- Further restrictions to be lifted from Step 4, including
classroom and year group bubbles
- Children will only need to isolate if they test positive from
16 August
- Protective measures such as good hygiene and ventilation will
remain in place next term, and testing to continue until the end
of September
Further Covid restrictions in education settings will end from
Step 4, the Education Secretary has confirmed today [6 July].
As part of Step 4, expected to take place on 19 July, ‘bubbles’
will end for all children under 18, social distancing will no
longer be necessary, and schools will not need to stagger start
and finish times, though they can continue with existing
arrangements until the end of term if they wish.
The lifting of Covid restrictions in schools is in line with the
general removal of restrictions for England at Step 4. Schools
may choose to continue with these measures until the end of the
Summer term.
From 16 August, the legal requirement to self-isolate for
contacts of a positive case will end for everyone aged under 18,
and for adults who have been fully vaccinated. This means that
from the autumn term, only those who test positive will need to
self-isolate. From Step 4, NHS test and trace will carry out
contact tracing in all education settings rather than being run
by the school or college. Those identified as close contacts will
be advised to take a PCR test, and only need to isolate if they
test positive. Children must self-isolate if they have symptoms
of Covid or a positive test result.
Testing for close contacts under 18 will be split into two
categories. All Primary, Secondary and College age children
should take a single PCR test. Early Years children should only
take a PCR test if a member of their household tests positive.
Protective measures will remain in place for the autumn term in
all education settings including practicing good hygiene,
ventilation, and regular testing until the end of September to
strike a balance between relaxing restrictions and minimising
further disruption to children’s education. Two onsite tests
should be taken by each secondary school and college student on
return, followed by twice weekly testing at home. The Government
will review testing requirements by the end of September.
Education Secretary
said:
“I am incredibly grateful to everyone working in education and
childcare for their tireless work to make the best of what has
been a very challenging situation.
“While the pandemic is not over, we are moving into a new phase
of managing Covid, from strict rules and towards personal
responsibility. The measures we will have after summer strike the
right balance as we learn to live with the virus so children can
get on with their lives and education in the best possible way.”
Education settings will continue to have an outbreak management
plan and work with local health teams, as is standard practice.
Local Directors of Public Health may advise a setting to
temporarily reintroduce some control measures in the event of an
outbreak.
All school trips, drama, music and sporting activity will be able
to resume in line with the relaxation of restrictions across
society from Step 4.
Education settings still operating over the summer will continue
to test twice a week, with asymptomatic test kits still available
to families over the summer break.
All education staff are urged to get both vaccine doses if they
have not yet done so, helping further reduce any potential
disruption as a result of self-isolation.
From Step 4, there will also be no restrictions on in-person
teaching and learning in universities.
Further detailed guidance has been published to enable schools
and colleges to plan for how they will operate from September.
