Covid-19 Update 21 January 4.30pm

John Cook

Changes to Schools Covid-19 operational guidance
Following the PM’s announcement that the Plan B restrictions will be lifted from 20 and 27 January 2022, the DfE have updated the Schools Covid-19 operational guidance.
These are the changes include:

  • Update to tracing close contacts and isolation section to clarify the advice for under 5s.
  • Update to face coverings section to reflect removal of recommendation to wear face coverings in classrooms and communal areas.
  • Update to mandatory certification section to reflect that this will no longer be in place from 27 January update to workforce section to reflect that government is no longer advising people to work from home if they can.
  • Update to workforce section to reflect that government is no longer advising people to work from home if they can.
  1. Tracing close contacts and isolation

Children under 5 years who are identified as close contacts are exempt from self-isolation and do not need to take part in daily testing of close contacts. They are advised to take a PCR test if the positive case is in their household

  1. Face coverings

From 20 January, face coverings are no longer advised for pupils, staff and visitors in
classrooms. From 27 January, face coverings are no longer advised for pupils, staff and
visitors in communal areas.

From 27 January, staff and pupils should follow wider advice on face coverings outside of
school, including on transport to and from school.

  1. Mandatory certification

From 27 January, mandatory certification is no longer in place and so venues and events are not required by law to use the NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry, but some may do so voluntarily.

You should not use the NHS COVID Pass as a condition of entry for education or related activities such as exams, teaching, extra-curricular activities or any other day-to-day activities that are part of education or training.

  1. Workforce

School leaders are best placed to determine the workforce required to meet the needs of
their pupils. The government is no longer advising people to work from home if they can.

Reminder – Pregnant employees new guidance – 14th January
Coronavirus (COVID-19): advice for pregnant employees was updated on Friday 14th January, 17.32.
The previous guidance made a distinction between unvaccinated and vaccinated employees rather than the stage of the pregnancy.  The new guidance reintroduces a distinction based on the stage of the pregnancy.
An individual risk assessment is still the key for all pregnant employees.
The guidance has removed the advice that unvaccinated employees should ‘take a more precautionary approach’.  Instead, in relation to unvaccinated employees, the guidance states:-
‘Unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated pregnant women are at an increased risk of becoming severely ill and of pre-term birth if they contract COVID-19. Therefore, pregnant women should seriously consider getting the COVID-19 vaccine and completing their vaccination schedule to protect themselves and their baby.’

Upcoming Events – save the dates
We are hosting the events below.  They are free and available to existing and prospective clients.  We act for Academies and Local Authority Maintained Schools in the Primary and Secondary sector, as well as Sixth Form Colleges.  If you think a colleague may be interested in attending these events or to be added to this newsletter group, please do forward this email to them.  We grow our business through recommendations and we do not advertise.

Please feel free to book places and if there are any topics that you would like us to cover in future events, please let us know.  It really helps us to deliver useful content.

Friday 28th January 2022 10am – Webinar (Microsoft Teams)

  • Fixed term contracts and implications if they remain on a fixed term contract for 2 or more years
  • EU guidance on long Covid
  • Latest Covid-19 advice and guidance
  • General Employment Law updates.

Friday 11th February 2022 9am – Breakfast Seminar at Thornton Hall, Wirral

  • Managing long Covid absences in school.
  • Disciplinary investigations, hearings and appeals.
  • Keeping children safe in education 2022 update.
  • Latest Covid-19 updates.
  • General Employment Law updates.
  • Update from health and safety specialists Jeanne Fairbrother Associates.

Please email to book your places.

John Cook – Solicitor

John Cook

I am a qualified Solicitor with over 30 years’ experience running a business, managing a team, appearing in the Employment Tribunal and advising on almost every conceivable employment law and HR issue. Clients appreciate my down to earth and straight forward approach that allows them to achieve results and manage their organisation more effectively. I take the worry out of employment law and HR issues with a proactive and robust approach.