One headteacher’s week: ‘A parent says their child had a positive test. Here we go again’ | Coronavirus https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

Monday

I was contacted yesterday evening by a staff member who said they were unwell and wouldn’t be in today. This doesn’t bode well given that Covid-19 cases are rising across Lambeth, and the feedback from other heads is that bubbles are closing at a worrying rate.

Arrive at school having arranged cover and ready to welcome families. If there is one thing guaranteed to put you in a good mood, it is seeing the children’s enthusiasm as they get to school. As the last year groups arrive, I get a message saying a pupil has had a positive Covid-19 test result. I make an announcement to parents, asking those still around with children in the relevant bubble of 30 to take their kids home again.

Have a meeting to look at planning for the breakfast and after-school club – a self-funded service that made a loss last year. It is an essential part of the school provision but it has been hit hard by the pandemic and I’m worried about its long-term sustainability.

After chatting to some children about their weekends, I meet staff to discuss curriculum changes in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Then it’s on to a meeting with headteachers and their chairs of governors to discuss the London-wide issue of falling pupil numbers due to the low birth rate. The huge financial pressures on schools is the biggest worry for this generation of London headteachers.

Manage to get to the gym after work to de-stress. Later I get a call from the staff member who is off: they’ve had a positive Covid-19 test result, so we’ll need to close another bubble first thing in the morning.

Tuesday

Didn’t sleep well and wake feeling tired. By 6.45am I’ve contacted staff about the new case and two teachers reply to say they have been in contact with their positive colleague and will need to isolate.

Shortly afterwards we receive a message from a parent saying their child has had a positive test so we have to close another bubble. Here we go again… it feels like we are going backwards, and stress levels are running high. The rise of the Delta variant is taking us back to the uncertainty and worry of the last lockdown and everybody is emotionally and physically tired of this now. We’ve got to do the right thing but sending children home because they may have been in contact with a positive case does seem, now, out of date.

Wednesday

Things are calmer today on the Covid front but I can sense the growing frustration of parents – one that I share – over the closure of bubbles. A couple send emails which are supportive of the school but query the need to send all the children home.

The working day ends with an inspiring staff meeting, hearing how our wonderful teachers have been supporting the maths learning of children. We end on the warm note that this is not a lost generation – that most children have continued to make progress, and we have identified those that need extra support.

Schools are having to enforce distancing between their pupils. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PAThursday

Have a virtual meeting with headteachers across Streatham, and it seems like all schools are closing bubbles at the moment.

A story in today’s press reports headteachers are being told not to send home whole bubbles when just one pupil tests positive. In fact, headteachers are just following current guidance which says a bubble must close when there is a positive case. What they can do is look at their school and work out how big those bubbles should be, depending on the building, the facilities and the number of children – something the government can’t legislate on.

The education secretary, Gavin Williamson, has said bubbles could be scrapped as part of the easing of lockdown. Everybody now seems to be jumping on this bandwagon of scrapping bubbles but the system works and, from what we have seen, it limits the spread of transmission.

The problem is sending students home. We need to continue with the bubble system but not close the bubble if one pupil gets a positive Covid result. What could work better is for that child to isolate and the rest of the pupils to be tested daily at home. It would involve a huge amount of trust but I think the gains would be worth it.

If you scrap bubbles completely and there was one positive case in our school that would leave 649 children plus the staff who would possibly need to test. But with our class bubbles of around 30 students there would be less disruption.

Friday

Met first thing with a staff member who is suffering from long Covid. They are among a third of our staff, including myself, who have had the virus.

The prime minister is asking parents for “patience” amid a growing revolt in his own party over healthy children being sent home. This is helpful but what would be more useful is a detailed strategy. As the summer term draws to a close, we need a clear direction of travel so we can plan and review our risk assessments.

I’m feeling relieved that no more bubbles have closed since Tuesday, and with four of 20 bubbles isolating at home, I’m hoping everyone will be back for the end of term. In particular, I’m keeping my fingers crossed for year six as there are special events planned for their final fortnight at primary school.

As told to Hannah Summers

from Indian News Websites https://ift.tt/3hrd4fq
via IFTTT