HEADTEACHERS across the city will meet with city MP Robin Walker to highlight the challenges posed by remaining open to teach children of Worcester’s key workers.
Under pressure heads face an increase in the amount of children being taught despite another national lockdown which has seen schools closed for the second time.
School chiefs were set to meet Mr Walker to highlight the issues and ask the MP about the Government’s decision to award GCSE and A-Level grades this year based on teacher assessments.
A city headteacher who didn’t wish to be named told the Observer of the ‘intense frustration’ being felt in the profession.
“It could have been announced in early December that we’d carry on until the Christmas break and then schools wouldn’t return for six weeks,” the headteacher said.
“My staff could then have prepared materials well in advance instead of the rapid turnaround we were forced to undertake in just 24 hours.”
Mr Walker welcomed the measures the Government put in place to ensure every student across Worcester receives a high-quality remote education while schools are closed.
To date, it has delivered more than 560,000 devices to councils in England, with students in Worcester benefiting from the 525 devices provided to schools and colleges across Worcestershire.
The Government has also strengthened remote education requirements for schools, which will be enforced by Ofsted, so parents can be reassured that their children will benefit from a set number of hours of high-quality remote learning a day.
“Having taken the difficult decision to close schools and colleges it is right that the government is providing support for students to ensure they can continue their learning from home,” he said.
“I am meeting with headteachers in Worcester this week to discuss the challenges they are facing with accommodating face to face education for the students of key workers while providing remote learning for the majority of students.”
