Bradford Council is providing information and advice to help parents, carers, schools and other settings during the disruption to education caused by coronavirus (Covid-19).
Colleagues are advised to keep up to date with Government guidance at DfE Education and Childcare.
The Government has outlined how schools may be able to increase data allowances on mobile devices to support disadvantaged children.
No Child Cold grant scheme
The No Child Cold grant scheme has been set up to support families with the extra heating costs caused by children learning from home during the lockdown. Details of the scheme can be found in the letter
to schools. Schools can use the referral form to seek assistance for their families in need.
Our Wellbeing and Education at Home - Information Pack contains a comprehensive list of resources for children from early years to the
end of their school age and including resources for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
The Department for Education has also pulled together resources for home education. DfE
resource list.
The government has also released a set of
on-line resources for children to access at home.
In addition, to support the hard work of schools in delivering remote education, there is Oak National Academy. Created by teachers, with government grant funding, it will provide 180 video lessons
each week, across a broad range of subjects from maths to art to languages, for every year group from Reception through to Year 10.
This is free and open access. It may be particularly useful to mention this to any families with children not on-roll at school.
The BBC has also launched its own education package across TV and online, featuring celebrities and some of the best teachers – helping to keep children learning and supporting parents.
Obviously, accessing these services is dependent on online access. So, the Education Secretary has announced that vulnerable and disadvantaged young people across the country will receive free
laptops. The LA is communicating with schools around this.
With many children at home and spending more time online, there is information on how to keep your child safe online in our
Online Safeguarding for Parents Guide.
SEND specific resources for supporting learning from home have been developed under four separate areas, to support children with a range of needs.
Cognition & Learning
Communication & Interaction (Autism)
Social, Emotional & Mental Health
Early Years
The Linking Network has created a
home learning resource webpage to support wellbeing and integration which can be used by teachers still in school and families with children working at home with focus on hope, resilience, friendliness, kindness, wellbeing, talk and connection with others
for integration.
A new open Facebook page has also been set up The Linking Network - support for families learning at home. Find it
here.
CPOMS, a digital safeguarding and pastoral recording system,
is offering its service free of charge during the crisis to schools without a digital recording system. CPOMS offer.
Kooth is a free, safe, anonymous online counselling and support service for children and young people aged 10 to 25. Young people can access Kooth’s counselling service and self-help resources, such as ‘10 ways you can
manage coronavirus panic.’