Schools could remain closed after the first half of February

Michael Gove dealt another blow to parents today when he suggested schools could stay closed after the February term.

In a sharp warning this morning, the former education minister hinted Schools may even open later than expected, though The government’s vaccination campaign remains behind.

As England falls into another lockdown, Mr Gove warned that restrictions will not be gradually lifted until March, forcing parents and teachers to prepare for more weeks of home study.

The cabinet minister said that during Education was the “top priority”, the government “needs to make progress on vaccination”.

Last night, Boris Johnson bowed to the inevitable and closed all schools through February 22nd.

The turnaround at the eleventh hour, on the day many reopened after Christmas, has enraged school principals and unions who have attacked government policies as “madness.”

Mr Gove also suggested removing year-end exams for students in favor of alternative assessment styles following the new lockdown.

When asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today program whether the Abitur and GCSE were canceled in England, the former Secretary of Education said, “Yes.”

He added, “My own daughter is going to graduate from high school this year, my son is going to graduate from GCSEs – I know how hard students across the country worked between ages 11 and 13.

“We will take alternative arrangements to ensure that the hard work students have done to acquire knowledge and develop their skills is appropriately assessed, recognized and recognized.”

9th grade student Isla Stanton, 14, starts her home in Ashford, Kent

Then England is put in the grip of another lockdown and Months more coronavirus chaos:

• Rishi Sunak announced today more £ 4.6 billion bailouts for lockdown-hit businesses as economists warned of the “colossal” blow of the growing pandemic.
• Arrivals at UK borders must demonstrate that they have tested negative for Covid in another major government U-turn in the past 72 hours.
• The Prime Minister will hold a press conference with Medical and Science Chiefs Chris Whitty and Patrick Vallance at 5 p.m.
• Streets and town centers were quiet as the British digested the new restrictions on their lives;
• Hundreds of medical professionals have called for hospital staff to receive higher quality personal protective equipment (PPE) as concerns about airborne coronavirus transmission grow.
• The extent of the problem was underscored when the last dismal daily record was released of 58,784 new cases – a 42 percent increase last Monday.

Mr Gove said the full details will be worked out between Ofqual and Secretary of Education Gavin Williamson.

He added, “One of the things about assessment is that students have to do certain tasks that teachers will assess.

“Whether or not they are moderated in a certain way by certain registrars or others is a delicate process.”

He also said that the prime minister, who had urged students to keep going to school just hours before Monday night’s announcement that they would close, had reluctantly decided to act in the face of a change in coronavirus alert.

He told BBC Breakfast: “The four UK chief medical officers met yesterday and discussed the situation. They recommended that the country move to Level 5, the highest level of alert available that poses an imminent threat to the NHS of being overwhelmed if no action is taken.

Under the circumstances, we felt that we could only close the primary schools that were open.

“Of course it was with a heavy heart, because education is such an important part of a young person’s life and we want to keep schools open as much as possible, but the message from yesterday’s chief doctor was clear and therefore with a heavy heart, but with clear evidence we had to act. ‘

Mr Gove said Education Secretary Gavin Williamson would address a recalled House of Commons Wednesday to brief MPs on how students will be assessed after further learning disabilities later this year.

He told Sky News: ‘The Education Secretary has spoken to Ofqual Examination Board so we can find a way to recognize the immense hard work students have done across the country this year.

“Of course we can’t have degrees, GCSEs, or B-Techs like we’ve had in the past, but there are ways to ensure that we can evaluate the work that students have done and give them fair recognition that and help them to the next level of their training.

“The Education Secretary will say more about this, but it is vital that parents and students realize that their work will be recognized by the end of this year – it’s not that anyone would or want to shut down tools, so to speak.”

“It is vital that children keep their learning going and we will help them do this by making distance learning easier for more and more students.”

Isla Stanton is hired in front of the computer for another long day when she returns home in Kent to study

The students have been in tears more confusion about how 11th and 13th graders will be assessed this year – including whether the exams will definitely be abandoned – and Ofsted Chief Inspector Amanda Spielman told ministers to make an immediate decision.

One option on the table, according to the Daily Telegraph, was to take GCSE and A-level exams only for “core subjects” like math and English, with all other exams being graded based on coursework.

Under fire Education Secretary Gavin Williamson is working with Ofqual, who considered having multiple exam papers for undergraduate students, with a third one on one day, a third the next, and the final third after. Under the plan, they would all take different exams to prevent fraud, but they would all be assessed in the same way by the same standards.

But Dr. Mary Bousted, joint secretary general of the National Education Union, claims School Secretary Nick Gibb called her last night and admitted that for the second year running, there would be no GCSE or A-level exams at all.

And amid the confusion, Michael Gove later confirmed the exams would not take place before schools’ admissions could be closed longer if the vaccine rollout stalled.

Michael Gove later confirmed that if the vaccine rollout stalled, the exams would not take place before the approved schools could close any longer

Boris Johnson said in his televised address to the nation, “Elementary schools, secondary schools and colleges must move to remote access starting tomorrow, with the exception of vulnerable children and children of key workers.”

