Covid-19: 'There is anxiety about being back in school'

Secondary school pupils in England have returned to class wearing masks and having an in-school Covid-19 test on their first day - but there are no similar guidelines for primary schools, despite fears of staff and pupil absences. BBC News visited one primary school in Luton to see how it was coping with the start of new term.

Cori Bateman, chief executive of the Pioneer Learning Trust, which runs three primaries in Luton, says she is "feeling anxious" about the return to school.

"I feel all the talk of hybrid learning, remote learning, and doubling-up classes has fuelled some anxiety amongst the staff and amongst the school community because its not what we've been used to," she says.

"It feels like a risky place to be; it's an anxious time."

She says the schools have absences from Covid "which come over and above your average winter sickness".

"We have had to be stretched quite thin to cover classes," she says, with staff off and allowing teacher their statutory planning, preparation and assessment (PPA) time and training.

Ms Bateman says the guidance from government from primary schools is "vague and very minimal", but that could be used positively.

"It gives schools the freedom to consider their individual circumstances and to put measures in place to suit their environment," she says.

The school has asked families and staff to test themselves twice a week, and for families to all isolate if one member tests positive, but says "finding lateral flow tests is really difficult right now".

"The lack of availability of lateral flow tests is causing more anxiety," she adds.

One of the class teachers at Chantry Primary Academy in Luton, Diana Moore, says there is "an element of anxiety about [returning to school] definitely, but we just got on and do what we've got to do".

She says: "That anxiety is always there, but the way we overcome it is protecting ourselves as much as we can and actually focussing on the job."

Secondary school pupils in England have been asked to wear masks but she says that would not be "particularly appropriate" for primary age pupils.

The Year 2 team leader says: "I think it is vital schools are kept open as much as we can, as long as we can stay as safe as we can, the most important thing is making sure children are getting their education because of the amount of time they have missed over the last two years and it has had a detrimental effect of some of them.

"Ultimately, we are here to do a job and my job is to teach the children in my care."

Chloe Pearson has a daughter in Year 1 at Chantry Primary Academy and says the return to school has been "difficult".

She says: "The kids need the routine of being back, especially with their friends and knowing what's happening every day.

"But you don't know what's going to be in the news, cases are [going up], it's confusing, you've got to try and keep the kids in a routine where they know what's going to happen.

"It's hard not to worry as a parent because they are mixing with other children but you've just got to keep yourself and your family safe."

The school has asked parents to test their children and themselves twice-weekly but Ms Pearson says that is "tricky".

"Our daughter has special needs so it's quite hard to get her to understand what we are doing and why we are doing it," she says.

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