‘I cleaned with the caretaker most days and some mornings I started my day by vacuuming’
Cleaning at 7am, covering for teachers off ill, children missing out and catching Covid herself – a headteacher describes the first half-term back with fewer infection restrictions. Education editor Abbie Wightwick reports
AHEADTEACHER has described how she has been cleaning her school and covering for absent class teachers as Covid chaos continues.
Annamaria Bevan, head at St Margaret’s RC Primary in Aberdare, warned children are missing out on their education across Wales.
Thousands of teachers and other staff have been off for Covid-related reasons since term began with fewer infection restrictions and there is a Wales-wide shortage of supply teachers to cover for them.
Mrs Bevan has been going into her school at 7am to clean before covering for class teachers who are off ill, self-isolating or preparing for the new curriculum.
She said she is willing to work hard but the situation “is not sustainable”, children are being affected and she is now off with Covid herself.
The experienced head, who campaigned for schools to stay open last year, does not blame her local education authority but said life was “anything but normal” in schools.
She warned the situation is being made worse because staff also now have to take time out to train for the Welsh Government’s new curriculum reforms.
Describing the first half of term as tough, Mrs Bevan said Covid has left her feeling drained and the virus is now “rife” in schools.
“It has been an extremely difficult half-term and definitely not business as usual for schools,” she said.
“I had no cleaner for the first four weeks back as she had Covid so badly.
“Most of us have had to cover classes as there is just not enough supply out there. Covid is rife and it’s having a huge impact on the quality of teaching and learning because we can’t get the staff.
“I cleaned with the caretaker most days. I wasn’t the only one in that position it was so bad everywhere, so many schools without cleaners. My caretaker did what he could and made sure toilets and surfaces were clean but some mornings I started my day by vacuuming.
“The last few weeks I’ve spent from 7am most mornings trying to cover staff who are not just off with Covid but stress too.
“The children are missing so much and when they are in they don’t necessarily have their own teacher or teaching assistant.
“On top of this is the pressure of the new curriculum and trying to release teachers to work collaboratively on curriculum design. It’s just not sustainable.”
Mrs Bevan said she had thought it was important for children to mix without contact bubbles, but more children are missing school now that restrictions have been relaxed.
“I was glad to see the back of bubbles. Children were desperate to mix again but with all the restrictions lifted in the community as well it has become impossible to keep the children safe from Covid.
“During the last 18-months of hubs and schools in bubbles we didn’t get the Covid rates we are seeing now.
“I fought to keep schools open and I wanted normality to return – no bubbles etc – but now I see that perhaps we would have less children and staff off if we kept the bubbles.
“However, if society is back to normal (football games, birthday parties, sleep overs etc) then perhaps bubbles wouldn’t make a difference.
“I think we should stay open; I just wish they’d recognise that we are struggling.”
Mrs Bevan said her local education authority, Rhondda Cynon Taf, has been “empathetic” but there was little it could do with the new curriculum and schools re-opening guidance run by the Welsh Government. There was also little that LEAs could do about lack of supply teachers because of the way it is run across Wales with private supply agencies.
Last week more than 6,000 children were off for Covid-related reasons across Wales. But the true figure could be higher because being ill with Covid is lumped in with all other illnesses. Complaints from school leaders about this has prompted a review of the data announced by the Education Minister.
Asked about problems schools are facing and the shortage of supply cover a Welsh Government spokesman pointed to a statement made by Education Minister Jeremy Miles last week.
In the statement Mr Miles said: “I am aware there are concerns about accessing supply cover due to staff
illness, or awaiting PCR tests for example.
“I am aware, from the framework agencies, that the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks are taking longer than expected.
“My officials have written to the DBS to discuss this urgently. I can also confirm that we are continuing to provide funding via the Hardship Fund to support supply cover for teachers and teaching assistants who are off sick with Covid-19, or are required to selfisolate, this will continue while rates remain high.”
This term the Welsh Government introduced the new Covid “framework” for schools. Decisions on what restrictions are imposed are made on what the virus is doing locally and pressure on the NHS as well as what cases might be coming in to schools.
Instead of blanket all-Wales guidelines, councils and local health authorities now decide what category their schools should be in following risk assessments and checking the local situation
The framework has four Covid alert level categories for schools to follow.
The levels of restrictions depend on local circumstances – low, moderate, high and very high and can vary at LEA or individual schools level.