Home learning and other support (08 May 2020)

Friday 08 May 2020

In the past week or so, there has been a lot of confusing messages about easing the lockdown, some hopeful but many others cautionary. Some of you have asked us about how and when schools might re-open, but we’ve had absolutely no information about this.

However, a Department for Education blog, published just yesterday, made this clear statement:

Schools are closed to all but the children of critical workers and vulnerable children. The Secretary of State has been clear that this will remain the case until the scientific advice says it is safe to do otherwise.

Any headlines in newspapers and the wider media are either wild speculation or unhelpful government leaks.

Schools do continue to receive daily emails from the Department for Education. As far as we can see, there’s one very clear message in every email that comes through:

It is essential that everyone washes their hands more often, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Hand washing with soap employs mechanical action that loosens bacteria and viruses from the skin, rinsing them into the drain. Drying hands afterwards makes the skin less hospitable to the virus. Hand sanitiser can be effective if soap is not available or the situation makes using soap less feasible (i.e. when outside) but using hand sanitiser provides none of the virus-destroying friction that rubbing your hands together and rinsing with water provides.

Remind yourself of guidance on hand washing can be found at:

The e-Bug project is led by Public Health England and has a dedicated webpage for learning resources on hand washing and respiratory hygiene.

Whatever the national message, Sphere Federation staff hope you all have a happy and healthy weekend.

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