote
education strategies and teaching remotely.

Remote education practice for schools during coronavirus (COVID-19)
An opportunity for schools to learn from each other’s emerging practice as
they develop their approaches to providing remote education.

Get technology support for children and schools during coronavirus
(COVID-19)
The Department for Education is working in partnership with an industry
coalition to provide technology to support remote education.


Guidance Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Personal data and GDPR
Schools and colleges should continue to follow the guidance outlined in the
data protection: toolkit for
schools when managing personal data and may need to consider:

taking care not to share contact details when emailing multiple people
being careful when sharing usernames and other personal data for access to online resources
providing access to school data systems safely

Read the other guidance on remote education during coronavirus
(COVID-19).


Guidance Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Communicating with parents, carers and pupils
Where education is now having to take place remotely, it’s important for
schools, teachers and pupils to maintain professional practice as much as
possible. When communicating online with parents and pupils, schools should:

communicate within school hours as much as possible (or hours agreed with the school to suit the needs of staff)
communicate through the school channels approved by the senior leadership team
use school email accounts (not personal ones)
use school devices over personal devices wherever possible
advise teachers not to share personal information


Guidance Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Safeguarding pupils and teachers online
Most children are being educated at home during the coronavirus (COVID-19)
outbreak, so school leaders and teachers are having to adjust to remote
education strategies. While this is happening, it is important that schools
continue to follow safeguarding procedures.
As set out in the Coronavirus (COVID-19): safeguarding in schools, colleges
and other
providers guidance, online education should
follow the same principles set out in your school’s staff behaviour policy
(sometimes known as a code of conduct).
Keeping teachers safe when providing remote education is also essential.
Remote education is a new experience for both staff and pupils, so it’s
important that schools understand how to approach safeguarding procedures
online.
Schools may wish to use these resources to understand more about ensuring
online education is safe:

remote education advice from The Key for School Leaders
advice from NSPCC on undertaking remote education safely
guidance from the UK Safer Internet Centre on remote education

Guidance on teaching online safety in
schools provides information to help schools ensure their pupils understand
how to stay safe and behave online.
School contact with parents and carers during this time can also be used to
reinforce the importance of children staying safe online.
It’s especially important for parents and carers to be aware of what their
children are being asked to do, including:

sites they will be asked to use
school staff their child will interact with

Schools should emphasise the importance of a safe online environment and
encourage parents and carers to set age-appropriate parental controls on
digital devices and use internet filters to block malicious websites. These
are usually free, but often need to be turned on.
Use these resources to support parents and carers to keep their children safe
online:

Thinkuknow provides advice from the National Crime Agency (NCA) on staying safe online
Parent info is a collaboration between Parentzone and the NCA providing support and guidance for parents from leading experts and organisations
Childnet offers a toolkit to support parents and carers of children of any age to start discussions about their online life, to set boundaries around online behaviour and technology use, and to find out where to get more help and support
Internet matters provides age-specific online safety checklists, guides on how to set parental controls on a range of devices, and a host of practical tips to help children get the most out of their digital world
London Grid for Learning has support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online, including tips to keep primary aged children safe online
Net-aware has support for parents and carers from the NSPCC, including a guide to social networks, apps and games
Let’s Talk About It has advice for parents and carers to keep children safe from online radicalisation
UK Safer Internet Centre has tips, advice, guides and other resources to help keep children safe online, including parental controls offered by home internet providers and safety tools on social networks and other online services

[NSPCC]: National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children
  [NCA]: National Crime Agency


Guidance Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Providing pastoral care remotely
Helping parents, carers and pupils to make a weekly plan or structure that
includes time for education, playing and relaxing is important to reduce
stress and anxiety for families.
As set out in Public Health England’s guidance for parents and
carers, routine can give children and young people an
increased feeling of safety in the context of uncertainty.
Schools might want to consider whether one-to-one sessions could be
appropriate in some circumstances. For example, to provide pastoral care or
provide support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities
(SEND).
This should be discussed and approved by the senior leadership team to assess
any risks. There may be helpful solutions, such as including a parent or
additional staff member in the call.


Guidance Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Virtual lessons and live streaming
Should schools choose to provide remote education using live streaming or pre-
recorded videos, guidance from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on
which video conference service is right for your
school and using video conferencing services
securely could help schools to set up video conferencing safely, if this
is the chosen approach.
In addition, guidance from the UK Safer Internet Centre on safe remote
learning includes
detailed advice on live, online teaching, and the safeguarding guidance from
London grid for learning (LGfL)
includes platform-specific advice.
Teaching from home is different to teaching in the classroom. Teachers should
try to find a quiet or private room or area to talk to pupils, parents or
carers. When broadcasting a lesson or making a recording, consider what will
be in the background.
In some areas, schools may also be able to seek support from their local
authority when planning online lessons and activities, and considering online
safety.


Guidance Safeguarding and remote education during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Reporting concerns
It is essential to have and communicate clear reporting routes so that
children, teachers, parents and carers can raise any safeguarding concerns.
Schools may wish to review the existing arrangements to ensure they are
appropriate during school closures, or if additional or alternative
arrangements need to be put in place.
Schools should consider signposting to the practical support that’s available
for reporting harmful or upsetting content as well as bullying and online
abuse.
Harmful or upsetting content
Get support by:

reporting harmful online content to the UK Safer Internet Centre
getting government advice and trusted resources from Educate Against Hate on safeguarding from radicalisation, building resilience to extremism, and promoting shared values

Bullying or abuse online
You can:

get advice on reporting online abuse from the National Crime Agency’s Child Exploitation and Online Protection command
get advice and support from Anti-Bullying Alliance for children who are being bullied

Schools may also wish to use resources such as
Tootoot to provide a confidential route for pupils
to report bullying or abuse.
Schools can access the free Professionals Online Safety
Helpline which supports the online safeguarding of both children and
professionals. Call 0344 381 4772 or email
helpline@saferinternet.org.uk. The
helpline is open from Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm.


Guidance School funding: exceptional costs associated with coronavirus (COVID-19) for the period March to July 2020
How schools can access funding
Funding will be available to cover costs relating to specific items. These
items are ones we judge are likely to be necessary to allow schools to provide
appropriate support to those children who will continue to attend school under
the current arrangements.
Funding will be available to schools that are unable to meet such additional
costs from their existing resources, or which they could only meet by drawing
down on reserves and undermining their long-term financial sustainability.
While we are not asking schools to draw on existing reserves to meet these
costs, we do not expect schools to make a claim against this funding if they
are anticipating that they will be able to add to their reserves in the 2020
to 2021 financial year.
We are asking schools to make the necessary payments from their existing
budgets and record these in line with local finance policies. In June, we will
publish further guidance for schools on the process for informing us of any
additional costs relating to coronavirus (COVID-19). We understand the
significant challenges schools are facing at present and will therefore make
the process for reporting this information as simple as possible. We will then
make payments – direct to academies, or to local authorities to pass onto
their schools – to reimburse schools for costs they apply for up to the limits
set out below.