eNewsletter – November 2020

 

 School & College COVID impact and support survey:

We want to know the impact COVID has had within your institution and to understand how we can help and support your rugby union delivery.

In order to assist, please complete a short survey HERE.

 State School Rugby Forum:

The forum will inform schools on the most up to date guidance and support available from the RFU and England Rugby Schools. There will be live discussions from PE teachers from around the country on what their rugby offer looks like. Plus a chance to put your questions to the RFU and England Rugby School colleagues.

Please join us on Wednesday 18th November from 16:00-16:40, please register HERE.

 Headcase:

There is now an open version form of the Headcase module available from the web site. This version is aimed at those who do not have access to an RFU ID/GMS profile, for example parents, carers and non-PE Staff.

We would still expect that those staff who deliver Rugby Union in their establishment to have a profile on the RFU’s GMS and to complete the Headcase module through their profile.

 Rugby in School & Colleges:

Schools and colleges are able to continue to play rugby but must follow the DfE guidance for schools and further education settings.  Further clarification may be found here.

In summary, this is:

  • Rugby may be played as part of the curriculum, i.e. in PE and games lessons, timetabled activity during the school day and as part of courses, such as BTEC Diplomas in Sport and GCSE/A-Level PE
  • No extra-curricular rugby clubs (see below), training and activities (outside of the DfE guidance on childcare provision for parents) or inter-school/college matches are permitted.
  • Activity must continue to be played to the RFU government-approved action plan, i.e. play the formats and follow off-field logistics as permitted before half term and lockdown (Ready4Rugby, O2Touch and limited contact training in approved group sizes).

We continue to encourage schools and colleges to provide rugby union for the health and wellbeing of their students during lockdown; in particular with community sport being unavailable. However, we also recognise that there are a large number of additional factors for Headteachers/Principals to consider and that it is ultimately their decision whether they can play in line with the government guidance.

 Extra-Curricular is as defined:

The Youth Sport Trust, Sport and Recreation Alliance, ukactive and Association for Physical Education have together sought clarity from government on how schools should interpret this guidance.Following consultation with government departments, we can advise that:
  • Schools should continue to provide extra-curricular sport as long as they can do so in a way which i) maintains the integrity of schools’ COVID 19 protocols such as approach to bubbles, staffing and social distancing and ii) is subject to appropriate risk assessment.
  • Where the guidance refers to supporting parents to work, there is no additional need for schools to prove that extra-curricular clubs are helping parents to work or seek work.
  • Extra-curricular clubs should not take place if they are bringing together groups of young people who would not otherwise be spending time together. Competition between different schools should not take place, in line with the wider restrictions on grassroots sport.

This interpretation of the full guidance has been approved by the Department for Education and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.