Agenda item

The Director of Community and Children’s Services to be heard.

The Director of Community and Children’s Services was heard relative to the COVID-19 and return to school update. The following points were noted:

• The Education Unit were committed to ensuring that all pupils experienced as much normality and stability as possible in the return to school and remained hopeful that the upcoming academic year may experience less disruption to education, especially with most adults having been vaccinated and those pupils aged 16 and above or Clinically Vulnerable and over 12 years of age being urged to be vaccinated.
• Schools were being contacted via their local authorities to participate in the rolling young persons’ vaccine programme. The Unit would keep schools updated of any changes in Governmental directives regarding staying safe and healthy in school. By now, schools should have received extra supplies of PPE and home test kits. New lateral flow test devices were being delivered to schools that make the testing quicker and easier, requiring nasal swabs only. 
• Maximising face to face attendance in education settings in the new academic year would aim to counter the detrimental impact of the last 18 months.
• There had also been changes to requirements around periods of isolation which was hoped to make organising pupils and staff a little easier.
• Face coverings were no longer recommended in education and childcare settings, but still recommended on dedicated school or college transport in line with Government expectations to wear face coverings in crowded areas when prevalence is high.
• On Saturday 21 August it was announced that CO2 monitors would be provided this term to state-funded education settings, including early years, schools and further education providers, backed by £25 million in Government funding.
• These would enable staff to identify areas where ventilation needs to be improved and provide reassurance that existing ventilation measures are working, helping balance the need for good ventilation with keeping classrooms warm over the winter period.
• Singing, wind and brass instrument playing was now permitted in the schools.
• Regarding adult learning and apprentices, 60% of adult learning courses had returned to being in person with the remainder remaining virtual for the foreseeable future.

RESOLVED, that the update be received.