Welcome to the Tes coronavirus liveblog. The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic is causing uncertainties for everyone.
Schools are facing unprecedented disruption, with classrooms currently closed to all but the children of key workers and vulnerable pupils.
Here, we aim to help teachers in the UK and in international schools by gathering together all the relevant stories in one place and keeping you updated with the latest news and announcements as and when they happen.
And, as ever, we also want to hear from you. What is different in your school, in your working life, because of the virus? If you have stories you want to share or information you think should be circulated, then contact us at: william.stewart@tesglobal.com; charlotte.santry@tesglobal.com and Mary-Louise.Clews@tes.com.
Train as a teacher yourself, head tells critical parents
For parents who now have an inside view into what their child learns in the (remote) classroom, the temptation to advise staff or give feedback may tempting.
However, for one frustrated head, the critical comments became too much, and he has responded by telling parents "who now consider themselves to be educational experts, to sign up for teacher training at their earliest convenience".
Read more here.
Remember 'positive' aspects of pandemic, says Williamson
While acknowledging that some consequences of remote learning during the Covid crisis have been "challenging to say the least", Gavin Williamson has called others an "unqualified success".
The education secretary told the Education Policy Institute that people have "lost sight" of how the coronavirus pandemic has "changed learning for the better". Mr Williamson said remote education had been a "major achievement" and would bring about a "revolution in learning".
Read the full story here.
Gavin Williamson 'continues to do a good job', says PM
The prime minister says he has not lost faith in Gavin Williamson, arguing that the education secretary "continues to do a good job".
Boris Johnson's official spokesperson today signalled the PM's for Mr Williamson, despite a minister being sent in his place to answer an urgent question.
Schools minister Nick Gibb replied for the government this afternoon in response to an urgent question on its plan for the reopening of schools – despite Labour addressing the question to Mr Williamson.
Boys 'more likely to struggle with online learning'
Teenage boys are likely to struggle more with remote learning during school closures than girls, as they thrive from group interactions and may be more tempted to turn to video gaming, MPs have heard.
Remote learning is a “real concern” as boys are likely to be at a greater disadvantage as they are not used to sitting in front of a computer to study, the founder of a male mentoring service for boys has said.
Read the full story here.
Teachers 'sickened' as DfE delays cash for poor pupils
The pandemic has hit the finances of many families, and a lot of head teachers are reporting more children becoming eligible for free school meals.
But some of these pupils will have to wait for a year to get the extra funding they are owed, it has emerged.
This is due to a change made by the Department for Education to the way school funding is allocated, which has been branded "scandalous" and "disgusting" by teachers and heads.
Read here for the full story.
DfE underreported critical worker children at school by more than 100k
These are data-heavy times. And most weeks, the Department for Education informs us how many more children were at school during the pandemic than the week before.
This week though, the statistical release contained a surprise: the DfE had underestimated the number of critical worker children at school in the previous release by more than 100,000.
It had reported 709,000, while the actual figure was 820,000 - an unfortunate mistake at a time when many teachers and heads are concerned about the number of children in schools.
Read more here.
Primary schools could reopen after half term say health experts
Government health experts have said there is a “strong case” for primary schools to reopen after the half term if case numbers keep falling.
"Everything we have learnt from the summer half-term and the recent autumn term indicates that they are safe to remain open,” Shamez Ladhani, PHE's chief schools investigator, told The Times.
“There’s a strong case for primary schools to reopen once infection rates start falling and are sufficiently low to allow easing of national lockdown measures,” Dr Ladhani said.
During the autumn term, coronavirus cases were recorded in 3 per cent of primary schools, Public Health England found.
Read the full story here.
Parents back teachers facing 'impossible task' during lockdown
Parents believe teachers are facing an "impossible task" while schools are closed during the lockdown.
But the vast majority still have confidence in their child's school, according to a new survey from Mumsnet.
The research, carried out between 20 and 22 January, also found that the majority of parents (62 per cent) want children in primary and exam years to return to school after the February half term.
Read the full story here.
Good morning.
Amid a whirlwind of rumours and briefings over school reopenings, Boris Johnson has not, as yet, bowed to growing pressure from members of his own party to give a firm date for when schools should be fully opened.
What we do know is that, as we reported yesterday, three-quarters of teachers and other school staff say they would be “frightened” or “worried” if their school opened to all pupils this term.
And perhaps this is unsurprising given the criticism of data stating death rates from Covid among teachers are similar to those in other professions.
An urgent question on the matter will be debated in Parliament later today, with schools minister Nick Gibb set to appear.
We'll bring you all the latest, and you can catch up on yesterday's news relating to coronavirus and schools here.
