Earlier today Callum Murphy, who has joined my team as part of a parliamentary placement scheme for his degree, and I met with Emma Bradshaw, the Executive Principal of Alternative Learning Trust, to hear more about their concerns around the impact of coronavirus on keeping special educational settings open.
The Alternative Learning Trust is a multi-academy trust for Pupil Referral Units, Alternative Provision, and specialist settings who have operations locally at The Limes College. The work of the ALT ensures that children who need greater support that is available within the mainstream system can receive educational experiences and opportunities which will empower them to reach sustainable outcomes for the rest of their lives.
We know that children and young people in alternative provision and special settings, and their families, can be disproportionately impacted by being out of their normal environment. For some of these children and young people, remote education cannot meet their needs as effectively as face-to-face provision. That’s why it is important that on-site provision is provided for these pupils wherever possible and appropriate. Emma and her staff have gone above and beyond during the pandemic to ensure that vulnerable pupils and children of key workers in Carshalton and Wallington can still access this crucial support, and I pay tribute to all that they are doing.
It was very clear that Emma and her team have remained dedicated to providing their pupils with the best education possible, keeping special schools open and operating at full capacity throughout the course of the pandemic. I was grateful to her for raising the staff’s concerns that SEN teachers are not yet a priority for the vaccine despite their continued face to face work with some of our most vulnerable children and young people, who are often unable to abide by social distancing rules. I share in their determination to make learning environments safe so that education may return to normal.
I recognise the importance of getting SEN staff vaccinated quickly so that they may continue to carry out the important work that they do without the risk of becoming infected or spreading COVID-19 unknowingly. I will be raising this issue again with Ministers directly on their behalf so that hopefully we can resolve this issue as quickly as possible.
I am committed to doing all that I can to support all teachers through this difficult time, and welcome that the Joint Committee on Vaccinations has indicated that occupational prioritisation could form part of a second phase of the programme.
