Getting schooled in cleanliness
We asked the heads of our featured schools what plans they have in place to combat the spread of Covid- 19, as full cohorts of pupils return to classrooms after learning virtually for many months
PRINCIPAL, GEORGE WATSON’S COLLEGE
MARITAL STATUS Married CHILDREN Two grown- up children MAIN SUBJECT English
George Watson’s College has introduced robust measures to limit the spread of Covid- 19 while settling our pupils back into on- campus learning.
Perhaps the most obvious innovations are hand cleaning stations around the school, comprising extra washbasins inside and outside buildings, as well as hand sanitiser units at every door and other key points. In addition to encouraging clean hands, we also promote good sneeze- and- cough etiquette.
Screens have been put up to prevent virus transmission in busy areas of the school, and an induction video was produced to help everyone feel confident about the changes.
Technology is central to our learning and teaching, and we have expanded our use of online lessons and assemblies, limiting physical contact while allowing pupils to interact with their peers and teachers. Our plan is also to provide online activities for pupils waiting for a test result or in quarantine to help to limit the spread of the virus.
We are extremely proud of our extracurricular offering and we are delighted that outdoor sports, such as rugby, hockey and rowing, are going ahead with some extra measures in place.
Music lessons continue to be held digitally, with face- to- face lessons possible in larger spaces. Extra hygiene measures are in place to ensure that our younger pupils can continue to enjoy playing instruments in group sessions.
We recognise that some of our pupils may need extra health and wellbeing support as a result of the pandemic. Our guidance teachers are providing targeted support to senior pupils and a health and wellbeing programme is being created in our junior school, which will focus on the lockdown experience and building resilience in advance of any further closure.
As ever, we are determined to contribute to our local community. In lockdown, our Design, Technology and Engineering Department donated PPE equipment to Marie Curie hospice staff, and we opened up our car parking facilities for NHS and key workers. Meanwhile, our critical provision helped many parents to continue working in the NHS and other important functions.
have
which was cast just before lockdown. The whole cast has been taking part in online rehearsals. We don’t know if we will ever be able to stage the show but that doesn’t take away from those pupils’ achievement.
We have no multiple year group activities or clubs, and pupils wear their PE kit on days they have sport, rather than using changing rooms. Lunches are taken within year groups.
Our work with the local community hasn’t diminished – fundraising activities continued throughout lockdown and last year’s S6 led a campaign which raised more than £ 20,000 for Epilepsy Scotland.
We are doing everything we can now to support pupils to talk about what has happened and understand the impact of the last few months. There are some positives – in assemblies with each year group, I’ve been discussing with the children how we’ve learned that motivation comes from within, to appreciate what’s close to home, and the importance of being flexible and adaptable.
Our teachers have really developed their technology skills over the lockdown period, and there was some very creative work going on.
Everyone is aware we could face restrictions again and I think we are well prepared for whatever happens. But there isn’t any substitute for faceto- face teaching and we are all just delighted to be back.