Agenda item

COVID-19 Update

To receive an update on COVID response and recovery within Children’s Services.

Minutes:

The Deputy Director for Education and Inclusion gave an COVID-19 update from an education perspective. The committee heard how schools were open to the children of critical workers and vulnerable groups. These figures were in line with national figures.

 

·         25 % of primary aged pupils were in attendance.

·         7 % of secondary aged pupils in attendance.

·         30% of special school pupils in attendance.

 

The committee heard how part of the response to COVID-19 was the joint working around vulnerable children between social care, education services and schools ensuring as many vulnerable children are in school education as possible. Social workers when visiting have been discussing attendance with families. Risk assessments for every vulnerable child not attending school have been made. 56 % of children open to social care had been attending school, including 68 % of children in care. These numbers were high in comparison to the national figures.

 

Schools were focussing implementing the public health guidance to reduce transmission risk. Focus around hygiene, creating separate bubbles, one-way systems, face coverings, ventilation, social distancing where possible, staggard starts, finishes and breaks would be used to keep the spread of the virus to a minimum when children return to school. Induction activities were prepared focusing on welcoming children back to school, assessment of current learning progress and getting back into routines and learning readiness.

 

Primary school staff have been tested twice per week using at home lateral flow tests. Secondary school testing for staff and students has been slightly different as they have been tested three times per week, under supervision. Training students how to use the lateral flow test properly ahead of the testing being moved to at home lateral flow tests. Lateral flow tests that show a positive result will be subject to a confirmatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test.

 

The committee was told how GCSE and A-Level grades will be determined by schools and colleges instead of an algorithm. Grades would be based upon course work, mock examinations and optional tests set up by exam boards. No fixed number of students were set to be able to attain each grade. Schools showing ‘interesting results’ for example much higher grades than in previous years then they would be investigated by examination boards. Exam boards are also setting up optional mini tests which are offered and can be taken into account when grading students. Result day was brought forward to allow more time for the appeals process. A Level results were August 10th 2021 and GCSE results on August 12th. Schools have been asked to engage students of where they are predicted to end up to prevent it being a surprise, this would also mitigate against the number of appeals.

 

 

A question was raised asking why mock results were not used last year instead of the algorithm and why mock exams results were not being used to grade students this year.  The Deputy Director for Education and Inclusion advised that some children were not in attendance at school due to outbreaks in schools so did not take the mock exam therefore their grade could not be used to produce a result. However, it was explained that mock tests grades that has been completed were taken into account by teachers grading students. The algorithm approach was discussed, and it was said that it was a particularly flawed system. A member went on to ask if it is the school’s choice to take the optional mini exams and would these be used for primary school children on secondary school children or both. It was explained that the choice was with the school and the mini exam would only cover a small part of the curriculum that has been taught and would be offered to students of GCSE age.

 

The Director for Children’s Services presented the Children and Families Branch COVID-19 response. The committee heard how in the context ‘demand’ was when a member of the public calls and reports concern. A 15% increase in demand was seen over autumn. The complexity of the cases was also increasing. The demand over lockdown also increased nationally. Face to face visits by social care staff have continued to be done in person for the most vulnerable children, these visits are on a rotational basis so that eyes can be kept on all children requiring it. Contact between children in care and their families is being reviewed.