Prosperity and education go hand in hand. Blighting this generation’s future prospects is not a price worth paying to placate unjustifiable fear and resignation which seems to be being fostered among some.
“It’s really saddened me perhaps that so many people have perhaps become more frightened than they actually need to be. And that so many people perhaps have been looking at this (school reopening) from the point of view of what they can’t do rather than what they can.” – Amanda Spielman, OFSTED’s Chief Inspector.
WAS THE GOVERNMENT PLAN EVER DELIVERABLE?
The decision by UK Government (UKGOV) to abandon its aim of getting all primary schools open to give all primary pupils in England some school experience before the Summer has been understandably greeted with widespread disappointment; and ,where the effect of Covid-19(CV) on children’s education is being politicised, derisive criticism. But that abandonment was almost inevitable since UKGOV announced its aim back in May, as, even if parents were not averse to sending children to school and if all society had backed the aim, the distancing rule of two metres alone made success impossible.
But the re-opening of schools in England (beyond key workers’ children and the vulnerable) was not in any case embraced by many local authorities, particularly in Northern Cities, for fear of the levels of infection and resultant risks of CV spreading. The media discussion emphasised risk rather than can-do. The teaching Unions resistance to any opening of schools has been widely reported, personified by the NEU, now triumphant that children are not returning in numbers before September, having encouraged teachers to resist going back and from internet teaching, and having issued absurd safety guidelines, impossible to achieve. The fact remains that a number of teachers are refusing to work on safety grounds in school. UKGOV guidelines (critically including the 2 metre distancing rule while recognising it was impossible to enforce for the youngest children) were in constant flux and it was very much left to headteachers and other leaders to do the best they could. Plus the fact it was voluntary for parents to send their children back. In reality the majority of parents – it is believed mainly through fear of CV – refused, thinking that is in their children’s interests. In any event , with the 2 metre rule in place, most schools could not cope with full attendance: at best a rota system would be needed. That is before accounting for staff shortages, whether through following Union guidance or because of CV vulnerability.
KEEP TRYING
Now UKGOV is merely encouraging English primary schools to get as many children back as they can, the weight firmly on the shoulders of school leaders as it always was. Despite the lack of UKGOV pressure, it must be hoped that school leaders and teachers will continue to put children’s interests first and do whatever they can to fill schools to capacity, using space imaginatively while following sensible safety guidelines: but all citizens perhaps need to grasp clearly that risk of catching CV, or a cold, flu or other illness, cannot be removed. UKGOV must continue to make it easier for children to return – by scrapping the 2 metre rule, say to one metre as the new UK standard. It is obvious that a one metre rule is more risky than a two metre rule but the benefit of a full return to school and economic prosperity far outweigh that risk.
And, second, reversing its “cautious phased return policy” and shift the campaign message about schools, ramming home through every media channel that the CV risk to children is as close to zero as it gets, they being more likely to be struck by lightning than suffer bad effects of CV. This truth has simply not got home. Indeed it needs to do the same for the under 40s who have no serious other threatening conditions, being 70 times less likely to die from CV as the over 80s, it is said.
In the case of secondary schools in England, while open for key workers’ and vulnerable children, it appears that online learning remains the order of the day for this term, with those with public exams looming next year possibly getting some school facetime. But the fact remains that throughout the education system, while many private school children will fare academically ok given the online teaching competence, most children of whatever age will be suffering a serious loss of learning and development, perhaps 6 months’ worth. Some commentators bemoan that this will never be caught up and that these children’s future is irreparably damaged: who knows if they are correct? But such pessimism and surrender is not helpful, and it would better to hear positive questioning of what can be done to prevent that damage being permanent and enhance education, improving it for the future, and sharing best practices and new innovations and can-do achievements across the education network. UKGOV’s initiative to provide 1 billion pounds for one on one catch-up tuition was generally welcomed.
WHAT NEXT TO BENEFIT CHILDREN? POSITIVE CAN-DO REQUIRED YET AGAIN
Much has been made of what other countries in Europe are doing for their children’s education, as nearly all did close schools: the express criticism by many, and implied by some, is that England is woefully behind other countries in getting children back to school. In fact they face much the same problems and their solutions are a cocktail of actions which are broadly similar to the approach in England, and there is no consistency across the Continent. The other home nations are less ambitious than England. Teacher shortages and social distance rules hinder all nations. Central Europe has mostly deferred school returns until the Autumn term. Pods, bubbles and masks are adopted in different degrees in Western Europe. The main difference to the UK is that the easing of lockdown started a few weeks before the UK, and nowhere is there a prospect of a full return to school before the Autumn term. Perhaps more care should be taken before making sweeping judgements on where the UK sits in the imaginary CV league tables.
It was perhaps a mistake for UKGOV to change its aims, but it was certainly a mistake to do so without a coherent plan for education in England going forward. While more measures to minimise damage were promised to be announced in coming days, decisive leadership , with real commitment of resources, needs to be demonstrated to get the confidence of the teachers and parents. So, what can be done between now and September when the Autumn term is due to start.
- It is essential UKGOV commits to all schools being fully open by September, and that it does all it can to facilitate that: that is now the message in England.
- But if CV comes back in force in any area, so that local measures mean a school must close, then online learning must fully kick in: and that means at the least improving any courses that need improvement, calling on the private sector perhaps for its skills, and delivering to every household sufficient internet connection and devices, where they are short of them – a promise not yet delivered it seems
- A campaign to educate the public in the level of risk CV poses for people other than those with life threatening conditions or the oldest people who are unfit
- Unions must be brought round to a positive attitude, not hyper caution and presumably the Labour party and its leaders could be instrumental in that, so taking political gaming out of the children’s future
- Can private schools’ models and systems be of more assistance to public schools?
- Should there be schooling in the Summer holidays? Would that be fair on teachers, who would need to be compensated properly? It would be surprising if many teachers were not willing to help here. Can retired teachers be brought in to add resource?
- Imaginative ways to help children catch up are needed – it would be surprising if the teaching community is not brimming with ideas
- If distancing remains a real obstacle, some suggest opening other buildings and converting them to schoolrooms to solve the space issue, having smaller but more classes
There will be no one answer to fit all schools. For any particular school, the challenge can only be addressed at the local level, given the local idiosyncrasies affecting each school, its resources, its premises, its catchment and the abilities of its children and wealth or poverty of its area, to name some issues. The reality is that it is for school leaders and teachers to do their best for their children to give them as much school time as possible, to ensure they catch up and have as “normal” a school experience as possible. Parents perhaps need to step up and put their fears in perspective. Local authorities must support schools within their remit. As with all CV challenges, and just as with the economy, it is for citizens to deliver the answers on the ground, not expecting UKGOV to provide everything. Politicians must step up with ambition not “maybes” and caution and deliver on promises – or not make them.
Amanda Spielman also said:”I would love to see more people in local areas really stepping up and saying “I could make this happen” and getting as much on the road as possible this side of the Summer and real ambition for what happens in the Autumn”. Children could learn a lot from adults if, rather than hearing on the TV and other media how hard everything is, they see the example of talking and doing, so that even the toughest of challenges are faced, taken on and overcome.
