Issue - meetings

Consideration was given to the report of the Interim Corporate Director for Education which was presented to provide Members with an opportunity to scrutinise the Education Directorate’s response to the COVID-19 situation, particularly supporting the schools during the emergency period.

The Interim Corporate Director for Education spoke to the report and highlighted the main points contained therein.  A verbal update had been delivered to September’s Committee, however, this report provided more background context and a current view of the response.

In response to a Member’s question regarding testing of school staff, the Education Transformation Manager said there were three testing methods:-

1.      Aneurin Bevan University Health Board portal for access to testing.

2.      Staff testing protocol within the local authority whereby schools and individual staff members were able to self-refer for tests on a daily basis.  With priority access to testing centres including Rodney Parade in Newport.

3.      Incident Management Team option with representation from Public Health Wales to look at significant clusters or potential outbreaks as a result of school based transmissions.

Effective processes were in place to ensure that staff could access testing within a timely manner.  The staff testing protocol which was delivered via Civil Contingencies ensured that access to tests was on the same day as referral.  The process had been fast and highly effective to date.  The Education Transformation Manager reassured Members that as part of health and safety considerations all schools had Covid secure risk assessments, which were regularly reviewed when positive cases were identified within schools.

A Member enquired regarding the high transmission rates within the community and what measures were in place to combat transmission at school start and finish times. The Education Transformation Manager said that all schools had stringent measures in place including a visitor’s protocol.  Engagement with parents was ongoing either virtually or via the telephone and access to schools was restricted unless absolutely necessary.  Handbooks and guidance had been issued to parents and staggered start times and one way systems at some sites had been introduced.  Effective measures were in place to limit parent engagement on site and to ensure that parents moved offsite in a timely manner when collecting and dropping off pupils.  The Council’s Communications team supported schools with regular key messages to parents and raising awareness.

In response to a Member’s question regarding an update on PPE, the Education Transformation Manager assured Members that there were no issues with shortages of PPE at any settings.  There had been a national shortage in production and distribution of gloves in the early stages of the Pandemic but the Directorate had effectively planned and managed the allocation and distribution of PPE for all school sites and no school had been negatively affected.

The Interim Director of Education added that some funding from the Welsh Government for face coverings for pupils had been received, however, the funding was not sufficient to cover the cost of two face coverings per pupil and had been complemented by the Directorate.

The Education  ...  view the full minutes text for item 10