SCHOOLS here in Wiltshire are having to adapt quickly to the demands and expectations that have come along with the spread of coronavirus.

Neil Spurdell, headteacher at Sheldon School in Chippenham, said: "Morale is positive, but there is obvious concern that staff in schools have to be in at some risk to themselves and potentially others, when the general advice has been not to mix socially. Obviously, where possible, everyone is observing the distancing protocols. From Tuesday March 24, only essential staff ill be in school to minimise that risk. We are now operating a rota basis for the senior team."

"Lots of parents have written to me in very positive terms, about being kept abreast of things daily, about teachers communicating with their children, and about the amount of work that has gone in from staff to ensure their children have plenty of good work to be getting on with.

The principal of Kingsbury Green Academy, Jason Tudor, Calne, said: "Most parents who are key workers have managed to make childcare arrangements to allow them to stay at home.We have had just ten students in on this, the first day of national school closures.

“We have had a number of front line parents request that we hold some places back, and including those places we are now at full capacity in terms of what we can manage."

Deputy headteacher, Anita Ellis, of Royal Wootton Bassett Academy said: "Although the school had anticipated 40 pupils arriving for school today, in the event only 11 came in. Most parents who are key workers have managed to make childcare arrangements to allow them to stay at home.

“Clearly the message to remain at home unless you absolutely have to come into school had made an impact. The response from parents and students on the first day of working at home has been very encouraging."

Neil added:"The students who would have sat examinations in the summer are disappointed, but now they have turned their attention to how grades will be awarded. Until we are told how this will be done, we can't do anything, but my hope is that whatever system is employed, students will end up with grades representative of what they would have achieved in the summer, and I think that is possible.

"We had 8 pupils in total, today, (Monday) and might have a few more tomorrow. We decided to split our activities up in to three blocks, beginning with mountain biking around the site, one pupil has actually learnt how to ride a bike, pizza making and then some supervised on-line learning. Tomorrow will have a similar pattern: different PE activity, maths/code-breaking, then library learning.

"To see what I have written to parents, letters are on our website and can be found by going on to the Covid-19 tab on our website, where you are invited to, Read More, they're on the right hand side.

"I'm so grateful to all of my staff for everything that they do and to parents and students who have had to make huge changes and have been really patient and understanding."

John added:“On the first day we had 30 teaching staff including teaching assistants and 20 non-teaching staff including members of the site team and administrators on site.  But as of tomorrow we will have a rota system with four teaching staff and four other members of staff.

“Lessons are being taught in dedicated classrooms where pupils have their own desks and own computers, and we allowed them to go out onto the school field after lunch, although we are ensuring they all take part in social distancing."

“I want to thank all my staff, teaching and support staff alike, for doing what they always do and going above and beyond the call of duty, demonstrating their ethos of service above self in these unprecedented times. 

“I also want to pay tribute to the parents of the children in our care. They are on the front line in making sure that everyone in our community is as well protected as possible. We know that both the parents and children are having to make great sacrifices, supporting them is the least we can do.”

Anita also said: “We have received some lovely emails from parents of children who are entitled to be in, showing us their new ‘work stations’ at home. We’ve also had an excellent response from students completing their online work, and virtual interactions are taking place throughout the day."

“The students who have come in have been split between five classrooms with internet access so that they can do their online learning and they are all distance learning.

"At break time and lunchtime students are placed in different areas of the school, and staff are also social distancing. We have also requested that all rooms are given a thorough cleaning at the end of each day."

“I’d like to say a big thank you to all our parents and students, and of course my fantastic staff, teaching and non-teaching, for all the support you are giving each other to ensure that we can deliver learning as best we possibly can.”