A report by the Director for Children, Families and Education, presented by the Assistant Director for Education advised how the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on education and young people across Wirral and gave a summary of the steps different areas of the Local Authority had taken to support schools, families, and young people to enable them to recover from the missed education that had occurred due to the lockdown periods over the last two years.

By way of background, the report reminded Members how schools and settings nationally closed in March 2020 due the first lockdown of the COVID - 19 pandemic and gradually returned Spring 2021. Members were further reminded how during 2020 and 2021, no formal assessments had taken place.

The report advised how as a Local Authority, significant support had been offered during the COVID-19 pandemic to support schools and settings to operate in the most effective way and providing clarity in relation to changing guidance. The report acknowledged how the true impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education outcomes and the well-being for young people would take years to become clear. The report set out the methods to which they assisted in supporting schools most notably through early years support, the winter household support fund, educational support, attendance service support as well as public health and the 0-19 school nursing service.

In response to a question by a Member it was identified that take up of early years funding had decreased and committee members were advised that reasons for this would be thoroughly investigated. Furthermore, it was also identified how take up of apprenticeships had also declined.

Clarification was sought by Members on how attendance figures were recorded and the range of procedures were explained for when the attendance service would intervene. Further clarification was sought over academy schools and members were advised how safeguarding responsibilities remain with the Local Authority and that the Ofsted regulator has the ability to choose to inspect both academy and community schools.

With regards to apprenticeship schemes, Members were informed that Wirral Local Authority continue to support an apprenticeship scheme and there had been some good success stories.

Resolved – That the report be noted and the contribution to support the lives of young people and Wirral’s schools as the education system recovers from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic be recognised.