Minutes:
At the request of the Sub-Committee, a report that outlined adaptions due to Covid and Covid Recovery was presented to Members.
It was stated that since March 2020, schools have been required to make huge changes to their operations in all areas. They have made many adaptions to both the content of their curriculum and most notably to the delivery of the curriculum.
It was outlined that the adaptions were in four phases. During the first lockdown from March 2020 through to summer 2020, autumn term 2020, interrupted education, when schools had many pupils self-isolating and many class and year group bubbles closing, second lock down from January 2021 through to the summer term 2021. Finally the last phase from summer 2021 and continuing, the Covid Recovery phase.
It was explained that as yet no definitive date when we will be able to say “we have recovered”, as the impacts are wide and various.
The following key points were highlighted:
The report informed that members of the Havering School Improvement team have had regular conversations with school leaders as every school was allocated a lead officer. It was explained that conversations with schools throughout this time indicated a rapid advancement in both staff and pupils’ capabilities to engage with remote teaching and learning and rapid learning about utilising new technologies in a positive way.
Schools have played a major role and are continuing to play a role in community and family support and well-being.
There has been much discussion regarding the difficulties involved and the pupils who have suffered detriment, but our schools also talk about the positive gains made and the impact these would have on delivery in the future and some transformative teaching.
Schools have responded to the challenges in many different and unique ways as there is no single response as they have sought the best often bespoke options for their communities and circumstances.
Members commended staff for their work during the difficult times.
It was suggested that officers provide additional information to the report relating to children with Special educational needs and disabilities and More Able pupils.
The sub-committee received the following responses from officer at the meeting.
1. Elected Home School
The numbers electing to home educate their children has grown since the start of the pandemic, and was 242 at the last count in October. This has grown from 151 in 2018/19. There has been a spike in applications in the last two September’s due to anxieties around Covid-19 and schools, but the LA ensures that parents/carers are clear about their responsibilities before allowing any children to be removed from the roll of their previous schools. This was critical at the start of the pandemic as many parents/carers mistook EHE for remote learning, and expected the same level of support from their previous schools.
2. Funding for Catch up programme
Due to the disproportionate impact of Covis-19 on school attendance nationally, some local schools have reported that the levels of catch-up funding are not sufficient to meet demand. Many are having to use existing budgets to fund tutors, or have to look at other more cost-effective support.
3. How many schools have received Air Funding
Not sure how many schools have received their complement of C02 monitors from the Department for Education (DfE), as this is being managed between the DfE and individual schools. However, we understand anecdotally that some schools are yet to receive them, but every LA maintained school has been supported to complete a ventilation risk assessment, and have identified the high risk rooms within their site.
4. Teacher support from Head Teachers
No issues have been raised, either direct or through the regular Union meetings, but school staff have previously expressed concern about the amount of ‘Public Health’ activities they have been engaged in, such as contact tracing and administering Covid-19 testing.
5. Measurement on the impact of the intervention
Service area regularly monitors impact through the volume of referrals being made for services, and through the social care ‘front door’.
The Sub-Committee noted the contents of the report.