Coronavirus UK: What Happens If Your Child’s School Is Closed
At least eight schools in the UK have closed due to coronavirus fears, while others have sent pupils home, including Prince George and Princess Charlotte’s primary school.
Thomas’s Battersea in south west London reportedly sent four pupils home to “self-isolate” following trips to northern Italy. “We currently have a very small number of pupils who have been tested and these individuals are, as per government advice, remaining at home pending the receipt of their test results,” a spokesperson for the school said in a statement.
So what do parents need to know about school closures? And what childcare rights do they have if their child’s school is suddenly affected by the virus?
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Why are schools closing or sending pupils home?
The schools that have closed so far have largely done so as a “precautionary measure”, either because they have pupils or staff who’ve been in contact with a suspected case, or they’ve travelled from an area with a high number of cases.
However, Public Health England (PHE) said its general advice is not to close schools. Health Secretary Matt Hancock urged schools not to close unless they have a confirmed case of the virus.
Some children are advised to stay home to self-isolate, however. The latest government advice says people who have returned from category 1 specified areas in the last 14 days should self-isolate – and “this includes avoiding attending an education setting or work until 14 days after they return”.
People who have returned from category 2 specified areas in the last 14 days are advised to stay at home if they develop symptoms. “All other pupils or students and staff should continue to attend school or university, including their siblings attending the same or a different school (unless advised not to by public health...