He hoped schools could reopen after halftime in February. Keeping schools open to children of key workers and in vulnerable situations reflects previous bans.

The kindergartens will also remain open and free meals will continue to be distributed.

Since exams are considered unrealizable, the Ministry of Education is advising how children can get fair grades without introducing another disastrous algorithm.

School principals expressed despair at the futile effort to prepare for a single day of classroom study. Katharine Birbalsingh of Michaela Community School in Wembley, north London, said the sudden hacking and changing was “insane.”

She emphasized: “Today I had my employees training on how to manage the Covid tests.

‘We changed our training plans last week to follow new government guidelines. Now are we suddenly delivering online learning tomorrow? This is madness. ‘

David Shakeshaft of Firs Primary School in Birmingham said he had to “undo all the work I had to do yesterday and today” before it reopens. He wrote online: “Absolutely incomprehensible that I was placed in this position.” The government’s drive to get elementary school children back to school has been in tatters since Sunday night when it became clear that hundreds of school principals were unable or unwilling to reopen.

Pressure had increased since the release of documents last week showing that government scientific advisors had warned before Christmas that schools would have to be closed to lower the R-rate of Covid infection.

Last night, Mr Johnson admitted schools could act as “vectors of transmission” – hours after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced similar closings for Scotland.

He said, “We have done everything in our power to keep schools open because we know how important every day in education is for children’s life chances.”

Naomi Carpenter, a 20-year-old sports rehab student at Hull University, is taking a swab for a side-flow Covid-19 test at campus sports facilities as students return to university. She has to go home now

Ministers have already faced union anger over the government’s chaotic plans to reopen schools in January

University students also face another prolonged study spurt in their bedrooms rather than in classrooms, so the demand for tuition fees and reimbursements for accommodation is likely to increase. With certain exceptions for courses such as medicine, students have already been told to “stay away” until January 25th at the earliest, but the campus ban will now continue into the next month.

The summer school exams cancellation will align England with Wales and Scotland, both of which decided to abandon the idea long before the current crisis.

Mr Johnson said it was “not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead as usual this summer”.

The Mail believes Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will now turn his attention to ensuring schools offer quality online teaching and introducing the free laptop program.

Robert Halfon, chair of the Commons Education Committee, said the government had no choice but to cancel exams.

Labor Head Boy Wes Streeting, however, said the cancellation will “create additional worry for students and teachers” as the government does not have a “Plan B”.

Former Tory Education Secretary Lord Baker told the Mail it was “important” that all school staff be vaccinated and testing plans strengthened at the school during the closure.

In a rare positive case, around 130,000 students taking vocational exams this month can continue to take the papers.

Just last week, Mr Williamson told the Commons that the “overwhelming majority” of the primaries would open their doors on Monday. He told MPs, “Children have to be in school, so we will always do everything we can to withstand jerky reactions to nearby schools or colleges.”

But the National Education Union had predicted a “snowball effect” of the teacher rebellion, saying yesterday that employees in 6,000 primaries – around 35 percent – had refused to work. Former Conservative Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt was one of the first MPs to break the pro-school consensus yesterday by saying it should close “immediately.”

Miss Sturgeon ordered Scottish schools to remain closed until at least early February.

The Welsh government has also announced that it will switch to online learning by at least January 18th.

Mary Bousted of the National Education Union said, “This is a crisis point for the nation and much of what has brought us here should not simply be attributed to new strains of the virus.”

She insisted: “The government had eight months to prepare for a renewed phase of distance learning and alternatives to exam assessment at GCSE and A levels. But it didn’t use that time wisely or well. ‘

THE FULL GOVERNMENT GUIDE TO NEW NATIONAL Lockdown

You have to stay home. The most important action we can all take is to stay home to protect the NHS and save lives.

You should follow these instructions immediately. The law will be updated to reflect these new rules.

Leaving home

You are not allowed to walk or be outside your home unless you have to. You can leave the house to:

• Buy for basic needs, for you or a vulnerable person
• go to work or do volunteer or community service when you cannot reasonably do so from home
• If you are exercising with your household (or your support bladder) or someone else, this should be limited to once a day and you should not travel outside of your area.
• Hit your support or childcare bubble if necessary, but only if you are legally entitled to create one
• Seek medical attention or avoid injury, illness, or the risk of harm (including domestic violence).
• attend training or childcare – for those entitled

Universities, elementary and secondary schools will only remain open to vulnerable children and children of critical workers. All other children study until the half year of February. The settings for the first few years remain open.

The university offering will remain online until mid-February for all but future courses for critical workers.

If you leave home for a valid reason, you should always stay in the village, town, or part of the town where you live. You can leave your region for any reason permitted by law; B. because of work.

