Derek Thomas with Education Secretary Gavin Williamson
MP Derek Thomas led a parliamentary debate on Monday to call on the Government for a ‘reset’ in the relationship it has with the country’s hard-pressed schools and teachers.
While accepting that the past 10 months have been challenging for an Education Department sandwiched between “a Department for Health whose job it is to get on top of this disease and the Treasury whose concern for livelihoods and jobs is equally valid”, Mr Thomas said that it had been “extraordinarily difficult” for teachers.
He said he wanted to represent his constituents in West Cornwall, “who include teachers and parents, and see what can be done to reset the relationship with frontline teaching staff and the Department for Education as we set about 2021”.
He paid tribute to the way teachers have learned to adapt at very short notice in response to a seemingly ever changing environment and, as a parent of school age children himself, had seen at first hand teachers’ “engagement, commitment, patience and interactive capabilities.”
“Some small tweaks would make the world of difference,” he said.
“From the outset communication has been challenging for schools. Often they hear changes to guidance via the media first.
“Just as they are set to down tools for a much needed rest at a weekend or school holiday, the requirements for schools changes and heaven and earth must be moved to inform teachers, support staff and parents. Last minute changes in guidance leads to confusion and frustration and can put schools at loggerheads with their parents!”
Other areas that Mr Thomas wanted the Government to address included setting out a clear criteria for Essential Workers so that those who need their children educated at school the least are the lowest priority, clarity on funding with regard to the pupil premium and clarity on student testing.
“Schools have been told to set up testing capacity for pupils and staff, but I am aware of a concern among schools and parents about whether this is an appropriate additional expectation on school staff,” he said.
“I am also aware of schools that feel they cannot accept pupils face to face unless parents consent to these covid tests.”
Summing up, Mr Thomas said: “We must regain the confidence of schools that decision makers understand the grass-roots of education.
“To do this we must up our game in regards to consultation and trust in the workforce: this will deliver the best model for our children. Teachers have been incredible and continue to do what they do in an extraordinary environment.”
Responding, Education Minister Nick Gibb agreed that the teaching profession had been through ‘demanding times’.
“With high attendance rates and more than 99% of schools open throughout the autumn term, we should all have enormous admiration for the achievements of schools and their staff,” he said.
Regarding the roll-out of rapid result asymptomatic testing, the Minister said schools could access workforce funding and even military support to help them implement the programme and that pupils who are not taking part in testing would still be able to attend school as normal.
Mr Gibb said the DfE, following feedback, had improved its approach to any changes in guidance, making clear any changes at the start of documents, so that school staff could quickly see updates, without having to re-read the whole document.
He also made it clear that if parents and carers who are critical workers can keep their children at home, they should do so and highlighted the £1 billion catch-up package, including a catch-up premium, worth a total of £650 million (£5.8 million for Cornwall) to support schools to make up for the impact of time outside the classroom.
Summing up, he said: “School leaders, teachers and support staff have done truly tremendous work since the start of the pandemic to maintain high-quality education for all their pupils. I thank them once again for their exceptional efforts.”
