Exams, sports days and leavers’ events – but Covid could still disrupt this summer term
THIS summer term in Wales will be the most normal since the start of the pandemic, headteachers hope.
School visits, leavers’ events, sports days, awards, fairs and shows are running for the first time since 2019.
Schools said they are optimistic the new term starting today will be less restricted and children will be able to do more.
New schools advice is expected to be issued early in the new term and the next Welsh Government threeweekly Covid review is on Friday.
When schools return this week some secondaries are continuing with masks and asking staff and pupils to test for Covid before coming back, although regular asymptomatic testing for staff and secondary pupils will no longer be required.
One-way systems and contact bubbles have largely gone but for now schools will still have to follow the Welsh Government local framework allowing for restrictions to be ramped up or down depending on circumstances and there is still some uncertainty.
As they wait for updated guidance, schools and teaching unions also sent a stark warning that there is still a high risk of Covid disruption and it is “not business as usual”.
It is only two weeks since the end of the spring term which saw widespread staff and pupil absence across Wales.
Entire year groups were sent home to work again amid a shortage of supply cover when staff are off sick.
There are also worries about persistent absence – more than one in 10 pupils are off on average – and exams due to start in May.
Heads have ave warned dissruption has s been so varied that the first GCSE and d A-levels since ce 2019 will be more unfair fair than the past two years and one head said the system m is “immor al” because it is so unequal.
Teaching union UCAC summed med up the mixed feelings, elings, saying: “Hopefully ully with the weather improving mproving there will be more e opportunities for schools to plan extracurricular activities. However, owever, only time will tell if the e infections will rise or not after fter the Easter break.” Karen Brown, headteacher of Millbank Primary in Cardiff, said she is looking forward to a better summer term. She said Covid restric restrictions have affected children, their learning le and socialising. But she’ll keep her 254 pupils in three contact contac bubbles of reception, Years One to Three, and Years Four to Six until the end e of this term.
Year Sixes will be allowed out of that bubble for the first time in two years to do p peer work with younger pupils work and a help at lunchtimes. “We are no not so worried about Covid now, but th there were still plenty of cases last ter term so we are continuing with good ventilation v and hygiene,” said Mrs Brown.
“We are looking forward to things thing like sports days again. Our plan is to invite parents to that and to our first Year Six Si leavers’ service for two years. y
“We started trips last term and Years Five and Six had an amazing time at Storey Arms. We couldn’t do that the last two years.”
Her school PTA has started up again, family engagement is resuming this term, and face-to-face parents’ evenings are back. A summer school PTA fair will be held and transition to high school visits will take place.
“I am really looking forward to next term with less restrictions. The summer term is so lovely and I am really looking forward to being more back to normal. I feel much more confident now. There are still Covid cases but most of our staff have had Covid and Covid vaccines and our parents have been brilliant.”
Mrs Brown said the pandemic has been hard for children, families, and staff. “It’s been really grim at times but we have strengthened relationships with families. Children appreciate being back at school. We have all learned so much and all had families who struggled but I think we are coming out now stronger.”
At Mary Immaculate High in Cardiff there will be no contact bubbles or one-way systems, but pupils and staff will still be asked to wear masks in communal areas.
All staff and pupils are also being asked to take Covid tests before returning for the new term.
The school had stocks left over and gave all staff and pupils a pack of seven tests at the end of last term.
“I will be texting parents and asking pupils to test before they come back,” said headteacher Huw Powell.
“We have said to staff, ‘If you test positive or have symptoms don’t come in. The law may be different but this is about keeping people safe. Some people are saying Covid is gone, but it’s still around.”
Mr Powell did not disagree with the end of asymptomatic testing for all staff and secondary school pupils this term, though. He said there comes a point when people “get fatigued” and stop doing it anyway.
And he said it was important to try to resume normal school life and activities while keeping Covid out and staff and pupils in.
He has told staff he wants classes to get out and about learning and there will be a traditional results day with pupils coming in to pick up their exam grades in August.
