1.8 The COVID-19 pandemic

1.8 The COVID-19 pandemic

Rapid policy responses were needed during the initial period of school closures and to support the re-opening of schools during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the closure of schools posed some of the greatest logistical and educational challenges that the education sector had ever experienced. A range of policy responses and actions had to be developed and implemented in a short period of time, and these responses had to be adjusted rapidly as the pandemic evolved. It is noteworthy that all of the education partners, including representatives of students, parents, principals/managers, school leaders and teachers/practitioners, were involved closely in the development and implementation of these policy initiatives.

In 2020, there was unprecedented expenditure to enable the safe reopening and operation of schools and other learning settings

In 2020, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic presented additional challenges, and a very considerable package of additional funding and other supports were provided to assist in the safe re-opening and operation of schools (Table 1.20). The €331 million provided for the re-opening of schools comprised a capital allocation of €180 million and €151 million in current funding. This funding facilitated preparatory works to sustain re-opening, the replacement of teachers and non-teaching staff unable to attend for work due to COVID-19, additional release days for principals and deputy principals at primary level, wellbeing supports, school transport costs, personal protective equipment (PPE) and enhanced cleaning regimes. The funding also included a grant to support ICT requirements for remote teaching, including essential learning platforms and other ICT infrastructure and additional minor works grants for primary and post-primary schools. Through the 2020 Summer Provision Programme, additional funding was made available to enable schools to provide further learning experiences for children with complex special needs and students at most risk of disadvantage in DEIS post-primary schools.

Table 1.20: Allocated funding associated with the Roadmap for the Reopening of Schools for the period August to December 2020 (€m)

Support type	Purpose	Total allocated (€m)
Targeted supports in advance of reopening	to facilitate preparatory works to be completed in schools for reopening including: • refurbishments/reconfigurations of school spaces • set-up of hand sanitising stations • signage	€79
Supports to sustain reopening	to fund: • additional teachers in schools • replacement of teachers and non-teaching staf funable to atet nd work due to COVID-19 • additional release days for teaching principals and deputy principals to implement COVID-19 measures • enhanced cleaning regimes • PPE equipment	€126
Other costs to allow for the safe reopening of schools	to fund: • additional educational psychological services to provide for wellbeing supports for students • additional COVID-19 supports for the transport of pupils on the school transport scheme.	€21
Additional capital allocation	• ICT grant for schools • additional minor works grants for Primary and Post-Primary schools	€105
TOTAL		€331

Source: Department of Education

With the support of the Inspectorate, the Department published a range of documents to support schools in mediating the curriculum during the period of school closures from March to June 2020 and on the re-opening of schools in September 2020

During the period of school closures from March to June 2020, the Department published a suite of documents to support schools in mediating the curriculum. The Inspectorate had a lead role in the preparation of these documents, which included guidance for schools on how to support the learning of children and young people in a remote teaching and learning context. Other material published included guidance for parents, and guidance to support the learning of children and young people with special educational needs, and children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage.

The Department published a further suite of documents between July 2020 and December 2020 to support schools in the safe provision of schooling and the mediation of the curriculum on the return to school in September 2020. The Inspectorate played a key role in the preparation of these documents, notably guidance for schools on remote educational provision for children and young people who could not attend school in person because they were at very high risk of contracting COVID-19, guidance on the delivery of practical subjects safely in the context of COVID-19, and guidance for supporting children and young people with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.

Contingency guidance documents in relation to supporting remote teaching and learning in the event of a further period of full or partial school closures were also published. The guidance documents published by the Department were informed by information gathered by the Inspectorate during its research and ongoing engagement with schools during 2020.

The replacement of the Leaving Certificate with a system of calculated grades required extensive collaboration among all education stakeholders

One of the most obvious policy challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic was the assessment and certification of students’ learning at the end of Senior Cycle. An intensive period of collaborative working involving the Department, all education stakeholders, the State Examinations Commission, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and the Inspectorate, led to the decision to cancel State examinations in 2020 and the establishment of a system of calculated grades through which students could obtain Leaving Certificate results. Schools and teachers collaborated with a specially established Calculated Grades Executive Office in the Department to provide students with end-of-schooling certification. The students concerned were able to progress to higher and further education and the world of work in autumn 2020. Inspectors were deeply involved with the development and delivery of the calculated grades process.