If you are at extreme clinical risk, only go out for medical appointments, exercise, or when it is important to go out. You shouldn’t take part in work

Meet others

You can’t leave home to socialize with someone who you don’t live with or who you’re not in a support bubble with (unless you are legally allowed to form one).

You can train on your own, with someone else, or with your household or support bubble.

You shouldn’t meet anyone else you don’t live with or with whom you’ve formed a support bubble unless there is a valid reason why you can.

Stay 2 meters away from people who are not in your household.

Detailed instructions on national blocking

Who this guide is for

These instructions are aimed at people who are fit and healthy. There is additional advice for people who are clinically extremely susceptible to coronavirus and for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus infection. If you are at extreme clinical risk, avoid going to work, school, college, or university and limiting the amount of time you spend outside the home. You should only go out for medical appointments, exercise, or when it is important.

Hands. Face. Room.

About 1 in 3 people with coronavirus have no symptoms and could spread it without realizing it.

Remember – ‘hands. Face. Room.’

• Hands – Wash your hands regularly for at least 20 seconds
• Face – Wear face covering indoors where social distancing can be difficult and you will come into contact with people you would not normally meet
• Space – If possible, stay 2 meters away from people you do not live with, or 1 meter if additional precautions are taken (such as wearing face coverings).

At all costs, follow the directions to meet others safely.

If you can leave the house

You must not leave your home or be outside your home unless you have a “reasonable excuse”. This is regulated by law. The police can take action against you if you leave the house without a “reasonable apology” and impose a fine (permanent complaint).

You can get a fixed penalty of £ 200 for the first offense, which doubles to a maximum of £ 6,400 for further offenses.

A “reasonable apology” includes:

• Work – You may only leave home for work when it is inappropriate for you to do your work from home, including but not limited to those who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing and require personal presence
• Volunteering – You can also leave home to do volunteer or community service.
• Essential Activities – You can leave home to buy things in stores or get services. You can also leave home to do these things on behalf of a disabled or vulnerable person, or someone who is self-isolating.
• Bildung und Kinderbetreuung – Sie können Ihr Zuhause nur für Bildung, registrierte Kinderbetreuung und beaufsichtigte Aktivitäten für Kinder verlassen, für die sie zur Teilnahme berechtigt sind. Der Zugang zu Bildung und Aktivitäten für Kinder im schulpflichtigen Alter ist eingeschränkt. Weitere Informationen zu Bildung und Kinderbetreuung finden Sie hier. Die Menschen können bestehende Vereinbarungen für den Kontakt zwischen Eltern und Kindern, in denen sie getrennt leben, fortsetzen. Dies schließt Kinderbetreuungsblasen ein.
• Treffen mit anderen und Betreuung – Sie können das Haus verlassen, um Personen in Ihrer Unterstützungsblase zu besuchen (sofern Sie gesetzlich dazu berechtigt sind, eine zu bilden), um Kinder unter 14 Jahren im Rahmen einer Kinderbetreuungsblase informell zu betreuen (z. B. um Eltern die Arbeit zu ermöglichen und keinen sozialen Kontakt zwischen Erwachsenen zu ermöglichen), behinderte oder schutzbedürftige Menschen zu betreuen, Nothilfe zu leisten, an einer Selbsthilfegruppe (mit bis zu 15 Personen) teilzunehmen oder eine Pflegepause einzulegen, wenn diese Betreuung für a schutzbedürftige Person oder eine Person mit einer Behinderung oder ist eine kurze Pause in Bezug auf ein betreutes Kind.
• Übung – Sie können weiterhin alleine, mit einer anderen Person oder mit Ihrem Haushalt oder Ihrer Unterstützungsblase trainieren. Dies sollte auf einmal pro Tag begrenzt sein und Sie sollten nicht außerhalb Ihrer Region reisen. Sie sollten soziale Distanz bewahren. Siehe trainieren und andere Leute treffen.
• Medizinische Gründe – Sie können Ihr Zuhause aus medizinischen Gründen verlassen, einschließlich eines COVID-19-Tests für medizinische Termine und Notfälle.
• Schaden und mitfühlende Besuche – Sie können das Haus verlassen, um mit jemandem zusammen zu sein, der ein Kind zur Welt bringt, um Verletzungen oder Krankheiten zu vermeiden oder um dem Risiko eines Schadens (wie z. B. häuslicher Gewalt) zu entgehen. Sie können das Haus auch verlassen, um jemanden zu besuchen, der im Sterben liegt, oder jemanden in einem Pflegeheim (sofern dies unter Anleitung des Pflegeheims gestattet ist), ein Hospiz oder ein Krankenhaus, oder um ihn zu einem Arzttermin zu begleiten.
• Tierschutzgründe – Sie können Ihr Zuhause aus Tierschutzgründen verlassen, z. B. um sich an einen Veterinärdienst zu wenden, um Rat oder Behandlung zu erhalten.
• Kommunale Anbetung und Lebensereignisse – Sie können das Haus verlassen, um an einer Kultstätte teilzunehmen oder diese zu besuchen, um eine gemeinsame Anbetung, eine Beerdigung oder ein Ereignis im Zusammenhang mit einem Tod, einer Grabstätte oder einem Erinnerungsgarten durchzuführen oder an einer Hochzeitszeremonie teilzunehmen. Sie sollten die Anweisungen zur sicheren Verwendung von Kultstätten befolgen und dürfen sich nicht mit Personen außerhalb Ihres Haushalts oder der Unterstützungsblase vermischen, wenn Sie eine Kultstätte besuchen. Hochzeiten, Beerdigungen und religiöse, glaubensbasierte oder Gedenkveranstaltungen, die mit dem Tod einer Person verbunden sind Alle unterliegen einer Beschränkung der Teilnehmerzahl, und Hochzeiten und standesamtliche Zeremonien dürfen nur in Ausnahmefällen stattfinden.

