New ways of working to provide effective learning for Powys pupils

Parents of Powys school children are being reassured by senior education officers that they are not expected to recreate school at home, the county council has said.

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.

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 will be in direct contact with their own parents with further information on how the teaching and learning will be provided.

Parents are being asked to answer this Welsh Government survey on learning at home whilst schools are closed.

Further information on Welsh Government’s Stay Safe, Stay Learning: Continuity of Learning Policy Statement can be found on its website.