HEADS SPEAK OUT ON SCHOOL RETURN PLANS
After the Welsh Government this week said schools will fully reopen to all pupils in September, we asked head teachers for their thoughts on the move. This is what they told our education editor, Abbie Wightwick...
HEAD TEACHERS say they are looking forward to welcoming pupils back full-time next term, but are divided in their support for the reopening plans announced by Education Minister Kirsty Williams.
One head teacher said returning must not be optional, unless there is a medical reason.
She urged the Welsh Government to change its decision not to fine parents for keeping their children at home.
Jane Jenkins, head of Moorland Primary in Cardiff, said not penalising parents who choose not to send their children back in September “undermines the message that schools are safe”.
Mrs Jenkins, who is chairman of the Cardiff Primary Headteachers’ Association, said she will ask parents their reason for keeping children at home and will not provide online learning for those staying away unless they are doing so for a sound medical reason.
For the last weeks of this term, parents have had the choice of whether to send their children back to school – and that will continue next term, for now.
Asked at the Welsh Government daily coronavirus briefing on Thursday whether parents would face penalties if they choose not to send their children to school in September, Education Minister Kirsty Williams said: “On the issue of fines for parents, we want children to be back in September but I recognise there may be some lingering concerns so, initially, we will not be imposing fines on parents who choose not to send their children back. But we will be expecting schools to reach out to those parents, to do that now, not wait until September, to discuss with parents now any concerns they may have.”
She added: “We will keep this policy under review and at some stage we may indeed return to the situation as it was pre-Covid where fines are issued to parents who don’t send their children into school – keeping them at home – without good reason.”
Meanwhile, some schools said without further guidance on whether school will be compulsory in September they have drawn up three or four timetables for different scenarios. Some have planned for 25%, 50% and 100% attendance.
There are also concerns about how “contact groups” of 30 pupils will work in secondary schools where there are subject options.
Huw Powell, head teacher of Mary Immaculate High in Wenvoe, cautioned: “We will do our best to implement this for the benefit of pupils but there are many potential barriers ahead.”
The Welsh Government, which announced on Thursday that schools would reopen full time in September, will publish guidance to schools on how to do that with safety precautions early next week.
Some heads said the guidance should have come alongside the announcement.
Schools were ordered to shut in March and reopened to pupils in phases on June 29 for the last weeks of term.
Mrs Jenkins added: “Obviously we want to get the children back but an announcement before guidance, yet again, is not helpful.
“From a primary-school perspective we are thinking what safeguards are needed. I am disappointed that the advice is a bit woolly in terms of parents don’t have to send their children in [in September].
“Clearly, if a child has significant health concerns, or is shielding, if there are good medical reasons for children not being in then, of course, we would support them. But if a parent chooses not to (without those reasons) and I can tell you now those are the children who have not been learning online, that’s not helpful to those children.
“We are not being backed up by the announcement that parents can choose whether to send their children to school. I think that will change. We will be asking parents why their children are not coming in and have been actively doing that already.
“The announcement undermines the message that school is a safe place to be. I have no intention of providing home learning for children staying at home for no good reason.
“I don’t think it’s fair. Home learning is a huge commitment from staff.
“We really need clear guidance on opening in September and I would like some flexibility in the hours of the school day.
“I would like to change the times so pupils arrive between 8.30am and 9am and are dismissed 2pm to 2.30pm.
“That is only half an hour off their day but would give teachers two and
a half hours for PPA (planning, preparation and assessment).
“We have a duty of care to staff as well as children. The safety of staff feels a bit on the back burner and we can’t ignore that.”
David Blackwell, head teacher of St Richard Gwyn Catholic High, Barry, spoke of his delight at the announcement.
“Personally I am really pleased to see the plan to return all pupils to school in September,” he said.
“I am excited to be able to open the doors again to bring children back into school to restart their faceto-face learning and help their wellbeing. Children need to return and staff here are really excited by returning to some sort of normality.
“I am keen to see more detailed guidance to support any plans we need to put in place.
“We will need extra information around canteen operation, PE lessons and practical subjects to ensure we are doing it as safely as possible.
“Overall, delighted that we aim to return but as always I am keen to get the details of expectations so that we can plan effectively to make sure it works as safely as possible for the pupils and staff.”
In Merthyr Tydfil, Keith Maher – head teacher of Pen y Dre High – also welcomed the move, but said it would not be without its issues.
“I am really excited we are starting back,” he said. “The challenge for secondary schools is how it will work logistically. We have groups of 30 in mixed-ability groups but then they are delineated by subject speciality and option patterns.
“That’s something we need to think more carefully about to see if we can deliver the curriculum as it is and manage expectations of contact groups, or adjust the curriculum. But it’s very reassuring we are going to come back as a school community.
“The Welsh Government and our local education authority have communicated well and teachers are good at logistics.
“For the contact groups of 30 we are coming up with a few different models.
“There is no expectation at this stage that parts of the curriculum will be compromised. We hope to offer the same choices but have to work out how best to do that. It will be a logistical conundrum for timetablers. The other conundrum is what to do with mixed ability.
“We have three or four timetables at present and we might be looking at having double lessons to minimise contact.
“Our average class size is 30 but in some options they are 15 to 30. We have no classes of more than 30.”.
Marc Belli, executive head, Bishop of Llandaff High and Caldicot School, praised the move – in particular the flexibility afforded for schools between September 1 and September 14.
He said: “I welcome the announcement made by the Education Minister that schools will return from September. I think the decision to give schools a two-week window to finalise plans in readiness for reopening and focus on key groups is also to be applauded.
“I recognise that the coronavirus presents great risks. However, there are a great number of risks to the life-chances of young people by not being in school.
“The impact of this could be felt by a generation. Throughout this period of “lockdown” schools across the country have been providing support to targeted groups. They have not been closed.
“Furthermore, the period from June 29 has been greatly rewarding for students and staff. The announcement that we can all return to the jobs we love has been welcomed by our staff.
“However, both of our schools will continue to act with caution and ensure the necessary and appropriate measures are in place to lower the risk of transmission. This is designed to keep people safe. We will continue to work with our families, students and staff to embed these practices so that we can return to some sense of ‘normality’ in the autumn.”
Jonathan Keohane, head teacher of Roath Park Primary in Cardiff, also welcomed the announcement and said the limited return of pupils over the past fortnight and into next week would help inform plans for September.
“I am excited by the announcement from the minister that we can physically reopen our doors for all pupils for all sessions from September 1. This will enable us to provide a high-quality learning offer for our pupils whilst closely monitoring their wellbeing.
“Schools never closed, we just repurposed them from March 20. A quality online learning offer by many schools across the country was quickly developed and it is important we recognise the tremendous work parents have done during this period, with many of them facilitating home-learning whilst working themselves.
“What is vital is we, as a profession in Wales, continue to make huge strides with our ‘blended’ learning strategy. We plan to tee up lessons in school that the children will continue to work on at home, thus maximising the learning opportunities.
“Our families here at Roath Park are excited to return to full-time education in September.
“As a school we have ensured our communication is consistent and concise and this has given our families confidence in our operational procedures.
“It is right that we recognise the work that has taken place by colleagues in the local education authorities across Wales, the four regional consortia and the Welsh Government during this pandemic. The support and communication provided have been well received and we are confident that this will continue to make September successful for all.
“There are some challenges that need to be considered in our system, however, the three-week period we are currently having has really helped to establish clear and safe operational systems and in September it will be a case of scaling these up.”