Es gibt weitere vernünftige Ausreden. Sie können beispielsweise das Haus verlassen, um gesetzliche Verpflichtungen zu erfüllen oder Aktivitäten im Zusammenhang mit dem Kauf, Verkauf, der Vermietung oder Vermietung von Wohnimmobilien durchzuführen oder wenn dies für die Abstimmung bei einer Wahl oder einem Referendum angemessen erforderlich ist.

Andere Menschen trainieren und treffen

Sie sollten die Zeit außerhalb Ihres Hauses minimieren.

Es ist gesetzeswidrig, sich sozial mit Familie oder Freunden zu treffen, es sei denn, sie sind Teil Ihres Haushalts oder Ihrer Unterstützungsblase. Sie können Ihr Zuhause nur verlassen, um Sport zu treiben, und nicht zum Zwecke der Erholung oder Erholung (z. B. eines Picknicks oder eines gesellschaftlichen Treffens). Dies sollte auf einmal pro Tag begrenzt sein und Sie sollten nicht außerhalb Ihrer Region reisen.

Sie können an einem öffentlichen Ort im Freien trainieren:

• von dir selbst
• mit den Menschen, mit denen du lebst
• mit Ihrer Unterstützungsblase (wenn Sie gesetzlich berechtigt sind, eine zu bilden)
• in einer Kinderbetreuungsblase, in der Kinderbetreuung angeboten wird
• oder, wenn Sie alleine sind, mit 1 Person aus einem anderen Haushalt
• Öffentliche Plätze im Freien sind:
• Parks, Strände, öffentlich zugängliche Landschaft, Wälder
• öffentliche Gärten (unabhängig davon, ob Sie für den Eintritt bezahlen oder nicht)
• das Gelände eines Kulturerbes
• Spielplätze

Sportstätten im Freien, darunter Tennisplätze, Golfplätze und Schwimmbäder, müssen geschlossen sein.

Halten Sie sich in der Nähe von anderen Personen 2 Meter von Personen entfernt, die sich nicht in Ihrem Haushalt befinden – dh von den Personen, mit denen Sie zusammenleben – oder von Ihrer Unterstützungsblase. Wenn dies nicht möglich ist, halten Sie 1 Meter Abstand mit zusätzlichen Vorsichtsmaßnahmen (z. B. Tragen einer Gesichtsbedeckung).

Sie müssen in vielen Innenräumen, z. B. in Geschäften oder Kultstätten, in denen diese geöffnet bleiben, und in öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln eine Gesichtsbedeckung tragen, es sei denn, Sie sind davon ausgenommen. Das ist das Gesetz. Lesen Sie die Anleitungen zu Gesichtsbedeckungen.

Unterstützungs- und Kinderbetreuungsblasen

Sie müssen bestimmte Teilnahmebedingungen erfüllen, um eine Unterstützungs- oder Kinderbetreuungsblase zu bilden. Dies bedeutet, dass nicht jeder eine Blase bilden kann.

Eine Unterstützungsblase ist ein Unterstützungsnetzwerk, das zwei Haushalte verbindet. Sie können mit einem anderen Haushalt jeder Größe nur dann eine Unterstützungsblase bilden, wenn Sie die Teilnahmebedingungen erfüllen.

Es ist gesetzeswidrig, eine Unterstützungsblase zu bilden, wenn Sie diese Regeln nicht befolgen.

Sie dürfen Ihr Zuhause verlassen, um Ihre Unterstützungsblase zu besuchen (und bei ihnen zu übernachten). Wenn Sie jedoch eine Unterstützungsblase bilden, ist es am besten, wenn dies bei einem Haushalt geschieht, der vor Ort lebt. This will help prevent the virus spreading from an area where more people are infected.

If you live in a household with anyone aged under 14, you can form a childcare bubble. This allows friends or family from one other household to provide informal childcare.

You must not meet socially with your childcare bubble, and must avoid seeing members of your childcare and support bubbles at the same time.

There is separate guidance for support bubbles and childcare bubbles.

