Education wins over Covid-19 as Summer begins

20 April and the Summer Term at Ellern Mede Schools is on schedule as usual. It is ON LINE AND with the personalised support of subject teachers where needed. This online learning is for all our young people who are well enough to engage, whether they are newly admitted, mid their inpatient stay, or close to re-integrating to their home school after hospital discharge.

The many local authorities who have the responsibility to ensure children’s education whilst they are in hospital can rely on us to continue to provide that education through online teaching and learning, even through these challenging times.

All the teachers communicate directly with the young people via our online platform. As the Summer Term commences today, lessons will continue with the current personalised school timetable. Most teachers will be teaching remotely whilst the young people are on school premises. The young people will be supervised by teachers and clinical staff, as determined by an appropriate risk assessment. This means that in addition to online learning, there will also be teachers on site at each of our settings to support the young people and oversee their engagement and interaction with the subject teachers.

We are a specialist mental health in-patient hospital school, providing for the educational needs of the young people admitted to the Ellern Mede CAMHS Tier 4 hospital services. Ellern Mede School (London) and Ellern Mede Moorgate School (Rotherham) have a risk mitigation plan. We are also within the Ellern Mede Services COVID-19 Action Plan issued by the COVID-19 Lead, Peter Curtis, Managing Director. This plan is updated iteratively, and a daily communication supports any changes and developments across all the hospitals and schools.

The arrangements outlined have proved to be successful at the end of the Spring Term and will thus continue over the Summer term to 16^th July 2020.

Head Teacher, Adel Shirbini said: “I thank all the staff who are focused on sustaining the education for the children in our care in a safe and secure environment. They are key workers and are helping children to prepare for a bright future.”