Williamson praises pressured teachers
TEACHERS working despite “unprecedented pressures” during the pandemic have earned Education Secretary Gavin Williamson’s praise as schools enter their last week of term.
Mr Williamson said the “resilience and determination” of staff meant almost every school has reopened since the term began in September.
He said: “Despite the unprecedented pressures caused by the global Covid pandemic this year, it’s thanks to the dedicated hard work of heads, teachers and school staff that we’ve seen 99 per cent of schools open every week since the start of this term. Education is, quite rightly, a national priority and I’d like to praise everyone working in schools and colleges for their resilience and determination in ensuring young people can continue to learn.”
Schools have adapted their curriculums, switched to online lessons and safeguarded vulnerable children. Chris Brown, principal of The Bridge Academy in Hackney, east London, said the pandemic was a “complicated and fastmoving situation”.
He said: “The overriding thing has been that it’s so nice to have the opportunity to teach the kids again. “They’ve just adapted so remarkably well to everything we’ve thrown at them. It’s been a real pleasure to see that.”
The school has seen a rapid rise in the number of Covid- 19 cases in the past two weeks, with staff members and whole year groups forced to isolate at home. Headgirl Shjodi Ison told how the school has created a seating plan which acts as a test and trace system if a student were to test positive.
Public Health England’s NHS Test and Trace app last month showed the second most common location visited by people who tested positive for Covid- 19 were secondary schools, followed by primary schools. Supermarkets were the most common.
At least 46 teaching and educational professionals died from Covid- 19 between March and May, figures show.