Coronavirus: School teachers prepping 'home-learning packs' in case of closures
12 March 2020, 16:07
Teachers are preparing "home-learning packs" as schools could close for a month-long Easter break due to coronavirus.
Some schools across the UK are preparing to close their doors, but teachers are being told to implement home-learning plans in the event that the government keeps children at home.
The virus has now been confirmed as a pandemic - with the UK taking steps to stop the spread - which could include closing down schools and universities as well as introducing social distancing policies.
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Teachers across the UK are now being told to prepare in case that classrooms could soon be empty, should they close their doors to pupils or an extra week or two ahead of Easter - meaning pupils would be away from classrooms for around a month, depending on the usual length of their break.
Speaking to Sky News, one teacher said that they had been asked to prepare enough work for two weeks so that children are able to work from home.
They also said that any closure of the school would be staggered, with youngest pupils being sent home first, and year 11 students being kept in as long as possible in the run up to any GCSE or A-Level exams they could be set to take.
One teacher told the Mirror: "We have been told an extended Easter break is a very real possibility if the virus spread continues at the predicted rate.
“We are now preparing for that eventuality. But this will not mean two weeks’ extra holiday.
“Schools in our local authority area - both primary and secondary – are drawing up plans for children to be given lessons at home.
“This will come in the shape of material drawn up by staff in advance in the form of set work from the curriculum on paper and also online work.
“Schools are drawing up lists of all children who have access to the internet at home even if it is via a parent or guardian’s phone."
Schools and colleges in Ireland have already closed, with the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar announcing the measure will last until 29 March.
