Pupils return to classrooms in Wiltshire
One Amesbury head says there will be some catching up to do
Last updated 8th Mar 2021
Children across Wiltshire return to classrooms today, as part of the first phase of easing lockdown restrictions in England.
Schools have been shut to pupils, other than children of key workers, since the third lockdown began on January 5th.
But, on 22nd February the Prime Minister announced his roadmap out of restrictions, which begins today (8th March) with the reopening of schools and colleges in England.
Secondary schools are allowed to stagger the return over a week, to allow Covid testing to be carried out.
Wiltshire Council staff are volunteering in a number of secondary schools across the county from Monday providing support for pupils taking lateral flow tests as part of the back to school programme.
Council officers will be providing assistance over the next two to three weeks as the tests are rolled out.
STONEHENGE SCHOOL THRILLED TO HAVE STUDENTS BACK
Headteacher of Stonehenge School Nigel Roper told us he hopes children will be back for good this time:
"With the testing and the vaccine roll out, I think we're in a very different world now.
"I'm sure this return to normal teaching and learning will be more for the long term."
He added that there will be some learning to catch up on:
"More importantly students and staff are looking forward to being reunited and meeting each other once again.
"Getting back to some kind of routine and some kind or normality , which during the last lockdown wasn't sustainable."
Mr Roper also gave us an idea of what the school term will look like after Easter:
"Provided the data supports this we're going to move back to a normal kind of timetable, where the children will have a degree of freedom to move around the school.
"For example, in Science and Resistance Materials they can go to practical lessons in specialist teaching rooms."
TESTING
Pupils in Year 7 and over have been asked to take twice weekly tests with the first three happening under supervision at school and then students will carry out the fourth test themselves using a home test kit.
Pupils will then continue taking twice-weekly tests using a home test kit provided by the school.
Households and bubbles of school aged children will now also be offered twice-weekly rapid flow tests.