Leeds headteachers say face-to-face teaching vital for pupils as city's schools prepare to reopen

All pupils in England will return to school on March 8 in the first phase of the Government's road map out of lockdown.

Sam Done, principal of Hillcrest Academy in Chapeltown, said face-to-face teaching and socialisation were vital for the wellbeing of the primary school's pupils.

Mr Done told the Yorkshire Evening Post: "Getting pupils back to school is important for their mental health and wellbeing, but also for their families, who have done a brilliant job of homeschooling.

"Online learning has kept things ticking over, but we’re in a position now where there’s a huge amount of education time, socialisation and contact missed."

Mr Done called for clarity from the Government when they outline further details of the road map later today.

He added: "We want clear guidance on what we can and can’t do and the expectations for school providers, particularly clarity on the long term implications for schools - whether that’s longer school hours or shorter holidays, we need absolute clarity."

The headteacher of Roundhay School, Matthew Partington, said he was looking forward to welcoming pupils back to the school.

He praised the resilience of teachers who have continued to teach pupils, both online and in classrooms, during lockdown.

Mr Partington said: “Schools have worked incredibly hard to make sure pupils don’t get behind, with high quality remote learning to make sure that academic needs are met.

"But schools have also done a lot of work to meet emotional needs and support pupils with their mental health, keeping in touch and doing whatever we can to make sure they are okay.

"Remote learning is really effective and useful, but you can’t beat face-to-face teaching.

"We’re looking forward to having students back in classrooms. We miss them!"

Sir Keir Starmer has said today that it was “frustrating” that the Government did not use half-term to vaccinate teachers and school staff.

While Mr Done felt schools could safely reopen before teachers have been vaccinated, he called for teachers and practitioners working with early years and special educational needs (SEND) pupils to be prioritised.

He said: "It’s not just teachers, emergency services also haven’t had vaccination and they are more on the front line than we are.

"But any staff in close contact with pupils, particularly early years, SEND and one-to-one colleagues, should be prioritised.

"They should be vaccinated first as it is those children who find it more difficult to practice social distancing."

Chief Executive Officer of The Gorse Academies Trust, Sir John Townsley, said he was both '"concerned and surprised" that teachers remain "unprioritised" in the vaccination programme.

Sir John, who has a number of academies across Leeds, said: “It is clearly a national imperative for all pupils to return to school at the first opportunity.

"Nevertheless, such an undertaking requires a great deal of detailed and intelligent planning. Schools need to plan within guidelines provided well in advance by government and health specialists.

"We remain concerned and surprised that, in preparation for that return, teachers and other classroom professionals remain unprioritised in the vaccination programme. That programme will be central to our drive to ensure that all schools remain open in the months to come.

"A great deal of time now also needs to be spent planning the personalised approach to catching up on lost learning, responding to the mental health and well-being needs of children and young adults and establishing a sensible approach to examinations, university admissions and inspection.

"There is a lot to do which will only be done well if our work is strategic and personal to the needs of every child.”

The move to open schools on March 8 has been welcomed by YEP readers.

One parent said: "My personal view is that schools should be open. I respect that others may feel differently but my children are suffering."

Another added: "Schools not only ensure education, but schools are about so much more.

"It's where you learn how to follow rules, boundaries and expectations and it's where you understand consequences.

"All that is vital to growing up and cannot be offered online.

"While I'm in full support of the safety of staff the effects long term on children will span for years with only the fall back of services that were already underfunded and already in crisis."

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