‘There’s so much more to school than lessons that’s why we’re excited to open’
GETTING BACK IN A ROUTINE IS VITAL FOR PUPILS, SAYS HEAD
It’s the right time for children to come back... we need to start plugging the gaps
IN just over a week’s time, pupils will take the first steps out of the latest coronavirus lockdown when schools reopen to all students.
Tim Sutcliffe, chief executive of the Symphony Learning Trust (SLT) spoke to the Mercury ahead of all children heading back to the classroom on Monday, March 8 - the first step in the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of lockdown.
He said: “There is so much more to school than English, maths and science, everything that comes with the routine of the school day, children seeing their friends, break times, it all contributes to a wellrounded education.
“We are excited to see all of the children back for that reason.
“Staff have worked really hard to provide online learning but we know that’s not the same.”
Mr Sutcliffe also acknowledged the challenges some parents have faced.
“People have been very supportive, we know parents have tried very hard to juggle things but there have been challenges for everyone.
“It’s the right time for children to come back, we expected it would be a same-day return for all primary pupils.
“They need to be back in school and we need to start plugging the gaps.
“They are very resilient and espeing
Tim Sutcliffe
cially at primary school age, with younger children, they can catch up and most will without problems.
“The first step for us is welcoming them back.”
It is not the first time schools have been tasked with preparing for the return of pupils and lessons have been learned as a result.
Mr Sutcliffe said: “The same measures as before will be in place, class or year group bubbles, staggered drop-offs and pick-ups, lunches in classrooms. Children know what to expect, staff know all about the measures and parents do too, so hopefully that is one less hurdle this time.
“Hopefully knowing how it works will reassure people that schools are safe.”
This return comes with a financial support package worth £400 million, announced by the government this week. The average primary school is tipped to receive an extra £6,000 to help catch children up. For pupils at Glen Hills Primary School in Glen Parva, one of the SLT’s schools, it equates to £12 a pupil.
“The £6,000 won’t stretch very far but we were never going to be relyon extra money, we knew to not expect a lot,” Mr Sutcliffe said.
“Staff in school will take the lead on bringing pupils back up to speed and targeted support will be available to those pupils that need it.
“We have been planning for this for a while and have already started it once before after the initial lockdown. We’re determined that these gaps will be plugged whatever we are offered from the government.”
Mr Sutcliffe also addressed another point linked to pupils returning - vaccinating teachers.
“I think that teachers aren’t at any more risk than other professions, there is data that shows that,” he said. “I appreciate concerns but most professions outside of healthcare could make a case for getting the vaccine as soon as possible.
“We understand there are groups who need to be vaccinated in a certain order, generally people are happy to wait their turn.”
■ Is it the right time for pupils to go back? Share your thoughts in Mailbox. Contact details on Page 15.
AN INVESTIGATION into the safety of smart motorways has been launched.
The inquiry by the Commons’ Transport Select Committee will also analyse the impact of the roads on reducing congestion - the key reason for their formation.
Smart motorways often involve converting the hard shoulder to a live running lane to boost capacity without widening the carriageway.
In Leicestershire, the M1 in the north of the county and over the border into Nottinghamshire has been a smart motorway since 2018.
In 2019, 14 people reportedly died on the roads on which hard shoulders can become driving lanes at peak congestion times, or on a permanent basis - and they have been in the spotlight in recent weeks due to growing safety concerns.
Two of these were Jason Mercer, 44, and Alexandru Murgeanu, 22, who died when they pulled over following a minor collision on the M1 near Sheffield in June 2019.
Prezemyslaw Szuba then crashed his lorry into their vehicles.
Sheffield coroner David Urpeth said the primary cause of their deaths was the careless driving of Szuba.
But recording a conclusion of unlawful killing, he added: “I find, as a finding of fact, it is clear a lack of hard shoulder contributed to this tragedy.”
The coroner said smart motorways
“present an ongoing risk of future deaths” .
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps told the committee earlier this month that he “inherited” smart motorways, and pledged to “get rid of confusions”.
These include “insane” dynamic hard shoulders, which switch between being used for emergencies and live traffic depending on demand.
He published a smart motorways action plan with 18 measures to boost safety.
Tory MP Huw Merriman, who chairs the committee, said: “The Department for Transport says smart motorways help us cope with a 23 per cent rise in traffic since 2000, helping congestion.
“The department’s own stocktake report points to lower fatal casualty rates for smart motorways without a permanent hard shoulder than on motorways with a hard shoulder. The serious casualty rate is slightly higher.
“This message isn’t reaching the public, whose confidence in smart motorways has been dented by increasing fatalities on these roads.
“Road safety charities are also expressing concerns. Will enhanced safety measures help? Will the public accept them following an awareness campaign?
“Or should there be a rethink of government policy?
“There are genuine worries about this element of the motorway network and we want to investigate how we got to this point.”
There are genuine worries about this element of the motorway network
Huw Merriman MP