Notting Hill head teacher says schools are “resilient places,” as he prepares to teach children of key workers

By Julia Gregory, Local Demoracy Reporter

A lot of hard work has gone into preparing for continuing school remotely for thousands of children across London.

Jagdeep Birdi is just one of the army of head teachers in the city who has been planning and supporting children, their families and teachers ahead of the school closures.

He was working from 5am on Thursday and Friday of last week to put the finishing touches in place so work was ready to send home with children when Colville Primary School, in Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill, closed on Friday afternoon.

And he recalled that while the nation was on tenterhooks awaiting an announcement about school closures last week, staff carried on with drawing up their plans.

He said: “Schools are resilient organisations. We know how to deal with crises well.”

Mr Birdi explained how staff were busy compiling lists of children of key workers who might attend the school last week.

The number dropped from 80 children of key workers they thought might still attend school to 20 who actually went to the school, near Portobello Market, on Monday.

On Tuesday just 15 children attended.

Mr Birdi said he thought there would be a “stable” number of nine to 12 children turning up.

Teaching staff are on rota to work at the school during the crisis, and Mr Birdi said the school has cut the number of rooms they are using while keeping social distance.

It’s meant the school has been able to stand down most of the cleaning team and also the catering team, who have prepared meals for children who need them.

Mr Birdi said he was concerned that “some gaps will have grown” in children’s education because of the breaks.

Staff are sending children daily and weekly exercises to do.

And Mr Birdi said the school was mindful of not inundating parents with too many emails and making sure children had access to devices and internet bandwidth to do their work.

He advised parents to make sure children kept a routine but were also able to step away from work and their “desk space” when they have finished for the day.

In addition there is piano teaching via Zoom or Skype and regular virtual team meetings.

The school is also making videos for each year group as well as regular assembly messages recorded by Mr Birdi or his deputy, Laurie Grandy.

“We are keeping the school community together,” said Mr Birdi, who stressed that “kindness, support and understanding” will help people get through.

He added: “Every family is vulnerable in this situation.

“For every school in London a lot of our families will feel isolated from their families here – but also abroad.”

He reflected that staff would miss their twice-daily contact with parents during the national period of isolation.

Pictured top: Leila Hedjem, Colville Primary School’s welfare lead, with food prepared for children during the coronavirus crisis (Picture: Amy Hebert)