Peter Weir
Strangford · Ulster Unionist Party · Northern Ireland
“Funding was secured for that scheme, and we have been able to take further steps on it. As highlighted by my colleague Diane Dodds, we have seen my successor, the current Minister, be able to implement it at the beginning of September 2021 and funding be made available for it.”
“One of the great fears — I saw it particularly, as Education Minister, from the point of view of children and the domestic setting between partners — was what was going to happen in families when the doors closed and the locks went on. What was happening behind closed doors?”
“There is another significant element of the Bill. I have spoken about it in the Chamber on a couple of occasions. There is always a slight danger that we, as legislators, see legislation as being the end of a process and think that we can pack it away, put it on the shelf and forget about the problem because it has been solved.”
“I welcome the passage of the Bill's Final Stage and commend all the campaigners who have pressed so hard for it and the Bill sponsor. For Pat Catney, hearing some of the tributes must be like hearing eulogies at your funeral, without having to go through the indignity of dying, which is always a double advantage.”
“As highlighted by a number of Members, the impact of period poverty, though not confined to it, has been particularly acute in young women's education. We know that the impact can lead to the missing of education and constraints within education, and that it does so in a disproportionate way.”
“I support the Bill's Final Stage, and I commend the Bill's sponsor for introducing it. I thank the Minister and the Department for the positive attitude that they have taken towards it.”
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“I have therefore reminded schools that are considering using academic selection or, indeed, any form of criteria, particularly in the absence of the Association for Quality Education (AQE) and Post Primary Transfer Consortium (PPTC) assessments, that they should ensure that any alternative approaches are robust and are supported by legal advice and that the process that they have adopted can clearly and objectively select pupils for admission. There is no single set of criteria that we have been recommending to schools.”
“The use of academic selection in their admissions criteria is a decision for boards of governors. It is not something that is just their general responsibility. They have the legal authority.”
“It also highlights the fact that, beyond simply the lockdown period, there will inevitably be a need for some catch-up to be done and a need for investment in the resources required for our students as we move into the next financial year.”
“I do not think that that guarantee can be given for every individual across the board. We are trying to procure the maximum number of devices. Can that be done in every individual case? Unfortunately, achieving that will be difficult. As I indicated, it is rarely about devices. Indeed, the feedback from schools that we got, which we used when procuring the first round of devices, was around what the needs out there are. Even out of the initial 24,000 devices, a small number are still available and eligible to be claimed. <BR /> <BR />It would, however, be foolhardy to give a guarantee that every single person will be able to receive everything that is needed. All of us can do only the best that we can.”
“<BR /> <BR />I appreciate that a lot of schools will have tried to focus on small groups. That is not impossible, but it becomes more difficult using remote learning. It is imperative that the Executive look favourably on any proposals to roll out the programme. There may be times when the Member and I are metaphorically on a see-saw. We occasionally struggle to be level on it, but I know that quite a lot of schools, particularly during lockdown and particularly primary schools, have used Seesaw. It is therefore not something that has appeared overnight. It is a good example of some of the platforms that can be used by primary schools, and, indeed, it is widely used by them.”
“I indicated in the previous debate that a number of reports have been done. There is no doubt that remote learning will have an impact on children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Again, the issue is not simply one of access to devices. All children will flourish best in an environment in which they are in a face-to-face teaching situation. As I indicated, there is a strong need. This year, the Engage programme was put in place. We need to look ahead, and bids will be made to the Executive for 2021-22 funding. I know that the Member has been active on that particular front, so I should indicate that those who have been engaged through Engage will continue to be. As far as is possible, schools are trying to deliver what they can through remote learning.”
“As I have indicated, the other thing that is difficult to overcome is that, geographically, there will be some parts of Northern Ireland where, no matter what you are able to put in, because of the lack of broader internet access, some schools will have to operate in a slightly different sphere. That is simply because, no matter what can be done from the education end, there is not always going to be that availability for those children. We are, however, constantly liaising with the EA to see whether anything additional can be done to stretch what can be provided. Given the broader financial position, the lack of finance is not the issue. Rather, it is how quickly, from a public procurement point of view, things can be turned around on some of the issues.”
“As I said, we have also made some tools available, such as MiFi and BT access, but we do run into a problem. The Member correctly identified that the problem with a lot of households is not the lack of a device but the fact that a number of family members are pursuing that device.”
