One-way systems and sealed stationery as Year 10s adapt to 'new normal'
Strict safety measures were brought into Black Country and Staffordshire schools and colleges today as Year 10 and Year 12 pupils returned to classrooms.
One-way corridors, spaced out desks and sealed stationary packets were among a raft of safety measures put in place at Bristnall Hall Academy, in Oldbury, Sandwell.
Its governing body, the Academy Transformation Trust, has also implemented safety measures at its five other Black Country-based schools.
These are: Caldmore Academy, Walsall; Phoenix Academy, Walsall; Pool Hayes Academy, Walsall; and North Walsall Primary Academy, Walsall.
Vince Green, ATT's regional education director, said: "Where we are opening wider, we are doing it really safely.
"So we are following a safe, steady, gradual approach. And that has been the key line across our trust.
"We want more children in. But we are making sure that when we do get them back in, we are able to offer them something really meaningful that will support their education.
"But we are doing it really safely so the kids and their families have got confidence in what we are doing, and everyone gets to get home safely at the end of the day."
Bristnall Hall school has "mothballed" parts of its site meaning there are fewer classrooms to ensure an effective cleaning process can take place twice a day.
Ahead of more pupils returning, the building has undergone a deep clean and each classroom features only a handful of desks and each one is spaced two metres apart.
Every pupil has also been given sealed stationery packs to prevent pencils and pens being shared and to limit cross contamination.
A one-way walking system is also in place with social-distancing dots along corridors.
The school has been looking after children of key workers since the lockdown began on March 23.
But now a full year group is returning - albeit they will be split up into smaller groups and visit classrooms on staggered days.
School days have also been shortened to three hours.
Principal Kully Uppal said: "That makes it manageable for us. It is in our risk assessment. That means there is less risk of contamination, social bubbles not being adhered to which can often happen when you have got large groups congregating for a long time.
"The most important thing is making sure that it is safe, steady and gradual for our staff and for our students to return."
At The Hart School in Rugeley principal Chris Keen says he hopes the safety measures will ease any anxiety for parents.
The school will teach 25 per cent of its Year 10s at a different times in a bid to prevent the virus spreading. About 190 teenagers make up the year group.
Principal Chris Keen said: "We have got social-distancing markers from the entrance going into school, sanitizer outside classrooms and a creation of bubbles where no more than six to eight students can be in any bubble [which means area or gathering], so those are the principle things really.
Mr Keen said: "We try to communicate regularly with the parents so they are aware of what is going on in the school at all times and try to keep them updated with what we are doing."
Year 10 students have GCSE exams next year and Year 12 students, at college, have A Levels.
The same cleaning processes have taken place at King Edward VI College, Stourbridge, where class sizes have been cut down to a third of their usual size.
College principal Remley Mann said: "The safety and wellbeing of our college community is of paramount importance, but we are also mindful of the educational needs of our student body."
In Wolverhampton, the city's college says it is preparing to increase "on site activity" over the coming weeks. However teachers at City of Wolverhampton College said home learning has also been a success.
That is the same for Kidderminster College. But a handful of students have been invited in today with a "range of measures" in place, said the college.
"For those returning, health and safety will be the highest priority," the spokesman said.