Where and when you can meet in larger groups

There are still circumstances in which you are allowed to meet others from outside your household, childcare or support bubble in larger groups, but this should not be for socialising and only for permitted purposes. A full list of these circumstances will be included in the regulations, and includes:

• for work, or providing voluntary or charitable services, where it is unreasonable to do so from home. This can include work in other people’s homes where necessary – for example, for nannies, cleaners, social care workers providing support to children and families, or tradespeople. See guidance on working safely in other people’s homes). Where a work meeting does not need to take place in a private home or garden, it should not – for example, although you can meet a personal trainer, you should do so in a public outdoor place.
• in a childcare bubble (for the purposes of childcare only)
• Where eligible to use these services, for education, registered childcare, and supervised activities for children. Access to education and childcare facilities is restricted. See further information on education and childcare.
• for arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents or guardians
• to allow contact between birth parents and children in care, as well as between siblings in care
• for prospective adopting parents to meet a child or children who may be placed with them
• to place or facilitate the placing of a child or children in the care of another by social services
• for birth partners
• to provide emergency assistance, and to avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
• to see someone who is dying
• to fulfil a legal obligation, such as attending court or jury service
• for gatherings within criminal justice accommodation or immigration detention centres
• to provide care or assistance to someone vulnerable, or to provide respite for a carer
• for a wedding or equivalent ceremony in exceptional circumstances and only for up to 6 people
• for funerals – up to a maximum of 30 people. Wakes and other linked ceremonial events can continue in a group of up to 6 people.
• to visit someone at home who is dying, or to visit someone receiving treatment in a hospital, hospice or care home, or to accompany a family member or friend to a medical appointment
• for elite sportspeople (and their coaches if necessary, or parents/guardians if they are under 18) – or those on an official elite sports pathway – to compete and train
• to facilitate a house move

Support groups that have to be delivered in person can continue with up to 15 participants where formally organised to provide mutual aid, therapy or any other form of support – but they must take place at a premises other than a private home.

Where a group includes someone covered by an exception (for example, someone who is working or volunteering), they are not generally counted as part of the gatherings limit. This means, for example, a tradesperson can go into a household without breaching the limit, if they are there for work, and the officiant at a wedding would not count towards the limit.

If you break the rules

The police can take action against you if you meet in larger groups. This includes breaking up illegal gatherings and issuing fines (fixed penalty notices).

You can be given a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400. If you hold, or are involved in holding, an illegal gathering of over 30 people, the police can issue fines of £10,000.

Protecting people more at risk from coronavirus

If you are clinically vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus. There is additional advice for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable to coronavirus. Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable should not attend work, school, college or university, and limit the time you spend outside the home. You should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential.

Reise

You must not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse (for example, for work or education purposes). If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live – and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall. The list of reasons you can leave your home and area include, but are not limited to:

• work, where you cannot reasonably work from home
• accessing education and for caring responsibilities
• visiting those in your support bubble – or your childcare bubble for childcare
• visiting hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health
• buying goods or services that you need, but this should be within your local area wherever possible
• outdoor exercise. This should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)
• attending the care and exercise of an animal, or veterinary services

If you need to travel, walk or cycle where possible, and plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport. This will allow you to practice social distancing while you travel.

Avoid car sharing with anyone from outside your household or your support bubble. See the guidance on car sharing.

If you need to use public transport, you should follow the safer travel guidance.

International travel

You can only travel internationally – or within the UK – where you first have a legally permitted reason to leave home. In addition, you should consider the public health advice in the country you are visiting.

If you do need to travel overseas (and are legally permitted to do so, for example, because it is for work), even if you are returning to a place you’ve visited before, you should look at the rules in place at your destination and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) travel advice.

UK residents currently abroad do not need to return home immediately. However, you should check with your airline or travel operator on arrangements for returning.

Foreign nationals are subject to the ‘Stay at Home’ regulations. You should not travel abroad unless it is permitted. This means you must not go on holiday.

If you are visiting the UK, you may return home. You should check whether there are any restrictions in place at your destination.

Staying away from home overnight

You cannot leave your home or the place where you are living for holidays or overnight stays unless you have a reasonable excuse for doing so. This means that holidays in the UK and abroad are not allowed.

This includes staying in a second home or caravan, if that is not your primary residence. This also includes staying with anyone who you don’t live with unless they’re in your support bubble.

You are allowed to stay overnight away from your home if you:

• are visiting your support bubble
• are unable to return to your main residence
• need accommodation while moving house
• need accommodation to attend a funeral or related commemorative event
• require accommodation for work purposes or to provide voluntary services
• are a child requiring accommodation for school or care
• are homeless, seeking asylum, a vulnerable person seeking refuge, or if escaping harm (including domestic abuse)
• are an elite athlete or their support staff or parent, if the athlete is under 18 and it is necessary to be outside of the home for training or competition

If you are already on holiday, you should return to your home as soon as practical.

