Covid inquiry unearths more school pandemic ‘chaos’

Baroness Anne Longfield, the former children’s commissioner, has criticized the government for its lack of “leadership and determination” in facilitating the reopening of schools after lockdowns were lifted, during testimony to the Covid inquiry.

Her comments came in light of assertions by Gavin Williamson, a former education secretary, who stated he was given only 24 hours to orchestrate the closure of schools. Here’s a summary of the inquiry’s findings…

‘Disconcerting abrupt change’

During her opening statement, Claire Dobbin KC remarked that the March 18 decision to close schools “had consequences that are hard to overstate.”

She found it alarming that the Department for Education (DfE) “didn’t commence planning for school closures until after March 16.”

The DfE’s contingency strategies from January to March 2020 were based on the assumption that educational institutions would remain open.

The focus on keeping schools operational meant that the DfE did not conduct an impact assessment related to closures.

Williamson explained that the lack of an assessment was due to No 10 not seeking such advice.

He described the government’s sudden policy shift regarding schools as a “disconcerting 24-hour sea change,” which allowed for merely one day of planning.

In contrast, former Prime Minister Boris Johnson expressed disagreement with Williamson’s recollection regarding the preparedness of the DfE for potential closures.

The inquiry also noted that Williamson believed the second round of closures in January 2021 was “unnecessary,” indicating it was a “panicked decision lacking a focus on children’s welfare.”

Dobbin emphasized the importance of the disagreement between these two figures over planning for such a critical event.

‘Disorderly’ decision-making

Longfield, who provided evidence on Thursday, characterized the governmental process as “very fluid and rather chaotic.”

She met with the education secretary approximately every six weeks and with the children’s minister biweekly.

When asked about her influence in decision-making, she stated: “It was quite difficult to discern where decisions were being made, and they certainly didn’t appear to be made primarily by the individuals I was communicating with.”

She was “unsure if discussions” about the implications of school closures ever took place.

“The entire situation was somewhat chaotic; it was unclear who was responsible for planning regarding children – if anyone – and what options were considered, if any assessment was made regarding the impacts on children’s education.”

No ‘drive to act’

The former commissioner remarked that the government had a viable path to reopening schools by June 2020, but lacked the “momentum to resolve the standoff” among teaching unions, schools, and local authorities.

“It was, in my opinion, the government’s duty to navigate that stalemate and create a solution that would enable children to return to school promptly…I believe that leadership and determination were absent.”

This resulted in “errors made, children disregarded, and decisions taken that did not prioritize the best interests of children.”

Effects on children

Statistics from various children’s organizations highlight the severe consequences of school closures.

Dr. Carol Homden from the children’s charity Coram Group emphasized that the pandemic struck during a time when children needed consistent access to school due to shifts this generation is encountering concerning social media and technology.

Nuala Toman from Disabled People’s Organizations stated that in-person education loss for disabled children was “extremely harmful,” while Kate Anstey from the Child Poverty Action Group noted that students relying on free school meals “suffered significantly” during lockdown.

Families with limited resources were “ill-equipped” for their children to navigate education from home. Technological barriers exacerbated feelings of “isolation.”

Sammie McFarland, co-founder of Long Covid Kids, spoke about the absence of support and understanding from schools regarding the effects of the illness on children who struggled to attend school once lockdown eased.

The inquiry is set to question representatives from Ofsted, NHS England, and special schools in the upcoming week.