Calderdale head teachers speak about COVID-19 impact on schools

The situation is constantly changing, with a positive test of a pupil or parent resulting in “bubbles” of children having to be sent home to self-isolate, members of Calderdale Council’s Children and Young People’s Services Scrutiny Board heard.

As well as senior council staff, Chief Executive of Halifax-based Trinity Multi Academy Trust Michael Gosling; Principal and Chief Executive of Calderdale College John Rees; North Halifax Grammar School Andrew Fisher, Headteacher of Burnley Road Academy, Mytholmroyd, Clare Cope and Headteacher of Whitley AP, Halifax, Philip Hannah, were at the virtual meeting to give councillors the fullest picture possible.

The meeting had heard Calderdale Council’s Assistant Director for Education and Inclusion, Mark Randall, describe bubbles having to be sent home as being “the norm” in the months ahead.

Mr Fisher said the situation was changing daily but following a student testing positive 70 Year 11 children, 55 Year 13 children and 33 Year Nine 9 children had to be sent home.

In secondary schools headteachers knew they had social distancing and other measures in place but experiences so far showed what the position was.

“One student testing positive has consequences for 40 or 50 students having to isolate,” he said.

Mrs Cope said primary schools shared similar experiences, with, in her upper Calder Valley bubble, one bubble having to close so far.

“It feels like a sense of doom waiting for when it’s our turn,” she said.

Families had been happy to send their children back to school for the new term, said Mrs Cope.

Mr Rees said the college had so far not had any positive COVID-19 tests and had the advantage of a bigger space to help social distancing, coupled with timetabling and sequencing to keep bubbles, usually by subject, apart.

“The degree to which students are adhering to guidance is quite impressive and that has contributed to why we haven’t had a case yet,” he said.

Mr Gosling said online learning had been planned.

“The important thing is as other headteacher colleagues have pointed out, this is a very difficult situation and the only inevitable thing is schools across the borough will experience difficult times and have to close bubbles.

“A lot of work has gone into ‘Plan B’,” he said.

Preparations would mean children who had to isolate would be up to speed when they returned to school, he said.

Mr Fisher said the challenge for staff was how to juggle learning for several versions of their class, where there might be some pupils at home and others in school, with the same curriculum.

Over the summer the school had been scoured for laptops and other equipment for pupils to boost the amount available and broadband had even been provided for pupils at some homes to ensure they would have access to online learning, he said.