Sarah Sheardown, Deputy Headteacher at Navenby CE Primary School and Mark Wallace, Headmaster of Lincoln Minster School.
Over 200 schools are due to re-open in Lincolnshire on June 1 in line with government guidance, but the environment is likely to be different to what pupils were used to just a few months ago.
The Lincolnite spoke to two local schools to find out how they plan to ensure the safest possible return for staff and students.
Both Navenby CE Primary School and Lincoln Minster School will have new safety measures in place, including social distancing markers, staggered start/finish and break times, as well as classes being split into smaller groups.
Navenby CE Primary School
Navenby CE Primary School normally has 198 pupils. Around 20 pupils will be returning in Reception and Year 1 on Monday, with both classes split into smaller groups.
27 Year 6 pupils are set to return on a rota, in groups of nine in one week blocks. Key worker children in Years 2-5 will continue to attend.
Several parents have expressed their appreciation for the school’s efforts during lockdown, including home learning resources.
Deputy Headteacher Sarah Sheardown, who teaches Year 6, told The Lincolnite: “The children on the whole are really excited about coming back as they have missed their friends. They don’t quite have an understanding of how tricky it’s going to be, particularly the younger ones.
“I’m excited to go back. It’s been horrible not to finish the primary school journey off properly with my Year Six children, so it will be good to have them in again.
“For some staff, particularly those with their own children, there will be some anxieties, but we are here to do a job and we have put in everything we possibly can to make it safe for pupils and staff.”
She added that for Year 6 pupils the focus will be on continuing with reading, writing and maths, whilst also focusing on secondary school transition. Online resources will continue to be available for those still at home.
Lunchtime supervisors will wear gloves and masks, which other staff will have available to use should they choose to do so.
Lincoln Minster School
Lincoln Minster School usually has 600 pupils across its three sites – Pre-Preparatory, Preparatory and Senior School – as well as domestic and international boarders.
From next week around 75% of pupils are expected to return for Reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
The lessons for Year 6 will be delivered virtually through their tablets in class, with two teachers present with their small groups to offer guidance and support. Children learning from home will access the same content.
Headteacher Mark Wallace told The Lincolnite: “We are making sure as far as possible that everything is in place for a safe return. We’ve done that as far as possible so everything is ready for Monday.
“It will be great to have more pupils back in the school community and it will be a positive step forward in getting back to some form of what we perceive as normal. It will be a new environment to adjust to and will take a bit of time to get used to.”
Parents should contact their school for arrangements from 1 June. If the school is closed it should make arrangements for your child to attend another school if the child is vulnerable or a parent is a key worker and in need of a school place. More info https://t.co/zLppwtm4Wz
— Lincolnshire County Council (@LincolnshireCC) May 29, 2020
Meanwhile, academies in Lincolnshire also have plans in place, including the Priory Federation of Academies Trust.
Four of the trust’s schools open on June 1 with a further two on June 2 due to having a training day.
Opening dates for schools in the Priory Federation of Academies Trust (VC = vulnerable children, CKW = children of key workers).
If you are unsure whether your child(ren)’s school is reopening, please check with the school directly.
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The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
Over a tonne of food and essential items, as well as more than £16,000, have been donated to local food banks through a Lincolnshire Co-op campaign.
The donations came after Lincolnshire Co-op launched its food bank advent calendar campaign throughout December.
An estimated 1,350kg of food and essentials, the equivalent of around 3,213 meals, and £16,675 of store dividend and cash was donated to over 40 larders and food banks in Lincolnshire.
Customers could also donate store dividend as well as cash and items. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Customers were encouraged to donate one item each day during their shopping, dropping them in collection bins at local stores.
A full collection bin at the Queen Elizabeth Road store in Lincoln. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Each day a new item was suggested by Lincolnshire Co-op, ranging from tinned goods to cleaning products, providing an advent calendar format for the scheme.
Items were suggested for donations with campaign labels in stores. | Photo: Lincolnshire Co-op
Sam Turner, Community Manager at Lincolnshire Co-op said: “We’re so grateful to everyone who donated to our Food Bank Advent Calendar campaign.
“Thanks to the generosity of our shoppers, members, and colleagues, we’ve been able to support the important work of local food banks in our area and help feed families at Christmas and beyond.”
Boston United will have no games for two weeks, as the National League North and South divisions come to a temporary halt.
It comes after a review of feedback from all clubs in the sixth tier of English football, which will see football at that level paused for two weeks.
The move is effective immediately, meaning Boston United’s home fixture against Brackley Town has been postponed until further notice.
A board meeting with the National League decided to put a stop to football at that level, amid growing concerns of rising coronavirus cases and winter financial packages.
Clubs were informed that while government funding was still likely from January to March, it would be in the form of loans rather than grants should football continue to go ahead.
Boston United chairman David Newton. | Photo: Boston United FC
Boston United chairman David Newton issued a statement on Thursday outlining the club’s stance in relation to the season, saying that he supported the decision to suspend the season.
“Clubs were also asked to give their views on a potential four-to-six-week suspension of the competition.
“After lengthy discussions within the club, we confirmed that we would, on balance, support this.
“We are a football club so, of course, we want to be playing games, but our decision took into account a number of factors.
“We are somewhat uncomfortable playing when the pandemic is at its peak and a large part of the population are locked down.
“Despite the strict Covid protocols we have in place, there is always a risk to players, staff and their families, and that has to be paramount in decision-making.
“We would, of course, need to know the detail relating to any suspension – and planned restart – before offering our final support to the proposal.”
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