“It is about time to think about enrichment,” said Mr Powell. “School trips and visits are important and they have lost so much over the last two years. We are seriously planning overseas trips and our ski trip.
“We are pushing it further and saying we definitely want people out and about. After three years we cannot carry on with no visits and trips. Sports day will be back this year and our awards evening.
“The drama department will invite parents in for smaller drama events. We are a Catholic school so there will be end-of-term liturgies bringing in primary school children. As far as I am concerned, this term will be as back to normal as possible. We are not far off normal – we are 80% of the way.”
A Welsh Government spokesman said: “At the beginning of term schools should continue to use the local infection control decision framework as the basis for their operational arrangements.
“We continue to review the guidance and information available to us and we will write to schools about this after the start of term.
“Staff have worked incredibly hard to provide the best possible educational experience for learners during this time.
“We have been clear that activities such as school trips should go ahead as long as they have been riskassessed.”
Kerina Hanson, president of school leaders’ union the National Association of Headteachers Cymru and head of Pennard Primary in Swansea, said: “We remain very concerned about staff and pupil absence as we go into the summer term. Access to supply cover was very limited in the spring term for both teachers and support staff.
“For those taking exams this year staff and pupil absence will undoubtedly have had an impact. Many will have missed out on direct teaching from subject specialists.
“Everyone is keen for our schools to return to normal – indeed many schools have returned to ‘normal’. But we know that Covid and absence will have an ongoing impact on schools and support will be needed from Welsh Government to ensure a sustainable return to business as usual.
“Many schools are concerned about the impact staff absence will have on school budgets now that the hardship fund has come to an end.”
UCAC said in a statement: “Our main concern for next term is how well-prepared students as well as teachers are for the examinations. It will be a stressful time for all, especially students who will be sitting examinations for the first time. That this is causing anxiety for numerous students.
“Hopefully with the weather improving there will be more opportunities for schools to plan extracurricular activities. However, only time will tell if the infections will rise or not after these Easter break.”
Eithne Hughes, director of the Association of School and College Leaders Cymru, said school leaders are optimistic “but the system is holding its breath”.
There is still huge concern about persistently high pupil absence and lack of supply cover when staff are off sick.
She said: “People hope the warm weather will bring a break from this punishing time and learners will be confident to come back to school again. School leaders are hoping Covid will begin to fade and exams go smoothly but there are still genuine concerns.”
AS SCHOOLS return after the Easter holidays today, everyone hopes for a better, less disrupted and less restricted term.
It is cause for celebration that the traditional summer term rites of passage such as leavers’ ceremonies, sports days, shows and trips are resuming after two hard years.
But there are still reasons for concern. Schools are not out of the Covid recovery woods. The pandemic and associated restrictions, though receding, could still cause huge problems.
Illness and self-isolating have not gone away and schools still have to follow Welsh Government Covid guidance.
The education sector, like the NHS, employs large numbers of staff and when they are absent it disrupts the day-to-day running of the system for everyone.
That problem has been exacerbated by the lack of supply cover across Wales to step in when teachers and support staff are off.
It is only a few weeks since last term when staff absence forced headteachers to send whole year groups home to learn remotely again. And this with the first summer exams for three years only a few weeks away.
There is also the persistent problem of high rates of pupil absence for varying reasons. At the end of last term 15% of pupils missed school on average in Wales.
Headteachers have warned that some children have not returned to classrooms since they were closed at the start of the pandemic in March 2020.
Despite the optimism and hope, there is little doubt that there’s a massive hill to climb.
The Welsh Government must show how it will support schools and tackle the ongoing and longterm effects of Covid on children’s education and futures.
It must show that it has seen, heard and understood the challenges that lie ahead.
With the biggest reform to education in a generation starting from September, teachers and children need all the support they can get. If the new curriculum is to succeed, it must be backed up by programmes to help everyone, especially those areas and pupils that are worst-affected.
The mental health crisis among young people, heightened by Covid, is well-documented and will affect learning and attainment. Some schools and learners have suffered far more disruption than others.
Things have improved, but we are not back to normality yet.