“We have put in a range of additional bids that equate to around £18 million, which, I think, have been accepted by the Finance Minister. Much of that is to sponsor the additional devices that the EA is providing. We are in constant iteration, particularly with the EA. Given the funding that is available, there is no lack of willingness on our part. It is just a question of how quickly certain things can be delivered. With devices, there is a procurement time lag, which is still difficult to overcome in the short term. However, there will be additional devices.”
“Advice comes from the EA through its C2k side. That can help primary schools and, in particular, teachers. We are open to any other suggestions. Through the continuity of learning programme, we try to channel those. No one is a fount of all wisdom on these things. As we move further into lockdown, we are developing programmes all the time, and we are open to doing that. Obviously, we have to make sure that what is there is quality controlled and appropriate to a child's age.”
“I do not have the direct information on Seesaw, but I will get it to the Member.”
“The website collates and makes available the resources and guidance developed through the continuity of learning programme, including newly developed resources and case studies. <BR /> <BR />Since the start of the process, there have been link officers — they are still in place — for each school, largely through the Education Authority or the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI). The Department continues to work closely with them, particularly with the ETI, and other educational support bodies to identify additional support materials to be developed at pace.”
“About an additional £7 million has been provided to support remote learning this year. That has enabled up to 24,000 devices to be made available for learners and to continue to improve online services. The scheme to provide the devices and Wi-Fi access to the educationally disadvantaged to support access to remote learning remains open, and, as I said, the EA is procuring more devices. <BR /> <BR />As well as the money side of it, there are resources in terms of guidance materials and case studies to support learning. Those have been produced by the Department as part of a continuity of learning programme. Through C2k, the EA has developed My-School, which is a website of best resources that provides a gateway to access online teacher professional learning sessions and webinars.”
“<BR /> <BR />At the beginning of January, my Department issued an educational continuity direction, which makes it a legal requirement for all preschool settings and primary and post-primary schools to provide remote learning. Alongside the direction, my Department published further detailed guidance for schools on supporting remote learning. That provides additional advice and guidance to schools about how they can tailor and adapt the delivery of the curriculum. Schools are required to have regard to that guidance. <BR /> <BR />There is much good practice across our system, and my Department is monitoring the implementation of remote learning through the school managing authorities, which will work to support schools that have any difficulties.”
“As a system, we are significantly better prepared and equipped to deliver remote learning than we were last March. Since the beginning of the 2020-21 academic year, my Department has asked schools to have contingency plans in place for the delivery of remote learning. Schools are now implementing those plans to deliver remote learning during the next couple of weeks. Due to the dedication of teachers and school leaders, the vast majority of schools had already been delivering remote learning where and when it was needed during the autumn term, continually improving their provision in line with expectations and emerging best practice.”
“I share the Member's view that the sooner we can get back to a situation in which there is direct face-to-face teaching in a safe manner that is compatible with public health, the better for all of us, whether that is parents, teachers and particularly the children.”
“The Member will forgive me, because there is a limited amount that I can say. The intention is to bring a paper on the wider situation to the Executive on Thursday. I cannot really pre-empt that paper. The Executive will take their decision. We will always work closely with the Chief Medical Officer in particular. The Chief Scientific Adviser is not actually in place at the moment in that regard, but we will work with those key medical experts, and that will form a key part of the thinking as we move ahead; indeed, I think that my officials were meeting the Public Health Agency (PHA) to discuss issues as well.”
“However, as the Member will be aware, while connectivity issues and issues with the number of devices are important issues with remote learning, the bigger problem is that remote learning is still not as good as face-to-face learning from the point of view of enabling children to have direct focus. In any circumstances, it is difficult to overcome that other than through face-to-face teaching.”
“On support, we have worked with BT to provide additional coverage. There are two aspects to that that can then boost the numbers, and that has been done. The issue will be that, until Project Stratum rolls out, in certain geographical areas, irrespective of what an internet provider is trying to do and regardless of the devices, there will be a limit to what can be provided. As part of that, the Education Authority (EA), which is currently procuring an additional 10,500 devices to add to the 24,000 that are out there largely to try to ease that burden.”
“All things are always kept under review, and the definitions have not principally changed. There is a broad acceptance that parents are generally confident about their children being in school, and that has arisen through the figures, but, across the board, the figures, which have been fairly consistent over the last three weeks, suggest that more than 90% of families do not have children in school. I see that my time is up.”
“<BR /> <BR />Different families will operate in different ways. Part of the point of needing only a single key worker is to try to ensure that key workers are available for work in all circumstances. For example, if you take the case, as it is in many cases, of a family in which there is one key worker and one non-key worker and there is a choice of who will go into work, it may be that the key worker is much less well paid. If they have to remain in the home, there is a risk of society being deprived of key workers.”