Research carried out by the Inspectorate and by other agencies and academic institutions on the experience of children and young people in schools during the COVID-19 pandemic informed the Department’s policy responses and supports provided to schools and learners

There was significant concern about learning loss caused by the disruption to in-school teaching and learning during the pandemic. The Inspectorate’s work with schools provided much evidence on the challenges that young people and their schools were experiencing during the pandemic and this was published in a series of reports in 2020 and 2021 (Further information on the findings of this research is available in Chapter 10). Several research studies from different agencies and academics also appeared on various aspects of the impact of COVID-19 on learning. In July 2020, for example, the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) published a report45, produced in partnership with the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (previously the Department of Children and Youth Affairs) that drew on Irish and international research on the effects of the pandemic restrictions on children and young people. The findings indicated that the disruption to learning was likely to have long-term consequences for many, especially for more disadvantaged children and young people. To help mitigate the challenges experienced by pupils/students with special educational needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage, the Department established a range of specific summer programmes in mainstream and special schools; these provided children with an opportunity to continue or re-engage with learning, at school or at home.

The Inspectorate adapted the ways in which it interacted with schools and settings during the COVID-19 pandemic

In response to the pandemic in 2020, the Inspectorate adapted the ways in which it interacted with settings and schools, and how it supported them in an extremely challenging and changing context. New approaches to monitoring the quality of the experiences of children and young people, both at home and in schools, were developed and implemented. Information gathered from interactions with schools informed policy-making in the Department and supported the provision of guidance to schools on how to operate safely and continue to mediate the curriculum. The Inspectorate played a key role in putting in place and implementing alternative systems to the State examinations in 2020 (and in 2021). The Inspectorate also supported Health Service Executive teams in following-up with schools where cases of COVID-19 had been reported. Further information on the work of the Inspectorate during the pandemic in 2020 is provided in Chapter 10 of this report.

45 Darmody, M., Smyth E. and Russell, H. (2020) The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for policy in relation to children and young people: a research review. Available at: https://www.esri.ie/publications/the-implications-of-the-covid-19-pandemicfor-policy-in-relation-to-children-and-young

Significant supports were developed by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to support wellbeing in schools

Cognisant of the negative effects of the pandemic on wellbeing, psychologists of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) developed advice and resources for parents, students and school staff to support their wellbeing during school closures from March to June 2020 and at the start of the 2020/2021 school year when schools re-opened. NEPS and the Department, in collaboration with the Department of Health and the HSE, set up a dedicated webpage with information and links to supports available for Leaving Certificate students. In addition to the publication of resources, NEPS staff were also available to consult with school staff and/or parents/guardians and young people as requested. This engagement was facilitated online when schools were closed.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Professional Development Service for Teachers adapted its modes of support for schools and there were very high levels of engagement by teachers and school leaders

During 2020, the PDST and the other support services adapted their modes of provision to allow for remote teaching and distance learning throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. At the outset of the school closures, the PDST launched a Distance Learning page for teachers and school leaders. To facilitate teachers in planning and preparing lessons and for remote instruction, the PDST teams developed a range of Learning Paths for all primary and post-primary subjects on www.Scoilnet.ie. They also provided a broad range of distance learning resources, including digital technology resources, to assist teachers and school leaders in continuing with the teaching, learning and assessment of pupils and students.

The PDST transferred planned face-to-face CPD to online formats and provided individual school support through remote models, prioritising the continuation of supports for newly-appointed school leaders and teachers of new Leaving Certificate subjects and specifications (Computer Science, Physical Education Economics, Agricultural Science, Leaving Certificate Applied and Art).

The support provided by the PDST was welcomed by schools and there were very high levels of engagement by school leaders and teachers. Between 12 March 2020 and 30 June 2020, the PDST recorded 8,790 teacher/school leader interactions through school support and live online course engagement. In addition, 3001 teachers and school leaders engaged in Teaching Online for Primary and Post-primary Teachers and there were 10,716 teacher engagements with the PDST webinars46.

In conjunction with the Teaching Council, the PDST also broadcasted weekly live webinars as part of their Learning4All Series. These webinars, which were moderated by the Teaching Council, included panel representation from the PDST, teachers, school leaders, parents, students and key education partners. Over 17,000 engagements were recorded for the ten webinars that took place between March and June 2020.

Figure from page 48

46 This figure does not include those engagements with teachers carried out by the PDST in partnership with the Teaching Council