I have total faith... teachers have been amazing

THERE was a buzz of chatter and lots of smiles as parents, pupils and teachers met for the first day back at Ashton Gate Primary School, in Southville, Bristol, in 10 weeks.

Rachel Mostyn, 43, (below) had no qualms as she dropped her daughter off to rejoin Year Six. “I have complete faith in what the school is doing. The communication has been excellent.

“For my daughter to have an ending to the school year and to her time here is really important for her emotional wellbeing.

“She’s done a lot of remote learning. She’s had calls from her teachers; calls on video. They have been amazing. “They’re going to keep providing that for the children not coming back in.” Angie Parker, 47, (right) also dropped her daughter off to resume Year Six. And she agreed. She said: “This school has been so remarkable. The staff have been amazing. The detail they’ve gone into – that’s why the children are here.” Outside Grendon

Primary School in Birmingham, parents were determined their children should not lose out on any more education. Louise Mathews, 37, a mother of five, said: “I’m bringing my 11-year-old son back today who’s in Year Six and I’m happy for him to be going back. “Being off school was fun at first “But he started getting a little upset and down about not seeing his friends.

“I have actually heard that the majority of children have gone in.”

Meanwhile, Dr Wajiha Khan, from South Yardley, (below) has been taking her two girls to school throughout the lockdown because she is a trainee GP. Her son, 13, is also going back to grammar school.

She said: “It’s a big change today because other children are joining the key worker children.

“I am nervous about the children coming back. But the virus is here to stay and we have to learn how to fight it and cope with it to get back to normal.”