The mental health and wellbeing of children returning to school in September will be of paramount importance.
That was the view expressed by Principal of St Aidan’s Primary School in Enniscorthy, Frank Murphy, when speaking about the challenges faced by schools as they prepare for reopening after the Covid-19 lockdown.
Like in many schools around the county, the Board of Management in St Aidan’s has been very busy over the last few months looking into the logistics and challenges facing the school as it prepares to welcome its students back in through the doors.
‘When the children come back, the focus will be on their mental health and wellbeing,’ said Mr Murphy.
‘We have to balance the risks with the mental wellbeing of the children,’ he added.
Mr Murphy said it’s likely schools will have to move to more of an online platform for teaching and that will also provide its own challenges.
‘That might have to be done to minimise risk,’ he said.
However, Mr Murphy said there are a lot of positive aspects to having the children back together again.
‘There are lots of positives about the children being back together again and doing things again,’ he said.
Each school is different and the logistics of what schools have to implement in September will be influenced by class sizes, the physical size of the school and by the overall number of pupils.
‘We have planned for all eventualities, like whether we will be in pods and accommodating two metre distancing,’ said Mr Murphy.
With regard to risk assessment he said the school will look at what the risks are and how they can be minimised.
Other challenges facing schools across the county is how they can reassure parents and children that they will be safe.
There will be a big emphasis on cleaning and hand washing and hand sanitising stations will be located around St Aidan’s school for staff and children and everyone in the school will be made aware of what they need to do.
The largest primary school in Enniscorthy, St Aidan’s will be welcoming back its pupils in a strategic way.
‘We will be bringing the children back in a staggered way, similar to what secondary schools will be doing,’ said Mr Murphy.
‘We will be using different doors for different groups and the old way of lining up on the yard will be gone,’ he added.
‘We will be looking at it from the point of view of arrival, in class, and movement around the school.’
Staff and pupils will have to have staggered breaks which will enable the required space to be provided for social distancing.
Mr Murphy said the Department of Education can make recommendations but its up to schools to develop their own strategies respective of their own individual needs.
‘They [the Government] can make recommendations and then we interpret and implement those recommendations in the way that suits our school best for the health and safety of everyone,’ he said.
The fact the school has run a special needs summer camp has proved very beneficial.
‘That has been really good start for us,’ he said.
Indoor PE will be one aspect of normal activities that will have to change for many schools and with regard to that Mr Murphy said: ‘Indoor PE, we will not be able to do.’
Visitors will also not be allowed into the school although parents of children beginning in infants class will be allowed in on the first day.
‘Parents and visitors will have to remain outside,’ said Mr Murphy.
‘For homework we will have to look an online platform and children will have things at home and in school but not bringing things from one to the other,’ he added.
Complimenting the Board of Management for its dedication Mr Murphy said: ‘We are ever-changing in what we are trying to do. It’s a big change for everyone but it’s a new way of doing things for us all.’
Enniscorthy Guardian
