Ex-head slams school return as ‘unrealistic’
AFORMER headteacher has hit out at the government’s plan for children’s return to school branding it ‘unrealistic’.
Frank Vigon, who lives in Macclesfield, says mistaken policies could have even more serious consequences than the disastrous A level and GCSE algorithm.
And that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been ‘irresponsible’ over his attitudes to face coverings in the classroom.
Pupils at Macclesfield schools began to go back this week following the summer holidays and it is hoped this academic year will not be as Covid disrupted as the last.
Mr Vigon is now retired after a lengthy career at a headteacher at Avondale
School, in neighbouring Stockport, and Turton High, in Bolton.
He says he has spoken out to: “Try to avert yet another mistaken policy decision by the government which could lead to even more serious consequences than the application of the algorithm.
And added: ”I am more concerned that the government’s approach to Covid 19 is unrealistic and frequently is reactive, it frequently adopts the line of least resistance and does so without regard for the unintended consequences.
“My feeling is that the Prime Minister and his advisers are determined to return to ‘normal’ as quickly as possible and consequently are drawn into ‘quick fixes’ and judgements of significant risk.”
Among specific criticisms are that schools have not been remodelled to have pupils in on a rota combined with distance learning.
Also that insufficient input has been sought from headteachers to plan a safe return and a failure to understand the difficulty class sizes and lesson changes pose for social distancing at secondary schools.
Mr Vigon says no coherent guidelines have been given for the safe return to school, insufficient additional funding has been handed out and there should be a Department for Education (DfE) helpline for school leaders.
Finally there is the issue of facemasks in the classroom, which he says should be mandatory.
Mr Vigon said: “I have heard the Prime Minister has said that facemasks in classrooms is nonsense, this from the man who failed to social distance and nearly died from Covid.
”As a former headteacher I can tell you within a English classroom in November with the heating on full and the condensation running down the windows with 30 pupils, a teacher and support staff in the room, with no possibility of social distancing, facemasks are essential.”
A DfE spokesman said measures to ensure a safe return included pupils remaining in consistent groups to minimise their direct contacts with others, staggered break times and access to testing for anyone with symptoms.
He added: “Getting all children back into their classrooms full-time in September is a national priority, because it is the best place for their education, development and wellbeing.
“We have always been clear in our guidance about the protective measures that schools should implement to reduce risks for staff and pupils as far as possible.
“Parents are becoming increasingly confident in their children returning to school, which is testament to the work of school staff across the country who are putting in place a range of protective measures to prepare to welcome back all pupils at the start of term.”