Colleges should prepare to reopen for Year 12 students from June, new government-published guidance has said today. 

In the document, Our plan to rebuild: the UK government’s Covid-19 recovery strategy, the government said that further education colleges should prepare to begin some "face-to-face contact" with Year 12 pupils "who have key exams next year, in support of their continued remote, home learning."

Further guidance from the Department for Education, published this evening, said sixth-form colleges should offer "some face to face support to students in Year 12 to supplement their remote education, alongside their offer to priority groups".

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FE colleges should also offer "some face to face support to students who are in the equivalent of year 10 and year 12, who are studying for key examinations next academic year, along with those in priority groups".

"We will work with the sector to provide additional guidance for FE colleges on provision for these and other disproportionately affected learners," the guidance said. It added the number of young people attending schools and colleges would be gradually increased.

“By returning pupils gradually settings can initially reduce the number of children and young people in classrooms compared to usual and put protective measures in place to reduce risks.”

The government has also set out guidance on measures schools and colleges should take, including cleaning, testing and tracing, PPE, and what to do if there is a confirmed case of coronavirus. The government said it did not recommend the wearing of face coverings in education settings, and most staff would not require PPE.

Group sizes should be smaller, the government stressed, and for secondary schools and colleges, classes should be split in half into groups of no more than 15 learners. “It is also sensible to rearrange classrooms and workshops with sitting positions two metres apart. Where very small classes might result from halving, it would be acceptable to have more than half in a class, provided the space has been rearranged. Again, support staff may be drawn on in the event there are teacher shortages, working under the direction of other teachers in the setting.”

Schools and colleges should also ensure that the use of public transport for travel to and from school/college is minimised, especially at peak times. We will be consulting with sector representatives over the coming week in order to develop some suggested models to demonstrate how this could operate, which will be published along with further guidance for secondary schools in the coming weeks.”

Education secretary Gavin Williamson said: “I know how hard schools, colleges, early years settings and parents are working to make sure children and young people can continue to learn at home, and I cannot thank them enough for that.” 

He said nothing could replace being in a classroom, and the latest scientific advice indicated it would be safe for more children to return to school from 1 June, “but we will continue to limit the overall numbers in school and introduce protective measures to prevent transmission”.

Mr Williamson added: “This marks the first step towards having all young people back where they belong – in nurseries, schools and colleges – but we will continue to be led by the scientific evidence and will only take further steps when the time is right.”

The plans for a phased opening of education settings were first announced in a speech by prime minister Boris Johnson last night. Julian Gravatt, deputy chief executive of the Association of Colleges, tweeted that colleges would need to work out the implications for the 250,000 Year 12 students in colleges. 

Bill Watkin, chief executive of the Sixth Form Colleges Association, said: "Sixth-form colleges are already doing an enormous amount of work to provide students with an outstanding package of online education and support. All of our members are looking forward to the time when students can safely return to the classroom, and college leaders will be monitoring the situation closely over the next few weeks to see if face-to-face contact with Year 12 students is feasible before the end of term.

"The prime minister is right to identify these young people as a priority group, but the safety of students and staff will be the main factor in determining when classrooms reopen," he said.