Scottish/Leicestershire experiences of pupils' return to school

[Hellvelyn]

I work in safeguarding/pastoral support in a high school. I'm feeling quite anxious about the new term and what it might bring. For those of you who have already returned to high schools how has it been? Behaviour, levels of anxiety/distress in pupils, disruption due to changes in routines, parental expectations/demands? There just seems so much that could be a potential difficulty. I've been into school lots in my DSL role and have done my best to keep up with pupils' personal circumstances, but realistically there are many pupils we know very little about from the past few months. I've also kinda got used to school having so few people around. 1000+pupils milling around again will be something of a shock!

We've been back with pupils since last Thursday and I was also anxious. However, it's been pretty much ok, although it does feel odd being in a building with so many other people. I'm in an 11-16 and the pupils have been mostly pretty sensible. The parents have been the problem! It's amazing how you fall back into it. I must say though it's been pretty impossible keeping year groups apart, especially when outside first thing before school and then after.

I was anxious about behaviour but I have to say the majority of children have settled back in really well. It is impossible to keep a distance from the children though as my room is too small and instinct is to go to them when they need help! We lose a lot of teaching time due to cleaning desks, monitoring handwaahing etc. Children have been great at following these routines. But despite all the cleaning and handwaahing a third of my class have been absent this week with the cold! Absence rates are really high xx