Webinar: Planning for reintegration

Webinar purpose

• Provide schools with information to begin planning for pupils returning to school.
• Share national thinking with respect to preparing to fully open schools again.
• Give opportunities to share best practice, ask questions and make suggestions.

The presentation is in four sections.

1. Leadership and management, including:

•     planning
•     staff and timetable
•     governance
•     safeguarding.

2. The curriculum, including:

•     vulnerable groups
•     special education needs.

3. Pastoral matters, including:

•     pupil mental health
•     transition
•     school uniform.

4. Staff support and re-establishing the school culture and ethos.

Use these headings and the accompanying questions to start getting your reintegration plans down on paper.

Listen to the webinar recording

Note: the webinar recording took place on 29 April 2020 and prior to any announcements re specific dates or arrangements for schools physically re-opening to all pupils.

Deal with what you know

During the session, attendees discussed the stress and anxiety that many were under as headteachers. Speculation (e.g. around dates for schools to fully re-open) in the press and social media can make this worse. Try and focus on the facts, based on information from the government and DfE, and plan for what you know.

See the DfE guidance actions for education and childcare settings to prepare for wider opening from 1 June 2020 (includes initial planning framework).

Useful resources

• ASCL: Leadership in lockdown – blog series written by headteachers from around the UK
• DfE: Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance for schools and other educational settings (find links to all the DfE coronavirus guidance in one place)
• HSE: Risk management resources and tools
• Mentally Healthy Schools: Coronavirus and mental health toolkits (a series of downloadable toolkits linking to relevant resources)
• Nottingham Schools Trust: Home learning resources (including a downloadable home learning pack)
• Schools Week: Lockdown diary example – weekly blog series written by headteachers and executive leaders