• IN response to Elizabeth Case’s letter (Why is my child losing out on education? May 7), we understand this is a challenging time for all students, parents and staff in accessing and delivering home learning, either online or not, which is affecting schools, teachers and children of all ages across the country.

However I’m proud of the way our school community has stepped up and worked together to respond to this pandemic, helping ensure as many young people as possible continue to receive a high-quality education.

During this time of huge uncertainty, schools have quickly moved to online and home learning and provided extensive support for their students as well as their families, including providing onsite learning and support for children of critical workers and vulnerable pupils.

Camden Learning, the council’s school improvement partner, has also held weekly conference calls with all our schools to share best practice on distance learning, as well as producing a set of guiding principles which aimed to cover key expectations of learning from home to support schools’ educational offer during the COVID-19 pandemic; this was adopted by all Camden heads.

It’s fair to say that online learning cannot replicate how classes are delivered with a teacher standing in front of a classroom, but to compare Camden in this way with other boroughs and private schools is not accurate, helpful or fair, where there also exists wide variability.

There has been over­whelming appreciation among many parents for the work Camden schools have been doing which goes well beyond teaching.

For example, they have been packing and distributing food parcels for pupils on free school meals, providing reading books, paints, photocopied worksheets etc.

However we, too, share the concerns of students and parents who fear their children may be falling behind and we’re closely monitoring this situation and online platforms are being adapted in light of learning and shared good practice.

We’re also acutely aware that not all families can access vital online learning, so we launched a “Digital Divide” campaign (camden.gov.uk/digital-divide) to secure donated laptops and iPads for children whose families don’t have devices and access to the internet at home.

I’m proud of the brilliant schools we have here in Camden, and I’d like to thank their staff who are working tirelessly during this difficult period. They have really stepped up to support families and are playing a crucial role in the national response to coronavirus.

CLLR ANGELA MASON
Cabinet Member Best Start for Children and Families