Guest accommodation providers such as hotels, B&Bs and caravan parks may remain open for the specific reasons set out in law, including where guests are unable to return to their main residence, use that guest accommodation as their main residence, need accommodation while moving house, are self-isolating as required by law, or would otherwise be made homeless as a result of the accommodation closing. A full list of reasons can be found in the guidance on closing certain businesses and venues in England.

Accommodation providers are also encouraged to work cooperatively with local authorities to provide accommodation to vulnerable groups, including the homeless.

Going to work

You may only leave your home for work if you cannot reasonably work from home.

Where people cannot work from home – including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing – they should continue to travel to their workplace. This is essential to keeping the country operating and supporting sectors and employers.

Public sector employees working in essential services, including childcare or education, should continue to go into work.

Where it is necessary for you to work in other people’s homes – for example, for nannies, cleaners or tradespeople – you can do so. Otherwise, you should avoid meeting for work in a private home or garden, where COVID-19 Secure measures may not be in place.

Employers and employees should discuss their working arrangements, and employers should take every possible step to facilitate their employees working from home, including providing suitable IT and equipment to enable remote working.

The risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed closely. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.

Going to school, college and university

Colleges, primary (reception onwards) and secondary schools will remain open for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term.

In the circumstances, we do not think it is possible for all exams in the summer to go ahead as planned. We will accordingly be working with Ofqual to consult rapidly to put in place alternative arrangements that will allow students to progress fairly.

Public exams and vocational assessments scheduled to take place in January will go ahead as planned.

Universities

Those students who are undertaking training and study for the following courses should return to face to face learning as planned and be tested twice, upon arrival or self-isolate for ten days:

• Medicine & dentistry
• Subjects allied to medicine/health
• Veterinary science
• Education (initial teacher training)
• Social work
• Courses which require Professional, Statutory and Regulatory Body (PSRB) assessments and or mandatory activity which is scheduled for January and which cannot be rescheduled (your university will notify you if this applies to you).

Students who do not study these courses should remain where they are wherever possible, and start their term online, as facilitated by their university until at least Mid-February. This includes students on other practical courses not on the list above.

We have previously published guidance to universities and students on how students can return safely to higher education in the spring term. This guidance sets out how we will support higher education providers to enable students that need to return to do so as safely as possible following the winter break.

If you live at university, you should not move back and forward between your permanent home and student home during term time.

For those students who are eligible for face to face teaching, you can meet in groups of more than your household as part of your formal education or training, where necessary. Students should expect to follow the guidance and restrictions. You should socially distance from anyone you do not live with wherever possible.

Childcare

There are several ways that parents and carers can continue to access childcare:

• Early Years settings (including nurseries and childminders) remain open
• Vulnerable children and children of critical workers can continue to use registered childcare, childminders and other childcare activities (including wraparound care)
• parents are able to form a childcare bubble with one other household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is under 14. This is mainly to enable parents to work, and must not be used to enable social contact between adults
• some households will also be able to benefit from being in a support bubble
• nannies will be able to continue to provide services, including in the home

Care home visits

Visits to care homes can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, or behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits are not allowed. No visits will be permitted in the event of an outbreak.

You should check the guidance on visiting care homes during COVID-19 to find out how visits should be conducted. Residents cannot meet people indoors on a visit out (for example, to visit their relatives in the family home). There is separate guidance for those in supported living.

Weddings, civil partnerships, religious services and funerals

Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies and funerals are allowed with strict limits on attendance, and must only take place in COVID-19 secure venues or in public outdoor spaces unless in exceptional circumstances.

Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people. Linked religious, belief-based or commemorative events, such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 6 people in attendance. Anyone working is not counted in these limits. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies must only take place with up to 6 people. Anyone working is not included. These should only take place in exceptional circumstances, for example, an urgent marriage where one of those getting married is seriously ill and not expected to recover, or is to undergo debilitating treatment or life-changing surgery.

Places of worship

You can attend places of worship for a service. However, you must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble. You should maintain strict social distancing at all times.

You should follow the national guidance on the safe use of places of worship.

Sports and physical activity

Indoor gyms and sports facilities will remain closed. Outdoor sports courts, outdoor gyms, golf courses, outdoor swimming pools, archery/driving/shooting ranges and riding arenas must also close. Organised outdoor sport for disabled people is allowed to continue.

Moving home

You can still move home. People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless absolutely necessary.

Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work. If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings.

Follow the national guidance on moving home safely, which includes advice on social distancing, letting fresh air in, and wearing a face covering.

