10/11/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

HOW Ceredigion schools dealt with lockdown and reopened will be the focus of a special scrutiny committee next week.

The councils learning communities overview and scrutiny committee will hold a special meeting on Thursday, October 8 with the main agenda item a report from chief education officer Meinir Ebbsworth.

It will update councillors on what happened when schools were closed, how staff and pupils were supported with distance learning during lockdown and the work involved in ensuring schools could be reopened safely in September.

As schools reopened signs and other appropriate resources were distributed to assist schools with their arrangements.

The report adds that there is a rolling four week distribution programme of PPE and hygiene products to schools.

“The Authority has prepared closure action plans or partial closure action plans for schools, and a plant for the recommencement of distance learning,” it states.

At the time of schools being closed by Welsh government in a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19 there were 9,590 children, from nursery age to year 13, in Ceredigion’s schools.

Vulnerable pupils were referred by social services to access the three childcare hubs set up to ensure key worker parents could still work, with an average of 124 pupils overall attending each day.

The number of pupils claiming free school meals rose from 1,261 in January to 1,475 by the end of July, with provision throughout the summer provided via Welsh Government.

Ceredigion County Council’s meetings are all being held remotely and members of the public can attend by contacting democracy@ceredigion.gov.uk for registration details.

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