Message from the Director of Education re COVID19 and other matters
Dear Headteacher/Principal,
I very much hope that you are well as we have reached the last week of term. This has been quite an incredible year I don’t actually think there has been a year like this in my nearly 40 years working in education. Thank you to you all on behalf of Enfield Council for all your hard work over the year and since March 23rd and I hope you are able to have a good and restful break this summer.
a) Please find attached risk assessment templates from the borough’s health and safety team to support preparation for September’s opening. All community schools are asked to send in their risk assessments either using your own risk assessment template or this one provided to Sharon Thurbon on Sharon.Thurbon@enfield.gov.uk for the Health and Safety team to review. Voluntary aided, Foundation and Academies may also send their risk assessments in for review. As I am sure you are aware, the risk assessments will very likely need to be reviewed before the autumn term starts as guidance from PHE on COVID19 may change as may government guidance.
b) Please find attached the notes from the meeting between headteacher representatives and the local authority last week. There have been a couple of COVID19 cases recently which have resulted in schools taking appropriate action and bubbles being sent home. A couple of lessons learned from this include reminding staff to follow social distancing guidance in school and also to follow this guidance when travelling to work – car sharing may for example break social distancing rules and this needs to be carefully considered.
c) The potential withdrawal of free travel for Under 18s is a considerable cause for concern and we are a working with London Councils and the LGA to challenge this. This will affect many children attending secondary schools who choose their schools when travel was free. Legal challenges are being considered at the moment and I may write to secondary colleagues later this week if there is more information on this.
d) Information has been published by Ofsted about arrangements for inspections next term. We are trying to book a senior HMI to come and present to headteachers early next term. If this cannot be organised, we will put on an Ofsted briefing for all headteachers to help prepare for inspection early in September. Additional support schools will also have a separate Ofsted briefing.
e) I look forward to seeing you at the end of term Headteachers briefing on Tuesday at 1pm – there is much to update you on. The meeting is scheduled to end at 2:30pm but I have extended it slightly to include two presentations – one from Ofsted (HMI Martin Finch and Steve Stanley) on a Lost Learning project and a further one from a Primary Headteacher Karen Giles from Brent in relation to Black Lives Matter. I hope this is OK.
I hope you have a good last week of term and are also able to enjoy the new “freedoms” as we emerge further from lockdown. I was even able to play cricket this weekend which was an unexpected pleasure.
Best wishes and stay safe
Peter Nathan
Director of Education
People Department
Enfield Council