More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Boris Johnson's announcement that schools will close today in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic has left parents across Kent facing uncertainty.
Confusion has surrounded everything from what the move will mean for exams and how many children will continue to go to school...and how they'll get there.
The Prime Minster was expected to reveal the finer details of the plan at a press conference yesterday, but education took a backseat as he told of his hopes to "turn the tide" of coronavirus in 12 weeks.
So we've taken a look at some of the pressing questions parents are still asking, and what role Kent County Council - which runs education in the county - is set to play.
When will the schools close?
All schools will close until further notice from today (Friday, March 20) except to the children of key workers.
These include NHS staff, police officers and delivery drivers, with a full list of qualifying jobs released today.
Despite earlier confusion, the government confirmed on Thursday night that just one parent would need to be a key worker for their children to be eligible.
Vulnerable children - such as those with a social worker - will also still be able to attend school.
How pupils will be taught, where, and by how many teachers, has yet to be disclosed.
How long will schools be closed?
We don't know yet, with the Prime Minister only saying: "They will remain closed for the vast majority of pupils until further notice."
Most schools were due to break up for the Easter holidays in two weeks' time.
Will our children be given work at home?
Many schools have already taken steps to produce work-from-home packs for children, while others have created Google classrooms for online learning.
One teacher described the situation as "the biggest challenge that any group of teachers have faced for generations".
Paul Pollard, the deputy head of Simon Langton Girls' in Canterbury, said: "We will now begin to see how we can teach in a way we were never trained to, using techniques we have never used, to students scattered across east Kent. This feels very daunting, and will not be without bumps in the road."
KCC has written to all schools asking them to make arrangements to provide some learning activity during the closures.
What about this year's GCSEs, A-Levels and other exams?
Boris Johnson said yesterday that exams will not take place in May and June, but gave little indication of contingency options.
It leaves thousands of GCSE and A-Level students across the county facing uncertainty about what happens in September, when many will have planned on moving on to sixth form, university or employment.
Kent County Council says it is waiting for further guidance from the Government and the examination boards.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Wednesday pupils due to sit exams this summer would get the qualifications they need "in time".
He added: “I don’t want to go into detail about when and how those qualifications will be administered, but it will be done fairly and in order to protect their interests.”
No performance tables will be published for this academic year.
Will school buses still run?
Dedicated school buses will stop running from Monday, leaving parents - many of them key workers - having to establish alternative travel arrangements.
Bus firm Stagecoach has decided against running what would likely be near-empty direct services, and says it will instead revert to a school holiday timetable.
It will likely mean children having to take connecting services to get as close to schools as possible.
Joel Mitchell, the managing director of Stagecoach South East, said: ""We're in constant contact with schools in the area, as well as KCC, and there are ongoing efforts to assess how many children will be travelling and where from.
"This information is still not clear, so from Monday we will be on standby with spare buses and drivers available to run additional journeys to link students with their school where required.
"We ask that anyone who thinks that they will have a problem travelling to school should get in touch with our customer services team as soon as possible to help us identify where service levels may need boosting."
Stagecoach has urged parents or students to contact its customer services team if they need to travel next week so it can advise on the best options.
It recommends follownTwitter feed @StagecoachSE or check our website at stagecoachbus.com."
Will there be a refund on the KCC Travel Saver bus pass?
Potentially. Having originally said it could not reimburse parents who have paid for the £350 pass, KCC - which heavily subsidises the scheme - says it is now reviewing that decision.
It could mean partial refunds for those who have paid the full amount, or the end of instalments for parents choosing to pay monthly.
A spokesman said: "KCC is reviewing the level of any refund and how the payment can be made.
"Once this is determined, we will be in touch with card holders."
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