Agenda item

[Wolverhampton Youth Council to present survey findings]

Syed Naqvi and David Omoehiomwan, representing Wolverhampton Youth Council, presented the key findings of the survey of young people and their experiences of education during the first lockdown. Syed outlined the challenges to collecting survey responses during the Covid 19 restrictions. The findings are based on responses from 344 young people. The majority of responses were received from young people in Year 9 to Years 11.

The survey was promoted to secondary schools during a five-week period. The survey focused on the educational experiences of home education of young people during the first national lockdown. Young people were asked to comment on their experiences of interactive home learning and to make suggestions that would improve their experience in the future.

Syed and David commented on the list of recommendations for future home learning during a lockdown. The importance of interaction with the schoolteacher in offering emotional and educational support was highlighted as being important issue for young people. The survey highlighted the range of difficulties reported when working remotely, for example, young people lacking the necessary equipment at home such as laptops, printers and microphones needed to take part in online teaching sessions. An issue highlighted in the survey was the need for young people to get consistent feedback from teachers and this was a recommendation to improve online teaching experience in the future.

The panel thanked both presenters for their report and supported the recommendations for the future of home learning during a lockdown or where they need to work from home. The panel were invited to comment on the presentation.

The panel queried the reasons why young people surveyed were having difficulties in contacting their teacher. The Director of Children’s Services commented that national guidance has been issued to schools since September 2020 about the requirement to develop a remote a learning plan. All schools in Wolverhampton have completed their plans. The service has also worked with schools to quality assure their remote learning plans. In view of the survey findings this issue will be discussed with schools to share their experiences of what has been learnt from young people about what worked and what didn't during lockdown and how we can enhance and highlight good practice in remote learning going forward.

The Director of Children’s Services commented on the range of work done to keep as many pupils as possible in school, which is a priority for the service and the ongoing conversations with individual schools around lockdown. There is agreement that teaching is best when it is done face-to-face and that some subjects cannot be taught remotely. The service is working really closely with schools to make sure that when young people are sent home to self-isolate that as much as possible a positive learning experience for them. 

Resolved

1.     The panel agreed to support the recommendations from the survey.

2.     The panel suggested a further survey should be done in near future to assess progress in the areas highlighted as areas of concern and presented to a future meeting of the panel.