A message from Paul Wagstaff,
Director of Education & Skills
13 November 2020
Dear colleagues
For those who were not able to see the recent Children and Young People Select Committee on 5 November, on behalf of the Cabinet Member for Education and the Committee, I would like to pass on the thanks and gratitude for the significant work undertaken by schools since March to ensure our children are supported through the current pandemic.
The committee heard from many witnesses about the way schools have responded and a hugely positive picture of the way leaders, governors and staff have worked to support our children. On many counts, the way West Sussex schools and academies have responded and worked tirelessly over the last seven months has been exceptional. I was delighted with this being openly and publicly recognised in this way and I would like to extend my thanks alongside those of the Committee. Thank you.
At the committee, one of the suggestions raised was to make sure that it was clear within any communication on information that was for operational reasons and that which was strategic to enable governors to swiftly scan for the information they needed. For this reason, I have highlighted the key recipients against each section below.
Emotional Wellbeing Training and Support (for school leaders, DSLs and SENDCOs)
As schools and colleges continue to adapt, change and meet the new challenges facing them every day, we recognise that you may be seeing a range of different emotional wellbeing or mental health issues in children, their families and school and college staff.
The Wellbeing Education Return Project is a Department for Education funded national project that aims to equip and enable school and college staff to recognise, understand and respond appropriately to the range of wellbeing and mental health issues you may see as a consequence of COVID 19 and the associated social distancing measures.
The attached leaflet provides information regarding the comprehensive offer in West Sussex. The offer is designed to strengthen your whole school and college resilience and complement the support already in place across education, health and Early Help, and lay the foundations for a future co-ordinated core and traded wellbeing offer to schools and colleges.
Heating and Ventilation of Schools (for leaders and governors)
Whilst recognising that ventilation is suggested for schools to reduce the risk of virus spreading, we ask schools to carefully consider the balance of risk and the broader health and wellbeing of staff and pupils in making decisions on this.
As we move into the winter months and the weather becomes colder and also the incidence of heavy rainfall increases, it is important to consider the broader health risk to children sitting in cold classrooms for long periods if heating is not used and windows and doors left open. There is an increased risk to the general health if cold throughout the day, and in some cases where children are also having to remain outside during breaktimes even if in heavy rainfall.
Whilst recognising that schools wish to keep air circulation and ventilation, there is no specific criteria that suggests what is the required level of ventilation and also what the optimum airflow should be to reduce risk. It is also important that, in making decisions about maintaining ventilation, existing health, safety and fire regulations are still followed. It is illegal to wedge open fire doors and the risks of doing so are significant in terms of increasing the risk to staff and pupils should there be a fire, and also significant risk of prosecution should individuals or managers knowingly allow this practice to take place. I do ask that you remind staff of the law on this to ensure no one puts themselves at risk.
National guidance on this can be found under 8) Keeping occupied spaces well ventilated in the full government guidance for schools
Covid-19 app use in school (for leaders and governors)
I share the government guidance on the Use of the NHS COVID-19 app in education and childcare settings
The app is intended for use by anyone aged 16 and over if they choose to and are able to, including staff.
If an individual with the app tests positive for coronavirus, the app will ask them to allow those that they have been in contact with to be notified. ‘Close contact’ is based on an algorithm, but generally means you’ve been within 2 metres of someone for 15 minutes or more. Individuals are not informed who the positive case is.
Pausing the contact tracing feature is only recommended in three situations:
- when an individual is not able to have their phone with them, for example because it is stored in a locker or communal area – this is to avoid the app picking up contacts when the individual is not with their phone.
(N.B We have seen examples where the app has remained active in the above scenario which has led to self-isolation of an individual or a group when they have not actually been in contact with the positive case. This has impacted on staff availability.)
- when an individual is working behind a Perspex (or equivalent) screen, fully protected from other colleagues and members of the public
- in a health or care setting where staff are wearing medical grade PPE (for example, a surgical mask) as these individuals are also considered to be adequately protected
Use of the app does not replace the need for individuals to social distance or to report positive cases to the setting. Settings should continue to follow the processes of escalation if there are any positive cases linked to education or childcare setting.
Children identified as extremely vulnerable in education settings
More evidence has emerged that shows there is a very low risk of children becoming very unwell from COVID-19, even for children with existing health conditions. Most children originally identified as clinically extremely vulnerable no longer need to follow this advice. Speak to your GP or specialist clinician, if you have not already done so, to understand whether your child should still be classed as clinically extremely vulnerable.
Those children whose doctors have confirmed they are still clinically extremely vulnerable are advised not to attend school until this advice is in place. I am sure that schools will make appropriate arrangements for children to continue their education at home. Children who live with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable, but who are not clinically extremely vulnerable themselves, should still attend school.
There will be the need for professionals to visit schools in some cases, and all have been asked to agree such visits with schools and to follow schools’ own health and safety procedures. We do ask that schools consider the arrangements in place for visiting professionals as part of their risk assessment, to ensure the health and safety of all parties.
Racial Inequality Webinars (for leaders and governors)
A series of webinars were recently hosted by WSCC’s Youth Cabinet and they can be watched and shared with your pupils and staff online here.
Guidance on Aerosol Generated Procedures (AGP) (for leaders)
Following lengthy discussions and requests for clarity on this issue, the government has now provided national guidance on how this issue can be managed in schools. This has led to the reclassification of certain procedures. Please refer to the guidance and if you have any further questions and points of clarification, please do not hesitate to contact us.
I remind colleagues that the email to report positive cases to, and to use for any questions you may have is ESWelfareGroup@westsussex.gov.uk
Best wishes
Paul
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