Concern for our children

Tanbridge House head Jules White says closure of schools is ‘regretted by everyone’

■ ‘Children in particular have lost out on so much during this cruel period’ says headteacher Jules White

■ Call for a recovery programme to help ‘undo damage’

A Horsham headteacher is calling for a national recovery programme to help undo the ‘damaging effects’ of the pandemic.

Jules White, headteacher at Tanbridge House School, said there must be a plan to help reverse the damage on some children’s emotional health and wellbeing.

He added: “This will require a coordinated national strategy involving relevant specialist professionals, local mentors and of course, schools.

“Additional resources will undoubtedly be required to take up this task to fulfil these duties comprehensively.

“In the short term, schools and families must work together to ensure that children are helped to maintain regular and reliable working routines at home that mirror the school day.

“Parents can also help their child by monitoring work and offering encouragement, plenty of fresh air and the odd reward.

“Nobody should underestimate how difficult the closure of schools is on children and their families.”

Reacting to the latest lockdown restrictions, Mr White said there are ‘ no winners and only losers during this coronavirus crisis’.

He added: “At a time of huge challenge for everyone it is important to remember that the pandemic is nobody’ s fault and of no-one’s making.

“The inevitable move to a new and full lockdown sees the closure of all schools and this is regretted by everyone.

“As well as being vital to the education and future prosperity of our country, children rely on schools to provide them with wider opportunities for lifelong learning, friendships and of course, a host of wonderful extracurricular activities.

“Children in particular have lost out on so much during this cruel period. It is now crucial that despite some obvious frustrations, we try and work together to the benefit of the children and pupils in our care.

“Going forward, I am mindful of the fact that many children have seen their school lives severely disrupted.”

Every school has a duty to consider how to make up for so much lost learning, Mr White said. He added: “Sadly, after working so hard, Year 11 and Year 13 students will not get the opportunity to sit their exams.

“Too much time has been lost and there are too many variations in terms of attendance and other important factors connected to home circumstances to make a national exam programme fair and equitable.

“I hope that the Department for Education consults and listens more carefully to headteachers and teachers to ensure that whatever grading system is adopted for the summer of 2021, the real potential of students is fully recognised so that they can go on successfully to sixth form studies, university and apprenticeships.

“As the Prime Minister commented, however, there are also reasons to be optimistic. With a vaccine rollout programme in full swing, we can get children back into school where they belong and we will all be relieved and happy to see just that.”

The Prime Minister announced the schools’ closure on Monday, amid a third national lockdown which will continue until at least Mid-February.

‘It is important to remember that this pandemic is nobody’s fault’

JULES WHITE Headteacher of Tanbridge House School