Access to remote learning during Covid 'a postcode lottery'

Covid review chair calls for improvements to learning in lockdown

Access to remote learning in the early stages of the Covid pandemic on the Isle of Man was a 'postcode lottery'.

That's the conclusion of the chair of a review into government's handling of the outbreak.

Kate Brunner's report included a look at how younger members of the Manx population were affected by Covid, particularly as a result of the closure of the Island's schools during the three Island lockdowns.

She found there was insufficient consideration of the impact of school closures, and that children's views were not considered, while the Children's Champion was also not consulted.

She goes on to describe the provision of learning from home as a 'postcode lottery', and highlights the insufficient planning for vulnerable children.

The report states some schools began to plan their own closures in the absence of direction from government, with one school telling the review it used lesson time to ensure pupils knew how to access remote learning.

When the decision to close schools was taken, teachers were given little more than 24 hours to plan for the closures.

The chair also touches on the impact Covid has had on children's mental health, citing an 83% rise on demand for assessment or treatment at the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service.

The rise has been attributed in part to the effects of Covid, including lockdowns and repeated periods of isolation.

In her recommendations, Ms Brunner urges government to ensure the voice of children is heard when making important decisions which affect them, including by training senior officers and ministers about children's rights.

She calls for a written plan to be developed for school closures, looking at issues such as safeguarding, provision for vulnerable students and a recovery plan.

There's also a recommendation for quality assurance for remote learning, with the report stating it's likely to remain a feature of education delivery for the foreseeable future, and legislation currently doesn't provide vires for it to be inspected, something Ms Brunner says should be remedied swiftly.