Education catch-up plan ‘will focus on wellbeing’, children’s commissioner says

In her second blog after taking on the role last week, Dame Rachel De Souza says she has discussed the return of pupils to school today (8 March) with education catch-up tsar Kevan Collins.

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She writes: “I’m pleased his focus will be as much on helping to boost children’s wellbeing and catching-up on their social experiences as it will be helping them to catch-up with their learning.”

The commissioner praises the move adding: “Giving children opportunities to rediscover play, sport, clubs and activities and spending time with their friends should be one of the foundations of helping them to get back on track.”

The comments follow an announcement by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on Friday that the government will invest £79m in children’s mental health services including support delivered in school.

De Souza also calls on schools and the government to support children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) who she says “maybe find school a stressful experience, or who have enjoyed the control and flexibility of remote learning”.

“We should listen to those children to make sure we hear about the positive things they have discovered during the past year, and do our best to hold on to them for the future,” she adds.

The blog comes as most children return to schools today following around two months at home during the third national lockdown. 

Last week, Collins told the education select committee that the government’s £1.7bn catch-up fund was “insufficient”.

All primary schools reopened today with some secondary schools introducing a phased return over the next two weeks.

Pupils in secondary schools will be expected to wear masks in some classrooms and communal areas, the government has said, while all secondary school and college students will take three Covid-19 tests as they return to the classroom at existing school testing facilities.

After the initial programme of three tests in school or college, students will be provided with two rapid tests to use each week at home.

Secondary school and college staff will also be provided with two tests to use each week at home.

Meanwhile, primary school staff will continue to take two rapid Covid-19 tests each week at home and secondary school and college staff will also be provided with two tests to use each week at home.

Wraparound childcare for primary and secondary pupils, including after school and breakfast clubs, will also resume from today where necessary to enable parents to access work, education or medical care.