Agenda item

Verbal Updates and Scrutiny of Business Critical Activities

To receive a verbal update on business critical activities relating to the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee and to scrutinise the following matters:

 

(a)       Emergency Childcare Hubs

(b)       Continuity of Learning Plans

 

Copies of the Reports to be considered by the Cabinet on 12th May 2020 will be circulated to the Committee – TO FOLLOW.

Minutes:

The Committee received a verbal update on business critical activities relating to the Learning and Skills Scrutiny Committee and scrutinised the following matters:

 

(a)       Emergency Childcare Hubs

(b)       Continuity of Learning Plans

 

Issues Discussed:

·                     Emergency Childcare Hubs

·                     Hubs established within a week – originally 13 mainstream hubs, now 14 due to increased demand, and 2 specialist hubs. Work of officers in establishing hubs and teachers operating hubs commended. Hubs established on local cluster level – 13 locations with a lead Head Teacher. Rota is operational for hubs to work 7 days a week 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hubs set up based on the needs of the children in that area.

·                     Weekly discussion about arrangements with Education Service, with ability to spread good practice.

·                     Questions:

Transport – who is eligible for transport?

Transport provided within policy for any children attending the hubs

Bilingual staff at hubs?

Yes, within principles for opening of the hubs.

Infection control – has there been any discussion of testing pupils taken ill and others at setting using mobile testing units?

Guidance sets out if child ill whilst at hub, isolation room at the hubs and PPE provided as well as thermometers. Children collected from hub. Some staff shown symptoms, staff tested, results so far negative.

Finance of schools – some schools mothballed with benefits to their budgets due to reduced costs, others having continued costs, how are these budgets not going to be affected?

Covid-19 costs being identified as schools act as hubs. Those costs will be claimed as Covid-19 costs. Health and safety of closed schools – safety checks still being undertaken on closed schools.

Welsh Language School at Welshpool – do those children have access to Welsh Medium education at the hub?

Teachers from that school will be on the rota so every attempt made to ensure that relevant staff are on the rota. However, these are childcare hubs, not learning hubs and this is covered under Continuity of Learning Plan.

Covid-19 in the home, how does this affect children attending hubs

Council follows Public Health Wales guidance and child will have to isolate for 14 days. Clear guidance in place for headteachers to contact Public Health Wales where there are case by case issues. Parents have to sign forms when they bring child to school to say that there are no symptoms at home.

How are forms signed when pupil is transported?

Parents can contact service or a note is sent in with pupils.

 

·                     Possibly a need for the Education Service to have a conversation with PTHB about support they can provide to hubs.

 

·                     Continuity of Learning Plans

·                     Questions:

4G dongles – have they arrived and been distributed?

Not arrived as yet, due this week. First 500 allocated based on information from schools, and another 100 due following that for any additional demand.

Limited awareness of document, how can it be promoted more widely and parents access the document?

Plan been through Cabinet and now ready for distribution. Continuity of Learning Plan did not start until 20th April. Pupils having access to digital learning has been first priority. Document to be released today, to all schools, elected Members and in the public arena through social media.

Nearly all schools supporting vulnerable learners effectively – what does this mean?

Service working with all schools and social care to support vulnerable children, keeping safe and supported. Increase in numbers of children asking for counselling which has been provided through the hubs.

Some parents refusing to engage with learning process – how is Service going to engage with these parents to ensure pupils get some form of education?

Support is on a school by school basis. Teams around the hub have been established including members of the ALN team, children's services, counsellors, challenge advisers, education welfare officers to engage with parents and families.

Staff working shifts at the hubs, how are we protecting the welfare of staff?

Staff not only working in the hubs but also providing work under the continuity of learning plans, therefore welfare of staff is very important. Likely that hubs will continue over the summer period. Forward plan is being discussed on how to move to recovery. It is possible that numbers at hubs will increase as more of the economy reopens.

If hubs continue over the summer holidays, will the free school meals voucher scheme be extended as well

Yes

Key worker expansion –are self employed included as key workers?

Need to look at national guidance

Update to Cabinet 23rd April – included plan with a number of timescales – have the timescales been met or is there any slippage?

These came from Stay Safe, Stay Learning guidance from Welsh Government. Suggested timescales inserted for schools, and these are fortnightly plans focussing on key themes. Nearly all schools are working on these plans to take them forward. This information also being discussed in cluster meetings and Service working with clusters to make sure plans are being developed

 

·                     Does the Council need to lobby Welsh Government about the importance of fibre broadband, based on the experience of the Covid-19 outbreak?

 

Outcomes:

Action

Action By / Completion Date

Committee to revisit issue of school budgets to make sure there is no detriment to those schools' budgets due to acting as emergency hubs.

WR – work programme

Support for all pupils – Committee to receive an update on whether all pupils are being supported.

WR – work programme

Stay Safe, Stay Learning Powys Plan – copy information to the Committee.

ET / WR

 

Supporting documents: