Northampton Labour councillors raise concerns about how schools will cope with reopening without more government support

Two Northampton Labour councillors have raised concerns about how schools will cope with the return of all pupils during the coronavirus pandemic without more government support.

Jane Birch and Anamul 'Enam' Haque support children going back to the classroom but want the Department for Education to give schools more money to handle the new world of teaching during a health crisis.

Cllr Birch, who represents Trinity ward at Northampton Borough Council and Kingsthorpe South at Northamptonshire County Council, said: "We need a massive investment in education at all levels.

"This generation of young people has been massively impacted by Covid-19 and lockdown.

"Not only have they lost months of education which will take up to a year to catch up, we need access to IT equipment for all, for home learning if schools are closed again.

"Those pupils taking GCSE and A Level exams have been badly let down by the utter incompetence of this government. We need more money in schools to support teachers and pupils.

"We need investment in youth workers and social services to reach those vulnerable teenagers who are at risk of being excluded form school and missing out on life chances."

The councillors believe it is important for students to be back in schools not only for their education but also their personal development and wellbeing.

They say teachers have worked hard during the summer holidays to make schools safe for children and adults, as well as learning from teaching vulnerable pupils and those with key-worker parents.

Extra hand washing stations, hand sanitisers, wipes for desks and deep cleaning of school buildings has been taking place while one-way systems, two-metre markings, signage and staggered starts, finishes, breaks and lunch times will also help.

On the flip side, when schools are closed, inequalities become more entrenched and those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds lose out most, according to the councillors.

Many children will have lost more than four months of learning and the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers could be as much as 46 per cent, they argue.

Meanwhile referrals to child social services have fallen during lockdown and many vulnerable children have been hidden from view.

Cllr Haque, who represents Castle ward at the borough council, said: "I’m really concerned about kids who may live in multi-generational households, what steps has the government and local authority taken to protect these vulnerable people?

"It is known that children from disadvantaged black and minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds have suffered most in their loss of learning since March.’

Guidance on how to reopen schools was published last month, which the government said was backed by its scientific advisors, but unions criticised its lack of a 'plan B'.

Everyone in Northampton secondary schools will have to wear face coverings in communal areas and corridors due to the town's higher-than-average coronavirus infection rate.

Meanwhile Whitehall has made over £40 million in funding available for councils to create alternative dedicated school transport to alleviate pressure on public transport.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said on Tuesday (September 1): "For many, today marks the first day of a new school year, with thousands of children set to walk through their school gates again as schools across the country begin to reopen for full-time education for all pupils.

"I do not underestimate how challenging the last few months have been but I do know how important it is for children to be back in school, not only for their education but for their development and wellbeing too.

"But it is down to the sheer hard work of so many teachers and school staff that from today pupils will be able to learn in their classrooms together again.

"It has not been easy for parents nor schools, but we could not have got to this point without your support and I cannot say thank you enough for this."