“The definition has been consistent from the start. Not all schools have applied it in that way, but, from the first lockdown, it was based on one key worker. <BR /> <BR />The Member can highlight some schools that are outliers with the percentages attending, but, if you talk to the medical experts, you will find that it is not that schools are unsafe places. The principal aim of closing schools was to reduce the overall level of contacts in society and, indeed, to address the behavioural impact of schools being open. There is a limited level of risk directly in a school. The principal problem is the behavioural aspects outside the school. Having a situation in which, across the board, more than 90% of children are not in school, removes a considerable element of the levels of contacts.”
“The definition of key workers was agreed, and there is currently no evidence that the criteria need to be revisited.”
“As the majority of those numbers relate to children attending special schools, the number of children of key workers attending mainstream schools is low enough that there is no reason to assume that social-distancing regulations cannot be adhered to. <BR /> <BR />Across the board, the overall attendance at primary schools is around 9·5%, post-primary school attendance is running at about 5% or 6% and special school attendance is in or around 50%. The latest overall figures for attendance, including all categories, show attendance at around 8·6%, which fluctuated between about 8·9% and 8·2% across the day. <BR /> <BR />On 8 June, the Executive, in line with their coronavirus recovery plan, extended the criteria for key workers.”
“I thank the Member for his question. The Department does weekly surveys. The latest data, which includes responses from around 75% of all school and preschool education settings, reported almost 12,500 key-worker children being located on-site on Monday 18 January. On the pure figures, that equates to around 4% of all pupils, but, given the fact that they show responses from 75% of settings, you could extrapolate a little further. Those figures do not include children in special schools, which have been asked to reopen for all children. <BR /> <BR />The majority of those key-worker children, about 10,500, are attending primary schools.”
“You can put that in your election literature.”
“Ultimately, the physical safety, mental health and well-being of all pupils and staff throughout the pandemic remains paramount.”
“While our battle with COVID-19 continues, I am working to ensure that appropriate measures and resources are in place to secure access to education provision. SEN provision supports our most vulnerable children, who need and deserve it to negate the adverse impact of the pandemic. For all children but particularly for SEN children, some of the pressures on their mental health and that of others —.”
“Work is ongoing to create a pool of substitutes, but, when staff are unable to be in school, the pool of specialist teachers who have particular experience in special schools is small. It is much more difficult to draw down teachers for special schools than it is to draw them from the mainstream schools' substitute list. We need people with a specialism to teach in a special school. <BR /> <BR />All action will be taken. Any request from a special school that we can meet will be met. Sometimes, however, the issue is not necessarily money. It may well be the approach that has been taken. <BR /> <BR />As I have stated a number of times, I want to see the resumption of face-to-face teaching at the earliest opportunity. It is the best education provision and support. We need a safe and welcoming environment for all our staff and children.”
“I know that the Member wants in. <BR /> <BR />The only complication is that running Engage for a second year will probably lead to an increase in the funding that will be sought. Although the Executive have had around £3 billion allocated by Westminster for COVID, the figure for 2021-22 will be considerably smaller. Even with a rollover, it may be somewhere in the region of £0·5 billion, and it will certainly be less than £1 billion. <BR /> <BR />I continue to impress on my Executive colleagues the need for funding. Any resource that we can find or that is needed will be applied. A lot of the issues are not necessarily resource issues, however. For example, one of the issues that has been raised is the need for substitute teachers for special schools.”
“I am a bit tight for time. I am happy to talk at a social distance to the Member afterwards if he has a particular issue. <BR /> <BR />We have made various resource bids at times for additional money, and as recently as the January monitoring round, but sometimes, because of COVID, we have had easements to meet pressures. That is money that we have been unable to spend that has been reallocated. Where we have made no bid, it is sometimes because those needs are being met from within existing budgets. <BR /> <BR />Mr McNulty mentioned a recharge programme. We have made it very clear that, given the extent of the interruption that has taken place, the Engage programme has largely worked well. We want to see it operating for a second year, and we are taking bids for it.”
