We should champion bounce back generation of children
REGULAR readers of this column may know that my mum was a primary school teacher. She always taught me about the importance of education, and this has stayed with me throughout my life.
I know how hard pupils, parents and teachers have worked throughout this pandemic.
I recently met with schools in my constituency to discuss the support they need now that all children are back in school, and in the months and years ahead.
The first thing schools emphasised was the need for a positive mindset.
Instead of constantly talking about a lost generation of children who need to catch up we should instead be championing the bounce back generation of children who will emerge stronger than ever before.
This isn’t to deny the very real challenges of pupils being out of school for so long, including for children’s mental health.
However, focusing on what children can achieve – rather than solely on problems – is crucial to boosting their confidence and resilience, and ultimately success.
Head teachers stressed the importance of children socialising, especially over the summer.
Children need to spend time with their families and friends, and take part in the sporting, art and cultural activities they have missed out on for too long.
This is vital for children’s wellbeing and so they come to school happy and ready to learn.
Schools also want to build on the good things that have happened during lockdown.
Parents have been much more involved in their children’s education and teachers, parents and children have developed new technology skills.
The government still has a long way to go to ensure all children – especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds – have access to the tablets, computers and data they need to continue learning at home, which schools say is essential for the future.
One issue that has received too little attention is the early years of a child’s life.
After the first lockdown, many schools saw a decline in children’s vocabulary and language skills and their ability to concentrate in class.
These issues can be addressed with small group and one-on-one support, but it will take time.
One head likened this to knitting a jumper: “If you drop stiches at the start you’ll have ladders running all the way through, and telling people to knit faster just means you’ll drop even more.”
Leicester has had the longest lockdown of anywhere in the country.
If we want to build a brighter future as we emerge from the virus, we need a long-term strategy backed with proper government support – not a quick fix done on a shoestring.
Education should be top of the agenda.
So far, the government’s National Tutoring Programme will not even reach every pupil on free school meals, let alone all the children who need it, and the extra money for schools to deal with the impact of Covid-19 is a paltry 43 pence per pupil.
We need to be much more ambitious for our city and country, and schools are the best place to start.