Peterborough education chief praises hard work of head teachers to allow school return

This week has seen pupils across the city return to school after the summer holidays.

Teachers work hard every year to prepare for this moment but 2020 has brought major new challenges with the Covid-19 pandemic.

For some pupils, the return this week will have been the first time they have been back in six months.Head teachers across the city have been working tirelessly to put safety measures in place to make the return possible. The challenge has been protecting its staff and pupils as well as providing an environment where children can thrive.Mr Lewis said: “It’s been fantastic to see our schools and settings reopening their doors to welcome back pupils across all age ranges. 
“They have all put in the hard work over the summer to get to this position, and our Heads and leads are already telling me how great it is to have excited and inquisitive children back in their buildings. 
“Teachers and children are back, and as enthusiastic as ever.”

The Peterborough Telegraph visited Woodston Primary School this week to see how pupils and staff were settling in following the return to school after the summer holidays.Woodston Primary opened its doors on Monday to its Year 1, 2 and 6 pupils, roughly 250 of its 540 cohort.

The school had remained open for reception, Year 1 and 6 pupils during lockdown, as well as for children of key workers and vulnerable families.

The Year 4s returned on Wednesday, followed by the 3s and 5s on Thursday, with the school returning to full capacity.

All children have been provided a map of where to go along with a picture of their new teacher after they missed out on moving-up days. These normally take place at the end of term, to acclimatise the children to the class they will be moving into the following school year.

Parents have been given a 25-minute window, between 8:30 and 8:55am, to arrive at one of the two designated entrances, where staff are on hand to ensure social distancing is maintained, a system the school believes has worked well.

Inside, classrooms have been rearranged so that all desks are facing the front, all children have been provided with a newly bought pencil case and water bottle, so that none are brought in from home, and are asked to regularly sanitize and wash their hands.

Walking through the school has been limited as much as possible, with designated staircases to enter and exit the building to the playground. Both internal and external windows are opened to improve ventilation

For staff, social distancing is being followed in staff rooms and one way systems are in place in the corridors.

The school has also implemented bubbles for each year group, with staggered lunch and play times for each and each class has been allocated a set of toilets they can use.

The school is only offering hot dinners to Key Stage 1 pupils at the moment, with Key Stage 2 bringing their own lunches and eating them in their classrooms.

KS1 eat their dinners in the hall at staggered intervals with the tables and chairs thoroughly cleaned between year groups. 
This is done by cleaners who are on site all day, making sure all surfaces and door handles etc are regularly cleaned.

The school has said that all staff and parents have been very respectful of the rules, with children excited to return to school.