VIEWS & OPINION Coping with uncertainty
Comment by LARA PÉCHARD, Head at St Margaret’s School in Hertfordshire
Schools have had to press fast-forward on progressing so many areas of academic life and pastoral wellbeing during the past six months alone, and all with a backdrop of constant uncertainty. The pace of change has been affected
for one; so much has taken place so quickly, not only have learners and teachers had to use online packages, resources and marking for all of their lessons, but schools have also had to offer blended learning so that those abroad or those quarantining at home can access lessons. Ironically, at a time when all children (and staff) could do with a
metaphorical arm around them, the distance of two metres and face masks make individualised care and empathy that much harder to convey. Reassuring pupils therefore, must be approached in a more creative way. Exams and assessments have played their role in this fast paced period
of change too. Normally the pressures surrounding exams loom over year 11 and 13 pupils as the year progresses, and even prior to Covid schools were concerned by the mental health impact these exams have on young people. Yet far worse, is the fear of not knowing how you will be assessed when the time finally comes. Rumours fly: will exams happen, will they happen later than normal or will we see schools assessing
children in a similar way to how it worked this summer? One thing is clear, as we look to next year we need a robust evidence
trail of assessments and grades that are understood by all. Of course, for the student this creates a number of concerns. Giving young people reassurance that their best is good enough, that any school assessment will take a holistic approach over the course, will help. Also offering students the chance to resubmit pieces of work on occasion, might allow them to overcome uncertainty and unnecessary anxiety. Nothing is set in stone. Having to keep year groups apart, the
possibility of a year bubble having to go home due to a Covid case and the potential for another national lockdown all point to the fact that the current school calendar is unpredictable. Schools normally provide stability in children’s lives. School traditions and holidays punctuate a year and all the rites of passage that come with them are significant. Children’s rhythms and routines are also therefore impacted. Schools are of course working hard to recreate the big one-off events and celebrations such as prize giving, leavers’ BBQs and induction events. We can help by reassuring pupils that school will always be here and that the community will work together. Alongside uncertainty often comes anxiety. For the year 7 child who
won’t take their mask off because they are worried about their grandparents or the year 13 child who doesn’t feel that teachers have evidence of their potential; there is much to contend with. Many families have been open about not watching the news anymore. Schools like mine have responded by offering wellbeing sessions, tips on how to deal with anxiety, video sessions on mindfulness or yoga and worry boxes so that concerns can be raised. Strong pastoral care is the most important thing for children right
now. They need to feel safe, valued and listened to. In the face of such uncertainty it is crucial is that we give children the chance to talk about how this is impacting them and provide the best support we can to help them through this difficult time.
Clean indoor air – the key to unlocking attainment
and keeping schools open Comment by NAEEM WALJI, Principal at 4th Wave Technology
The UK Government currently recognises air pollution as the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK, with up to 36,000 deaths a year attributed to long- term exposure. However, alongside the impact air pollution has on physical health, various studies also show that exposure to toxic air, even in the short-term, can have severely detrimental effects on academic attainment. Indeed, in 2018, researchers from the Yale
School of Public Health showed that the impact of exposure to high levels of toxic air “is equivalent to having lost a year of education”. Following this pioneering study, an increasing body of research has shown that even short-term, acute levels of exposure also tend to lead to adverse health and educational outcomes across several distinctive age ranges. Somewhat unsurprisingly, students in inner city schools, that are exposed to higher levels of air pollution, have been shown to suffer the most profound consequences. Whilst there is currently a considerable amount of noise around the
need for clean air zones around schools, there is a lack of popular concern for air pollution levels within schools themselves. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the levels of indoor air pollutants
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www.education-today.co.uk
can be two to five times higher than outdoors, showing this to be a grave area of concern. Recent bodies of research, from the likes of NYU and the University of
Manchester, have indicated the need to embrace clean air technology has a means to reduce indoor air pollution in schools in order to meet World Health Organisation standards. This not only stands to generate positive health outcomes, such as improved lung function, but also to improve academic attainment and significantly reduce the attainment gap, as underprivileged students tend to attend schools in highly polluted areas. Alongside the cognitive benefits of clean indoor air, reducing indoor air
pollutants also protects against commonly found viruses and bacteria. Research carried out by various institutes in Italy in early 2020 shows that viruses travel further by air because they attach to particles of air pollution, with heavily polluted areas subsequently having a higher rate of disease infections. Reducing levels of indoor air pollution therefore stands to safeguard against airborne disease transmission routes, an area of concern that is becoming increasingly important to slow down the spread of coronavirus. After just one week of re-opening, various schools around the country
had no choice but to shut down, with countless others forcing classes to self-isolate, due to high numbers of students and teachers testing positive for the coronavirus. There is significant evidence to show that reducing indoor air pollution can help to reduce disease transmission in schools, and by embracing clean air technology that directly eradicates viruses, bacteria and pollutants from indoor air, it is likely that schools will see much lower rates of transmission, helping to safeguard health and keep schools open in a sustainable way. Looking ahead, prioritising clean indoor air is key to reducing air
pollution and mitigating the spread of coronavirus. At 4th Wave Technology, we recognise that whilst technology is not a one-stop answer, clean air technology can play an integral role in accelerating these outcomes, increasing equality of opportunity through academic attainment, and helping to keeping schools open as we move into the next phase of the pandemic.
October 2020
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