Financial support

Wherever you live, you may be able to get financial help

Businesses and venues

Businesses and venues which must close

To reduce social contact, the regulations require some businesses to close and impose restrictions on how some businesses provide goods and services. The full list of businesses required to close can be found in the guidance on closing certain businesses and venues in England, but includes:

• non-essential retail, such as clothing and homeware stores, vehicle showrooms (other than for rental), betting shops, tailors, tobacco and vape shops, electronic goods and mobile phone shops, auction houses (except for auctions of livestock or agricultural equipment) and market stalls selling non-essential goods. These venues can continue to be able to operate click-and-collect (where goods are pre-ordered and collected off the premises) and delivery services.
• hospitality venues such as cafes, restaurants, pubs, bars and social clubs; with the exception of providing food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect and drive-through. All food and drink (including alcohol) can continue to be provided by delivery.
• accommodation such as hotels, hostels, guest houses and campsites, except for specific circumstances, such as where these act as someone’s main residence, where the person cannot return home, for providing accommodation or support to the homeless, or where it is essential to stay there for work purposes
• leisure and sports facilities such as leisure centres and gyms, swimming pools, sports courts,fitness and dance studios, riding arenas at riding centres, climbing walls, and golf courses.
• entertainment venues such as theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, amusement arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, skating rinks, go-karting venues, indoor play and soft play centres and areas (including inflatable parks and trampolining centres), circuses, fairgrounds, funfairs, water parks and theme parks
• animal attractions (such as zoos, safari parks, aquariums, and wildlife reserves)
• indoor attractions at venues such as botanical gardens, heritage homes and landmarks must also close, though outdoor grounds of these premises can stay open for outdoor exercise.
• personal care facilities such as hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons. Tattoo parlours, spas, massage parlours, body and skin piercing services must also close. These services should not be provided in other people’s homes
• community centres and halls must close except for a limited number of exempt activities, as set out below. Libraries can also remain open to provide access to IT and digital services – for example for people who do not have it at home – and for click-and-collect services

Some of these businesses and places will also be permitted to be open for a small number of exempt activities. A full list of exemptions can be found in the guidance on closing certain businesses and venues in England, but includes:

• education and training – for schools to use sports, leisure and community facilities where that is part of their normal provision
• childcare purposes and supervised activities for those children eligible to attend
• hosting blood donation sessions and food banks
• to provide medical treatment
• for elite sports persons to train and compete (in indoor and outdoor sports facilities), and professional dancers and choreographers to work (in fitness and dance studios)
• for training and rehearsal without an audience (in theatres and concert halls)
• for the purposes of film and TV filming

Businesses and venues which can remain open

Other businesses and venues are permitted to stay open, following COVID-19 secure guidelines. Businesses providing essential goods and services can stay open. The full list of these businesses can be found in the guidance on closing certain businesses and venues in England, but includes:

• essential retail such as food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, building merchants and suppliers of building products and off-licences
• market stalls selling essential retail may also stay open
• businesses providing repair services may also stay open, where they primarily offer repair services
• petrol stations, automatic (but not manual) car washes, vehicle repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, and taxi and vehicle hire businesses
• banks, building societies, post offices, short-term loan providers and money transfer businesses
• Bestattungsunternehmer
• laundrettes and dry cleaners
• medizinische und zahnmedizinische Dienstleistungen
• vets and retailers of products and food for the upkeep and welfare of animals
• animal rescue centres, boarding facilities and animal groomers (may continue to be used for animal welfare, rather than aesthetic purposes)
• agricultural supplies shops
• mobility and disability support shops
• storage and distribution facilities
• car parks, public toilets and motorway service areas
• outdoor playgrounds
• outdoor parts of botanical gardens and heritage sites for exercise
• Andachtsorte
• crematoriums and burial grounds

Public services

The majority of public services will continue and you will be able to leave home to visit them. Diese schließen ein:

• the NHS and medical services like GPs and dentists. We are supporting the NHS to carry out urgent and non-urgent services safely, and it is vital anyone who thinks they need any kind of medical care comes forward and seeks help
• Jobcentre Plus sites
• courts and probation services
• civil registrations offices
• passport and visa services
• services provided to victims
• waste or recycling centres
• getting an MOT, if you need to drive when lawfully leaving home

What do the new lockdown rules mean for you? Schools and universities closed, the vulnerable told to shield, next summer’s exams cancelled or under threat and pubs are barred from selling take-away alcohol

Boris Johnson tonight plunged England into a new lockdown as he set out emergency measures to control the spread of new strains of coronavirus amid concerns the NHS risks being overwhelmed.

Schools, shops and sports venues will close their doors for six weeks from early on Wednesday in scenes not witnessed since the original lockdown last March, with exercise pretty much the only reason to regularly leave home.

The Prime Minister’s address from 10 Downing Street came after Nicola Sturgeon plunged Scotland into a new lockdown there from midnight tonight.

Wales has been in lockdown since before Christmas, and Northern Ireland’s executive is due to announce its own measures when it meets tomorrow.

The latest figures showed a further 407 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Monday and there were a record 58,784 more lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

So what are the new rules for Covid-hit Britain?

Schools, shops and sports venues will close their doors for six weeks in scenes not witnessed since the original lockdown last March. Only exercise and essentials shopping will be allowed

The Prime Minister’s address from 10 Downing Street came after Nicola Sturgeon plunged Scotland into a new lockdown there from midnight tonight

England

England will be put into a full national lockdown that will last until the February half term.