“On the issue of resources, an additional £27·4 million has been allocated to the EA for SEN, and that includes money for SEN pupil support. On top of that, to mitigate the additional costs of COVID-19 for SEN support, I included £6·9 million directly. That also covers SEN children in mainstream schools and pupil support. <BR /> <BR />Mention has been made of the Engage programme. Work has been done to deliver that on the ground specifically for special schools. As well as the Engage money, additional money has been made available to help address the adverse impact of school closures. The Member said that special schools did not receive that funding. Special schools do not receive funding directly into their own budgets, however. That is a difference between them and mainstream schools. Instead, the money is spent by the EA.”
“It is close to fruition. One of the problems is asymptomatic children and staff, and it is critical that they are targeted through the programme.”
“Ms Bradshaw is sceptical about whether the level of PPE is adequate for teachers. To that extent, we will provide whatever is needed and is beneficial. To some extent, we are dependent on circumstances, and occasions on which PPE should be worn still depends on PHA advice. We are not in a position to second-guess. If the PHA says that PPE is necessary, it will be used; if the PHA outlines a circumstance in which PPE is not needed, it is difficult to impose wearing it. <BR /> <BR />I can provide reassurance. I think that it was Mr Dickson who raised the issue of testing and tracing. There should be an announcement shortly about that. Before Christmas, a pilot programme was carried out in a couple of post-primary schools. The aim is a weekly roll-out of test and trace for special schools. I am working with the PHA on that.”
“In normal times, when all are attending, the volume of people on buses makes that difficult. As part of the mitigation measures around the wearing of masks, we have instructed the EA to do spot checks. One of the advantages of the current situation, at least for transport, is that there is an opportunity to spread transport provision so that we can reduce numbers on the buses. <BR /> <BR />Additional PPE is being made available this week through the EA. It has been procured for children and staff in particular. Higher grade PPE is not needed, but there are specifics that need to be considered. As we know, a number of students do not have the same level of bodily control as others. Therefore, this PPE is a bit more resistant if, for example, somebody tries to take it off somebody else's face. I take on board what has been said.”
“Beyond that, the PHA has offered to speak to some of the special needs schools, because, although some of this is about what can be done to meet needs, it is sometimes about providing reassurance and trying to de-escalate anxiety from a medical point of view. <BR /> <BR />I will address a couple of the other aspects that were mentioned in the debate before I come to resources. Work is ongoing with the EA on transport. During the current situation, in which there is a level of lockdown, the aim is to ensure that transport remains for those who are attending special schools and facilitated, where it is needed, for the children of key workers and vulnerable children. I appreciate the point that was made about trying to ensure that as many precautions as possible are taken on buses.”
“It has made a considerable amount of support resources available online to parents, carers and the education workforce, particularly through social media. <BR /> <BR />There are two other aspects to the structural side of things. First, we are meeting regularly and have had discussions with the trade union side. That engagement is with not only the teaching unions but the non-teaching unions of support staff. Secondly, there is interaction with the special schools' leadership group. It regularly meets officials from the Department and the PHA. The PHA is represented at every meeting, and maybe I did not convey that impression well enough when the Member asked me about it previously.”
“Structures were mentioned. My Department continues to work with Health, and a joint Health and Education oversight group meets weekly to monitor progress, particularly for children with complex needs, and to put in place multidisciplinary local-level solutions where they are required and it is safe and appropriate to do so. EA pupil support services remain fully operational. They provide a blended approach to remote and in-person support for the most urgent cases of assessment or support, if required. In addition to the ongoing training, advisory and intervention work, an extensive suite of resources, contact details and signposts is available through the EA website. <BR /> <BR />The Middletown Centre for Autism remains operational for training purposes and support services.”
“Well-being support is being prioritised; indeed, funding has been provided directly to schools for that purpose.”
“Broadly speaking, there are two aspects to that. We are working with our colleagues in Health to establish that group because it does not lie exclusively within our remit. I will come on in a moment or two to some of the arrangements that are specifically there and to some of the reference actions and, indeed, discussions that are taking place with special schools. <BR /> <BR />Undoubtedly, Health and Education are providing services against a backdrop of challenging restrictions, and sometimes that will also be because workers have been redeployed. The EA and Health and Social Care bodies continue to work in partnership with schools to facilitate health and education services along with appropriate SEN support and therapies as a priority.”
“Remote learning requirements and the removal of face-to-face teaching should be temporary and should last no longer than necessary. It will remain under review by the Executive, but, obviously, it will be very dependent on the wider public health situation. I will continue to work closely with the Minister of Health as the situation progresses.”
