Agenda item

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Skills presented a report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee about the impact of Covid 19 on education performance.

A summary on day to day running of schools was given along with how measures in place implemented by Head Teachers were working well.

The report focussed on the main areas where the pandemic and response had adversely impacted on the day to day experiences of children and young people across Bury on their educational outcomes and life chances.  Despite the best efforts of parents, carers, teachers, professionals and help providers, the pandemic has created daily uncertainty and confusion about the future for young people.

The proposed strategies had been designed to manage and mitigate impact and recognise a need to keep a close watching brief. The effects of socio economic changes can trigger stress reactions and feelings of helplessness and despair which impact the abilities of adults to respond to the needs of children and young people.

The report also covered the following topics:-

·         Well-being

·         Educational Attainment

·         Early Years

·         Early Help

·         Integrated Youth Service

·         Safeguarding and Protection

·         Life Chances

·         Emerging Vulnerabilities and Strategies

·         Funding

A range of issues and challenges had emerged as children and young people had returned to their setting/school in September. Concerns were raised with cohorts of newly identified vulnerable children and young people.

These new vulnerabilities have been attributed to a range of factors by Covid, including social isolation, lack of structure and certainty, bereavement, anxiety, loss of self-confidence and motivation.

Councillor Walsh added her thanks to teams of staff at all schools for their hard work and commented that a change of routine to a child who was classed as vulnerable could have huge implications.

Guidance and information had been provided to schools as well as outreach inclusion service. Working with local specialists and Salford Educational Psychology Service, Bury are implementing the national ‘Wellbeing Return to Education’ programme across the borough.

Councillor Susan Southworth requested confirmation within the safeguarding and protection part of the report around LAC sufficiency/foster carer availability.

The freedom & flexibilities in terms of changing foster carer approval categories and allowing carers to be able to call upon their own support networks to look after children ended in September. Was an update available as to whether the government would permit the reintroduction of these flexibilities.

Councillor Walker commented on early years and the closure of settings. The long term future was vital and a cause of concern was the impact on school readiness and levels of development measures. Members were happy to look at this item as a future scrutiny topic.

Councillor Stella Smith noted the safeguarding and protection of early years but would like to see data being provided at a future meeting in relation to domestic violence figures.

The Chair asked about educational attainment and the robust and continuing service re-set programme of the Lean Service review. He suggested that this be discussed a future committee and the Councillor Tariq was in agreement.

Julien Kramer, Interim Director of Education and Inclusion stated that over 850 extra laptops had been received for distance learning and would check to make sure these had all been distributed appropriately following some concerns they remained in schools.

A discussion took place on secondary school academies and only 4 remained under the local authority with the rest converted into an academy. The regeneration of Radcliffe included an academy and the Chair indicated that this topic could feature on the agenda for the final committee of the municipal year in March.