All primary and secondary schools will close with immediate effect, remaining open only for vulnerable pupils and the children of key workers. The plan is for them to reopen after the February half-term break.

A-Level and GCSE exams are unlikely to go ahead as planned in the summer, with Mr Johnson saying: ‘We recognise that this will mean it is not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer as normal.’

Universities will also remain closed to students until mid-February.

Nurseries will remain fully open.

The public should stay at home unless they need to leave for one of just five reasons:

• Work, if it cannot be done from home, such as construction and key public functions.
• Shopping for necessities like food and medicine.
• Exercise, ideally no more than once a day. You can exercise with anyone in your support bubble, or one other person, with social distancing.
• To give care to someone else.
• For urgent or pre-arranged medical care, or fleeing an emergency.

All non-essential retailers, hospitality and ‘personal care’ like hairdressers must close if they have not yet done so under the tier system.

Restaurants and other eateries can continue to operate for takeaways and deliveries.

But pubs will no longer be allowed to offer take-away alcohol sales, because of the number of people gathering outside to drink.

The lockdown will see more than 550,000 business closures in England, according to real estate adviser Altus Group.

The company said this included 401,690 non-essential shops, 64,537 pubs or restaurants, 20,703 personal care facilities and 7,051 gyms or leisure centres.

It added that 21,119 local council schools as well as 2,645 private schools will also have to close in England.

Children’s playgrounds will remain open.

All indoor and outdoor sports venues, including golf courses and tennis courts, must close, and team sports cannot take place, even outdoors.

Elite sports like the premier league can go on under their own schemes.

Exercise is one of the few reasons people will regularly leave the house across Britain, along with shopping for necessities.

PE lessons for those children still in school are allowed.

People who are extremely critically vulnerable (ECV) should stay at home even if they cannot work.

They can leave to get necessities like food and medicine but they should avoid busy areas.

Schottland

Scotland will be plunged back into a national coronavirus lockdown from midnight this evening, Nicola Sturgeon has announced.

The SNP leader said the new crackdown, lasting all of January, will include a legally enforceable stay-at-home rule.

Exercise and essential journeys will be the only reasons why people will be allowed to leave their homes.

The planned reopening of schools on January 18 is also being pushed back to February 1 at the earliest while workers are being instructed to work from home wherever possible.

Rules on outdoor gatherings will be tightened to allow a maximum of just two people from two households to meet.

Pubs across the UK will remain closed and in England, those that were allowed to sell takeaway drinks will not be allowed to, because of fears over people congregating outside

Meanwhile, places of worship will be closed from this Friday but weddings and funerals will still be allowed to go ahead.

A maximum of 20 people will be allowed to attend funeral services and a maximum of five people will be allowed to attend weddings.

Ms Sturgeon said the tough new curbs are necessary because of the ‘steeply rising’ rate of infections north of the border as she warned the lockdown could be extended beyond January if necessary.

The measures effectively mean a return to the restrictions seen during the first UK-wide lockdown which was imposed at the end of March last year.

All of mainland Scotland is already placed in the highest tier of Covid-19 rules but case numbers have prompted Ms Sturgeon to take more drastic action after 2,464 new cases were announced yesterday.

Schools in England will close immediately, joining those in Wales and Scotland. The latter two nations have already cancelled this summer’s exams and it may also happen in England, with plans yet to be confirmed.

Setting out the measures to come into force from Tuesday, the First Minister told MSPs in Holyrood: ‘It is no exaggeration to say that I am more concerned about the situation we face now than I have been at any time since March last year.’

Senior Cabinet minister Michael Gove was understood to be discussing restrictions with the leaders of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in a call ahead of Mr Johnson’s statement.

The latest data show a 41 per cent rise in the number of confirmed coronavirus patients in hospital in England between Christmas Day and January 3, figures which have caused alarm in Whitehall and the health service.

The 2021 Scottish Highers and Advanced Highers exams had already been cancelled.

Wales

Wales has been under a full lockdown since December 20.

The restrictions mean non-essential shops, gyms and hospitality venues must stay closed.

After three weeks the rules will be reviewed.

The current rules mean non-essential retailers, hospitality services and close contact services such as hairdressers must close.

Only essential travel is permitted, and working from home must take place ‘wherever possible’.

Two households can form a support bubble, permitted to meet in private gardens or indoors on Christmas Day only.

House parties, gatherings and events are banned, and schools should use online learning.

A single person household will be permitted to join with one other household throughout the level four restrictions.

Schools and colleges across Wales will move to online learning until January 18, the country’s education minister said today.

Kirsty Williams said the Welsh Government would use the next two weeks to work with local authorities and education settings to ‘best plan for the rest of the term’.

The government had previously arranged for schools to have flexibility over the first two weeks of the spring term, allowing them to choose when students would return to in-person learning.

Universities in Wales are due to begin a staggered start to term and students should not return for face-to-face learning unless notified that they can do so, she added.

Exams in Wales due to be held in the summer had already been cancelled.