Teachers can travel in and out of lockdown zones but non-priority pupils who live in affected areas must stay at home, the government has said.
Critical workers - including teachers - living in parts of Leicestershire affected by a spike in the coronavirus are permitted to travel in and out of restricted areas, in order to care for vulnerable pupils and children of critical workers, according to new Department for Education guidance.
And pupils in these priority groups are also free to travel in and out of lockdown zones to go to school.
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However, all children living in affected areas who do not fall into the priority categories are required to stay at home - regardless of where they normally attend school.
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The guidance states: “Critical workers, including education staff (nursery staff, teachers and social workers) are permitted to travel into/out of Leicester and the affected parts of Leicestershire to go to their jobs, in order to maintain provision for vulnerable children/children of critical workers.
“Vulnerable children and young people and children of critical workers are also permitted to travel into/out of Leicester and affected parts of Leicestershire for education/care or, in case of vulnerable children, to attend meetings with social workers/family courts. This includes parents taking children to school.
“No other children and young people should travel in and out of the restricted area to attend education/care - for example, if you are a child or young person (other than a vulnerable child or child of a critical worker) that lives in Leicester but attends school or college outside the affected area, you must stay at home.
“Likewise, if you live outside Leicester and travel into the city or the affected parts of Leicestershire for education or childcare, you must stay at home.”
Within lockdown zones, the guidance states that early years providers, schools and colleges should remain open only for priority groups.