Received from: AEP
Congress notes the impact that the coronavirus lockdown has had on many children and young people (CYP), exacerbating food insecurity and safeguarding vulnerabilities leading to increased physical and mental health risks.
Many CYP have also faced challenges in learning at home whilst some CYP with special educational needs have had limited or no access to their special provision and support. Others are reported to have thrived through following different educational programmes and approaches while maintaining regular contact with staff from their settings.
The significance of the role of educational settings and staff within the lives of CYP and communities is much wider than ensuring that they follow the national curriculum. Yet, much of the reported discussion around the return of all CYP to full time education has focused on “catch-up” without any consideration of the need to review and learn from these past months and the role that education in its widest sense plays in the overall nurturing and development of CYP and families.
Congress calls on the government to commission an independent review into the education available for CYP within England to include:
i. comparison with other nations and countries with different educational philosophies to those favoured within England
ii. a move to prioritise relationships within learning as the most effective contributor to educational achievement
iii. a focus upon the professional expertise of educators in shaping learning experiences for CYP informed by robust psychological evidence and knowledge
iv. specific lessons learned from experiences within lockdown.
Association of Educational Psychologists
AMENDMENT
- In paragraph 3, sentence 2, after “past months”, delete “and” and insert: “. Education recovery must address”.
- In paragraph 3, at end after “families”, insert:
“with significant investment in schools and learning to meet the challenges of building a sustainable future. Education must encourage confidence and critical thinking skills alongside stimulating a yearning for knowledge.”
- In the final paragraph, add final sub-paragraph v.:
“v. recommendations for a fair and inclusive system putting needs of learners at its core.”
National Education Union