Colour-coding of schools to be suspended next year
THE Welsh Government is to suspend school categorisation for the 2020-21 academic year, as part of its measures to reduce pressure on schools during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Every year, primary and secondary schools in Wales are measured against a range of factors and placed into one of four colour-coded categories.
The system helps identify schools that need the most support and guidance, those doing well but which could be doing better, and those that are highly effective and can act as support to other schools.
The updated categories are published every January on the My Local School website.
A review of guidance on school improvement is to be undertaken. The Welsh Government
has also been working with the school inspectorate Estyn and a number of schools to pilot a National Evaluation and Improvement Resource, as well as a multi-agency pilot to support a number of schools that are causing concern. Preparations are being made for when that work can continue.
Education Minister Kirsty Williams said: “I recognise the difficult circumstances schools are currently operating in. My priority is to allow staff to focus their energies on the needs of pupils during these extraordinary and challenging times. I am committed to help reduce the administrative workload on education settings, where it is appropriate and safe to do so.”
AN 11-YEAR-OLD from Cardiff has been unable to do schoolwork for three months because the laptop the school promised to send never came, a report going to the Senedd says.
The child’s comments are among experiences revealed in a consultation on the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and school closure on young people carried out by the Senedd’s Children Young People and Education Committee.
The committee launched the consultation in April, especially seeking views of disadvantaged young people by working with organisations in touch with them.
A summary of the findings is going before the committee today, when Education Minister Kirsty Williams and Steve Davies, Welsh Government Director of Education, are also due to give evidence.
Those findings are stark. While some children have found positives in school closures and lockdown, the majority of the summary lays bare the negative effect closing down schools, parks and usual day-to-day life has had on them.
The 11-year-old is not identified and neither is the school they attend.
The child told the consultation:
“Being at home has been really stressful, not being able to go outside, isolating in the house, and not being able to do the schoolwork because I don’t have access to the school website.
“The school contacted me that they were going to bring the laptop since March, but they have three months that they haven’t brought it yet, and also they don’t answer the messages and also my teacher doesn’t help me with the schoolwork I’ve missed.”
Some children in Cardiff, as in other areas, go to schools outside the city in another local education authority area and the report does not state which school the child attends.
Cardiff council has distributed thousands of devices to pupils to help them do schoolwork since the Government
ordered schools to close in March. Earlier this month, one school, Mary Immaculate Catholic High, said it alone has handed out hundreds to its pupils.
The report says a majority of young people shared comments about how much they missed friends, teachers and certain lessons.
A large number said it was their friends that they missed the most. Some then went on to say they could manage the schoolwork, while others explained they were struggling.
In several comments young people mention lack of structure in their lives while not attending school.
For some this affected motivation, but others said it helped them try new ways of learning.
A council spokesperson said: “Cardiff council and other partners have worked closely with schools to develop a range of ways to address the issue of digital deprivation among children and young people, to ensure they can continue to access online learning during the school closures.
“Approximately 6,500 digital devices, including Chromebooks and iPads, have now been distributed to pupils identified as digitally deprived, as well as 2,000 4G mobile broadband devices.
“Many schools have gone above and beyond to support home learning, by printing off work for those without access to a printer, and delivering resources such as books and stationary.
“Teachers across the city are also being provided with up-to-date digital equipment to assist them in the delivery of online and blended learning.
“Around 1,300 laptops have been distributed already, with a further 1,700 devices to be delivered over the next few weeks, jointly funded by Cardiff council and Welsh Government.
“We have provided significant training to support schools to deliver learning at home, including virtual teacher training, in partnership with the Open University.
“This training will continue to support teachers in delivering both synchronous and blended learning.