A NEW generation of youngsters is starting school in South East Cornwall for whom masks, sanitiser stations and keeping a distance will have to become second nature.

Many students have not been inside a classroom for six months, having been at home since the coronavirus lockdown began in March.

School leaders and staff have been working hard over the summer to prepare for the return of a full cohort of children under very different circumstances.

Some schools have applied for road closures in their vicinity, to help with social distancing, and extra peak time buses have been reserved for the use of schoolchildren only.

It’s traditional for children starting secondary school to puzzle over their maps as they navigate a much bigger building – but the new Year 7s, as well as those in Years 8 and 9 at Liskeard and at other local schools, will be getting used to staying in classroom ‘bubbles’, while their teachers move around the school to them.

Liskeard is going beyond Government and Public Health England expectations on safety, as head Alex Lingard explained: “We decided to take the stance to be extra cautious initially, then relax measures if we are able to as time moves on.”

Parents have appreciated this, he says, and so far only one parent has stated they may not send their child back to school.

Young people will be asked to wear face coverings as they enter and move around campus, but won’t have to wear them in class. The school is following World Health Organisation advice which states that “when people of 12 years or older are moving around a school site, the wearing of a face mask increases their own protection by 50% and increases the protection of others by 70%.”

Students in class will be in rows facing the front where possible, with a two-metre zone for staff; teachers and teaching assistants will be encouraged to wear a visor when moving around the room to help children.

“Visors have been made on site by our Technology teachers for staff,” said Mr Lingard, “we prefer these to masks as students can see facial expressions.”

Liskeard’s head said that catch-up work “would take shape over time as we learn about students’ gaps in knowledge and understanding”. Individual help in class, extra-curricular provision and use of subject tutors are anticipated.

Meanwhile one-to-one tutor meetings are taking place this week to gauge children’s wellbeing and address any anxieties.

“Our tutor time programme and Personal, Social & Health Education lessons will include additional resources and focus on re-connecting with school, re-establishing positive relationships and building students’ resilience,” said Mr Lingard.

“As always, one to one support with specialist staff will be available to all.”

The staff at Liskeard were really excited, he said, about seeing students again.

“Although we remained opened throughout the lockdown, the majority of students have not been in more than once for almost six months. We can’t wait to see them return and meet our newest members of Team Liskeard (Year 7).

“Although it will be slightly different, a return to school, to a routine and to ‘normality’ is welcomed by us all.”

This was a feeling echoed by Adrian Massey, CE of the Bridge Schools Trust, which has 14 primaries in the district, all of which will be opening today (Sep 7).

“We have had deep cleans on all school sites following our summer programme of building projects where we have invested over £1 million in upgrades to facilities.

“We are confident we can welcome all children and parents back to school safely,” he said.

“Teachers have been revising curricular plans to ensure children make the rapid catch-up needed at the start of term.

“We hope the return to school will be positive, helping children to begin to return to normal.

“We all very much look forward to welcoming everyone back to school.”