Our schools are ready to re-open
Pupils to return from Monday
■ Pupils across Calderdale prepare to return to class after lockdown ■ Education bosses say plans are in place for Covid safe learning ■ Calls for teachers to be vaccinated to protect against coronavirus We know how important education is for young people. We look forward to welcoming all children back to school and will be working closely with schools and teachers to make sure this is as safe as possible.”
– Calderdale Council leader Tim Swift
SCHOOLS ACROSS Calderdale are ready to re-open and welcome back pupils on Monday as part of Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s ‘roadmap’ to lifting lockdown.
All pupils in all years can return to class next week, and there will be regular Covid testing for students and staff.
Charlie Johnson, Principal at Trinity Academy Sowerby Bridge (pictured), said: “We are very excited about welcoming our students back into school.
“We have remained open throughout each lockdown for our key worker and vulnerable students, while providing outstanding remote live lessons to those students at home.
“From March 8 we will start a phased re-opening to facilitate the testing programme. We are so proud of our students, and grateful to their parents, for the excellent engagement with the live lessons. Our pastoral team have stayed in touch with each and every one of our students and have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback and support. We can’t wait to see everyone back in the building so that we can finally start to return to normal.”
Amanda Bennett, CEO of Great Heights Academy Trust, said: “The priority for all the Trust’s academies next week is to ensure that children return to warm, welcoming and safe environments. The staff will ensure that all children are supported with their emotional wellbeing whilst quickly identifying the requirements to support any lost learning.”
Andrew Midgley, Director of Leadership for the Trust, said: “We are proud of joint-working across the Trust: Academy leaders have taken time to ensure all measures have been taken to mitigate risks and keep our children, staff, and communities safe when we welcome more of our children back. It will look similar to the September 2020 reopening with staggered start and finishing times, safe-distancing for parents, one-way systems, and class bubbles of staff and children being the new norm for the foreseeable future.”
Gina Blagbrough, principal of Scout Road Academy in Mytholmroyd, said: “It’s been a difficult time in which we have had to really dig deep and ensure we support each other. Teachers have been making regular phone calls to families and most have taken part in ‘Teams’ get-togethers and lesson clinics.
“We are anticipating that some children will need extra support in their return to school: emotional, academic and physical and we are prepared to offer that support to both them and their families. “
Mungo Sheppard, head at Ash Green Primary School, Mixenden, Halifax, said: “Risk assessments have been updated again, new guidance has been
One of the few workforces expected to work face to face with large numbers should be protected further
incorporated, staff teams have been thoroughly briefed. This week will see our staff working even harder than ever to facilitate remote learning and all the feedback and follow up associated, provide high quality learning for those in school and ensure that every element of our school grounds, building and learning environment is safe, secure and stimulating: conducive to high quality learning in the bubbles we have become so accustomed to.
“I hope that the government recognises how brave schools and school communities are as well as how hard they work and that prioritisation for staff to be vaccinated is now looked at as a matter of urgency. One of the few workforces expected to work face to face with large numbers of people daily, really should be being protected further. Our government needs to ensure that they are honest with the impact that wider opening of schools will have on rates of Covid and on society in general with a review at Easter.”
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Mungo Sheppard Ash Green Primary