As schools reopened on 1st June following the easing of lockdown, pupils in Reception, Year 1 and 6 went back to classes in the first phase of the government’s plan to return children to education. In the view of the government, schools and nurseries are the best places for children to learn and seeing their teachers and friends can only promote mental wellbeing. Throughout the pandemic, many schools have remained open to help frontline staff return to work, and to support those who are key workers. Year 10, 12 in secondary schools, sixth form and colleges will go back to school from 15 June as they prepare for their public exams next year.
Schools are advised to ensure safety measures such as reducing the size of the class, limiting contact between groups and good hygiene practices.
“We need to be positive”
Little Darling Childcare, a nursery in the heart of Harrow has been open throughout the coronavirus pandemic to help key workers go about their life normally. Harrow has a 57.93% of BAME population and Little Darling Childcare, welcomed two-third of its children back on Monday 1 June.
Sanjay Morzaria, from the nursery told Asian Voice, “It’s important for children to go back to a life of normalcy so that they don’t fall behind in their overall development."
Speaking about maintaining safety measures in a fun way, he added, “The principle we have taken is that the children and staff need to be safe. Our deep cleaning process that used to be done once in two weeks is now done twice a week. We aren’t allowing parents inside the nursery at the moment. We have stopped external people coming in to teach music or yoga and we do those activities through zoom.
“Hand washing and personal hygiene have become very important too. We have installed wall clocks with audio and visual alarms with children’s photos and voices, reminding everyone to wash their hands. It’s a fun way to instil good habits in children.
“We have put our indoor and outdoor areas to better use. We have rearranged the space organically to make it more useful and fun.”
Talking about the importance of mental health and a fear of ‘corona monster’ as the children of the nursery call it, Sanjay said, “The danger of overemphasising risk can affect the mental and emotional health of a child. There are tens and thousands of
people who are making best use of their lives despite the current circumstances. Of course, we have to be cautious and follow the government’s guidelines as much as possible and in a sensible way, but we have to ensure that the well-being of the child, both emotional and mental, is also taken care of. Child development is important, hence coming back to a normal life in nursery or school is pivotal to a child’s growth. The impact of them not being in education now could hinder their future socio-economic prospects.”
Faith Schools getting ready to welcome back students
Avanti Schools Trust runs 11 state-funded Hindu faith schools in Leicester, Bristol, Exeter, Bishop Stortford, Frome, Croydon, Redbridge and Harrow.
Anand Jatania, a spokesperson for Avanti Schools Trust told this newsweekly, “Students will begin returning from 15 June in a phased manner. We have given ourselves a bit more time to ensure that we are fully prepared.
“Since lockdown began we have been working closely with the students, offering online lessons and pastoral care, especially for those who need it most. The importance of maintaining continuity and certainty during these unprecedented times can’t be overestimated. Our students are now raring to get back to school.
“During the period of school closure we provided free yoga sessions from Monday to Saturday for anyone willing to join. We also created a webpage with various resources for anyone to access, including a Wellbeing Bingo game!”
Avanti School's re-opening risk assessment and action plan includes nine steps. There are two-meter markers on the floors. A one-way system with proper signage is in place at the entrance and exit from the school. Parents aren’t allowed to come on site or to the children’s classrooms. Hand sanitiser is available at the school entrance. They are also considering varying the timing when children arrive and leave the school.
Bonneville Primary School kept its door open
Bonneville Primary School has kept its doors open every day to a key group of children from the Lambeth community since the lockdown began. As Reception, Year 1 and 6 students made their way back to the school’s first phased opening, the headteacher and her team made every effort to ensure a smooth and safe return.
Andrea Parker, lead head teacher of Bonneville, Jessop and Stockwell Primary Schools said, “It’s so important to get children back into school. Home-schooling is not a replacement for the structured education that we can provide here. For the early years’ students, it’s what creates long-lasting learning, and for our oldest pupils, Year 6 is a key milestone. Seeing friends is a huge part of their general wellbeing, and this term will be key for their transition to secondary school.”
When lockdown was announced, Bonneville Primary, which is a 420-capacity lower school situated between Clapham Common and Brixton Hill, transformed into a ‘virtual school’ overnight. But it was kept open for around 25 pupils a day to provide essential care, education and daily meals, which can be a lifeline for some families.
‘‘We have children from a wide range of backgrounds,’ Andrea added, “The school reflects the community that it is part of and it’s a place where diversity is celebrated as a real strength of the school.
“Everybody has been working incredibly hard to keep the school running during a difficult time. With a large proportion of staff and students from BAME backgrounds, we are developing specific risk assessments by looking at additional factors like age, existing health issues and people they live with, so that due care can be applied.”
Andrea further explained, “It's about being clear on who's been in contact with who. If a child shows Covid-19 symptoms, we can then act quickly for that child, the teacher and the bubble of children they have been closest to.”
For each year, the group is divided into three bubbles of up to 15 children with staggered arrival and departure times at the school gate.
She said, “For the morning drop off, there will be a 10-minute gap between each bubble. There’s a two-metre painted boundary around the school gates to keep parents at a safe distance, while routes to each classroom have been marked on the floor for the children. Inside classrooms, the layout is more spread out, and each child gets their own desk and chair for the whole day.
“We've also removed all soft furnishings, to make navigating around the school easy, and doors will be left open to avoid touching handles.
“Lunches and break times look a little different, too. Instead of communal eating in the school halls, meals will be hand-delivered to the classrooms for cleanliness and efficiency, while playtimes will provide an opportunity for getting outdoors.
“For breaks and PE lessons, we really want to maximise the outside space, especially for our younger years,” Andrea added. “Equipment, like hockey sticks and tennis rackets, that our children love will be used by one group at a time and then routinely cleaned.
“Special attention to hygiene has been carefully considered in accordance with government guidelines. After every session, the children will wash their hands with soap. We’ve installed hand sanitiser dispensers outside every classroom and extra cleaning materials are available for desks. A janitor works throughout the school day but on Fridays we will close early to facilitate statutory planning and preparation time for teachers and additional cleaning,” Andrea explained.
Andrea’s own six-year-old daughter has been attending Bonneville throughout lockdown being the child of a key worker, and the Headteacher wants other parents to feel reassured about the hard work that’s gone into these measures.
Please closely refer to the protective measures in education and childcare settings guidance here- https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings/coronavirus-covid-19-implementing-protective-measures-in-education-and-childcare-settings
DISCLAIMER: Please check with your Local Authority for the latest news on schools opening in your area.
