The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has meant another lockdown in England, although schools remain open this time.
School guidance has been updated to reflect the growing rise in cases – face coverings are now mandatory in communal areas in all secondary schools in England, while older pupils in Scottish schools in high risk areas must wear face masks in classrooms, as do their teachers.
Due to the continued threat posed by the virus, and the constantly evolving regulations, schools have had to adapt to the “new normal”. As Fiona Riley from IOSH points out on page 15, “it’s important we recognise how well schools have dealt the whole Covid-19 situation. There have been outbreaks, but these have been well-managed.” Fiona goes on to say that schools must also risk assess the mental health of staff to ensure they feel safe in their working environment, and are coping with the burdens caused by the pandemic.
This is backed by Alison Powell, head of HR at Severn Academies Educational Trust (SAET), who says that providing support to teachers, and spotting early warning signs that they may be struggling, are key to reducing professional burnout and absenteeism. Read her feature on page 67.
The Education Business Awards will be taking place digitally on 26 November, and the shortlist will be finalised imminently (keep your eyes on www.ebawards.co.uk). In the meantime, on page 51, we preview the event and take a look at past winners’ success stories.
It’s September, and schools have opened to all pupils, albeit with new Covid-safety measures in place.
Schools have had the difficult task of balancing risk management with providing the full educational experience that pupils so desperately need, after months of school closures. This issue of Education Business looks at how schools can move forward in a safe manner, while Covid-19 still poses a real threat.
We gather advice from a range of experts on page 36 on how schools can operate safely during the ongoing pandemic, such as by implementing robust cleaning and hygiene measures, as well as addressing staff and recruitment issues, and the safe use of school facilities after hours.
With further disruption to learning possible, caused by self isolating pupils or another lockdown, schools must have a remote learning plan in place. On page 43, Amy Cook from the Key outlines the benefits of getting a digital education platform set up, as well as what support is available from the DfE.
The government’s ten year school rebuilding programme is also examined – from both an environmental point of view (page 23), and from a design perspective (page 19).
EB Award Winners Revealved - The hard word and dedication of school leaders, teachers and support staff were recognised at the 2019 Education Business Awards