Year two pupil Millie, said: I have had a good day. I was nervous this morning, but I am ok now and excited for tomorrow, as I have seen my friends and enjoyed playing with them.”
Lexi, who is Year 4, said: “I had a fun day and am really pleased to be back. I enjoyed lunchtime playing with my friends. I felt more stressed at home and it felt more relaxed in school.”
St George s Primary School headteacher Mel Fearns
- Credit: Archant
Mel Fearns, headteacher of St George s Primary School, in Great Yarmouth, said it was a nice calm return with the number of pupils returning in comparison to last June, very encouraging .
Children need a laptop or tablet for homeschool.
- Credit: Sonya Duncan
Parents at a primary school which received 78 digital devices as part of the Every Child Online campaign, ran by this newspaper, say they have made a huge difference to their children s learning.
A third of children at St George s Primary School in Great Yarmouth had no access to online learning, with many others struggling to get to grips with online classes.
Carla Winney, who has two children at the school, her son Ryan in year six and her daughter Carolin in reception, said the laptops had made a massive difference after the family had previously used her mobile phone and an Xbox.
A primary school headteacher has said the need for laptops at her school had reached a "point of desperation" before receiving 78 devices from the Every Child Online.
But coming to school every day like we are doing now is like playing Russian Roulette – any of us could get the virus as we are mixing every day and many staff are in the vulnerable category too or old like me and could end up in intensive care in the next 10 days. We all celebrate on a Friday that we’ve made it through another week and keep our fingers crossed for the next one, hoping our luck doesn’t run out.
Stuart Allen, Headteacher, Mile Cross Primary School, Norwich. Picture: Jamie Honeywood
- Credit: Archant
Dr Jenny Harries, deputy chief medical officer, spoke at the Education Select Committee on Tuesday and discussed how schools may reopen following the current national lockdown.
Nevertheless some schools are struggling to address a digital divide that hits poorer pupils hardest, with research by the educational charity Teach First suggesting four of five schools with the poorest pupils do not have enough devices and internet access.
The Government said more than 560,000 laptop had been sent to schools for children to learn from home.
- Credit: Getty Images
Pupils who have no access to laptops are designated as “vulnerable children”, the Department for Education has said, meaning they can continue attending school for face-to-face learning during lockdown.
Ms Fearns said: “More children are coming to light today that are working off mum’s phone, so I am not confident at the moment we have enough equipment to meet the need.