‘We don’t expect you to be teachers’

As children started their summer term this week, parents are being assured that they are not expected to be substitutes for teachers during the period of Covid-19 enforced home schooling.

Powys County Council has been working hard with headteachers and the schools’ community in dealing with the Coronavirus impact that has caused significant disruption to the education system. 

Wales’ Education Minister Kirsty Williams published a policy statement called ‘Stay Safe, Stay Learning’ which aims to support learners, leaders, governors, practitioners, parents and carers in dealing with the impact of coronavirus.

But it has been obvious judging by many parents’ reactions online that home schooling is proving tough with #PassMeTheGin a popular hash tag!

Cllr Phyl Davies, Cabinet Member for Education and Property, said: “I’d like to thank headteachers, school staff and parents for all their support and for the work that has been carried out to date under difficult circumstances.

“Our priority is to keep children safe but we also need to keep them learning so that they can catch up as quickly as possible when it is safe for schools to re-open. We are very fortunate that we have access to digital learning platforms and the latest online classroom tools, and it is working well.

“I would like to reassure parents that we are in a good position to maintain teaching and learning for our young people in different ways. Our aim is to motivate and engage with all our learners with a range of relevant activities to ensure both educational delivery as well as safeguarding their wellbeing.

“However, I want to make it clear that parents are not teachers and many are feeling the pressure to create a mini-school at home. Teaching will be provided by the teaching professionals and we are asking parents to support their children’s learning at home.

“We do not expect parents to be formal teachers but we do need to provide support to help them help their children. This includes support for their mental and physical wellbeing, which is equally as important, especially at this time.”

Individual schools have been in direct contact with parents with further information on how the teaching and learning is provided.