"Frustration", "uneccessary risk", "incompetent" - Leeds education leaders respond to overnight lockdown of schools

Despite schools being told to open on Monday for the start of the new year and new term, they are now spending the rest of the week preparing on-line learning plans and trying to make sure disadvantaged children have access to equipment and food.

One primary head said the government order to open schools yesterday was an "uneccessary risk" while another said the organisation and planning behind last night's announcement was "at best incompetent."

Coun Jonathan Pryor said some of the chaos could have been avoided had it not been for “mixed messages” from the government and planning, which he said, was being done “on a wing and a prayer”.

He told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “The frustration is the short notice. The Prime Minister yesterday (Monday) said schools were perfectly safe, then today they are not safe to go to. It is mixed messages from the government.

“Teachers could have had two weeks preparing to go online and to virtual learning over the holidays instead of getting ready to go back to the classroom, and now having to re-write it all. There is no help, planning or foresight.”

Coun Pryor welcomed news summer exams would be cancelled, but added that schools had been “led up the garden path” after the A-Level fiasco and debates back in September over exams being put on hold.

Throughout this week, Leeds City Council will be looking to get laptops and internet access to children and families that don’t have it, as well as making sure children that rely on free school meals don’t go hungry up to the February half term - when it is suggested lockdown will be reviewed.

Coun Pryor added: “The government has had a year to sort this and has not. There is no planning, it is on a wing and a prayer.”

Meanwhile, a primary school headteacher has said that opening school yesterday was “not following the science”.

More than 96 per cent of the children on the roll at Morley Newlands Academy attended on Monday. Principal, Matthew Fitzpatrick said it follows guidance from the Department of Education, which, in turn acts from the heads of government.

He said: “There is a hierarchy of decision making that we are subject to, but held to account if we do not. We can’t just act without government say so.

“We have decided to close today for a planning day and there was overwhelming support from parents for that. It was a decision we had to make to get this right first time.

“Among senior leaders there was disappointment this came through on the first day back after Christmas, following Sunday and saying schools were safe and 36 hours later indicating they may not be. Monday felt like an unnecessary risk.”

However, the headteacher added the focus for this week was to upload online learning programmes for pupils which will follow the curriculum as closely as practical. It will be a mix of work-sheets to complete, video calls with teachers as well as reading and story sessions with teachers via video.

For families that don’t have access to the technology needed, work is being packed into envelopes ready to be sent out to be completed at home, but, Mr Fitzpatrick admitted, this was no substitute for being in school.

He added: “There is no doubt this arrangement is not suited to some vulnerable families. The best place for children to be is school. At certain times it is a safe spot, a happy place and creates a routine to and reassures and comforts.

“Some people come from complex households where being in those four walls all the time is not nurturing compared to coming into school. We are desperate for it to come back to normal but will follow the science and the guidance.”

He said the schools had enjoyed good attendence from September, and even yesterday, but there was obviously "significant concern" around the new strain of coronavirus and how it spreads.

Mr Ryder told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "We have always said that the best place for young people is to be in school. Our battle now is to do our bit within the education sector to help contain that (spread). In terms of the organisation of yesterday, it was at best incompetent."

He paid tribute to staff at both of his academies who have remained positive from the first lockdown and will continue to do so.

He added: "I could not ask more of them. From March they have done an amazing job. Everything they have been asked to do has been greeted with positivity, putting young people first and how we can support families."

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