“The contingency framework sets out the expectations of how vulnerable children and young people should be supported when schools and other education settings are directly impacted by restrictions that are put in place as part of the COVID restrictions. The support model that is offered to those pupils will be managed on a tiered basis. We are not quite in the tiers of across the water, but they are on four levels, with the aim being to maintain on-site education where possible and to provide a suitable support plan that meets the individual needs of the child or young person. The current level that schools and education settings are at in the contingency framework is level 2, which means that they are open for vulnerable children and young people.”
“While a particular approach was taken for mainstream schools, as I announced in the Assembly, special schools were to remain open and vulnerable children and key worker children would continue to have access to school. Vulnerable children include, amongst others, all children with statements of special educational need. In order to support schools, my Department issued a contingency framework for vulnerable children and young people to all schools on 31 December. While there was previous guidance, guidance was issued on 8 January by the EA, and bespoke DE guidance for special schools was issued on 21 January.”
“Support has been ongoing since March, when children of key workers and vulnerable children were prioritised for access to supervised learning as part of the Department's response to support those most in need during the pandemic. The fact that the numbers attending, including special schools, have hovered between 8% and 9% across the board is, I think, an indication of changing patterns of employment and of how parents see schools as a relatively safe place. In many ways, that is a mark of confidence in what schools have done and in what has been put in place. <BR /> <BR />The current public health crisis became apparent over the Christmas period. Again, as with all matters, I will work with my colleagues in Health.”
“The children are in sometimes for particular medical reasons or mental health reasons, but it is critical that we have it. <BR /> <BR />Various studies that stretch beyond Education and Health have been done during the pandemic. Mention was made of the analysis that Stranmillis has done, the work of the National Deaf Children's Society, the report of Angel Eyes and the work of the National Autistic Society. There is plenty of data. We try to take account of a lot of that information. There are other bits as well. It is an emotive issue. <BR /> <BR />The tremendous work of staff on the front line has ensured the continuation of education and support for pupils. That is critical. I appreciate that there are challenges.”
“It is undoubtedly the case that what is happening in schools is not the main driver for broader community transfer, and the medical experts will confirm that; it is the wider behavioural aspects. <BR /> <BR />In the debate, someone mentioned that individual families would want to make choices on whether their children are in school. The position, largely speaking, is that, sometimes because of a particular vulnerability or because the parents are at home and feel in a better position to look after their children directly, the attendance figures at special schools have been in and around 50%. Some of those 50% are in because parents believe that school is the best educational place for their child, but, for a strong section of that cohort, it is critical to the lives of those children and their families that they are in school.”
“It strikes me that, while a range of things can be done, the biggest single thing that will impact on confidence and dispel anxiety for parents and, particularly, staff is the vaccination of staff, and that has to be an absolute priority. <BR /> <BR />It remains an extremely challenging time for special schools. I particularly thank special school principals, teachers and non-teaching staff, who work tirelessly to keep those schools operational and safe. There is a rationale and broad cross-party support for keeping special schools open. Part of the anxiety is that some in special schools will say, "Why are we being kept open when other schools are not or are open on a more restricted basis?".”
“<BR /> <BR />It is the case that, for the broader teaching profession and even those working in special educational needs schools, the figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and the PHA suggest that those in education have no greater level of incidence of COVID than any other profession or part of society. It is also undoubtedly the case and is very understandable that social distancing is virtually impossible for those who work closely with children, particularly in special schools, and a number of Members have indicated that. No matter what levels of protection are put in place, there is a limit to what that can provide. It is undoubtedly the case that there is widespread anxiety out there.”
“A wider discussion is beginning on the issue, and it is important that we make our views clear. <BR /> <BR />Specifically on special schools, my clear public and private view is that there needs to be a prioritisation for those working in special schools. They need to be part of the current phase. They need to be designated as carers to have the vaccination done. It is undoubtedly the case — we will come on to some of the broader issues on mitigations and actions that can be taken — that vaccination is, particularly for special schools, the game changer. More than any other single intervention, vaccination is the one thing that can give confidence.”
“To be fair and without breaching confidentiality, I say that, because of some of the other discussions and, for instance, meetings organised on the issue of the mother-and-baby situation, there had to be a cut-off point of 11.00 am. We only got about five minutes into the level of discussion. I suspect, Mr McNulty, that, if you and I were around the Executive table, it may be an issue that we would find absolute agreement on. Given the importance of the issue and to be fair to Ministers, it is not something that can simply be bounced through in a matter of a few seconds, but I believe that it will be brought to a conclusion on Thursday. I share with Members a desire to see a prioritisation for education staff, and I think that that needs to be taken on board by JCVI.”