Staff at schools across East Sussex have been praised for their efforts which have enabled more than 11,000 additional pupils to return to the classroom.
The Government closed settings to all children in March to stem the spread of the Covid-19 virus, with the exception of those considered vulnerable and those with parents who were keyworkers.
With restrictions slowly lifting, thousands of children have been able to return with the vast majority of the county’s schools now open.
Cllr Bob Standley, lead member for education and ISEND, said: “The situation over the past three months has been extremely challenging for schools. Not only have they been asked to remain open to provide vital childcare for some and set up home-learning for others, they have also had to transform their buildings into safe spaces for children to return.
“We are well aware that their hard work will not stop with more children returning to school as they will then face the challenge of getting pupils’ learning back on track.”
He added: “This time away from normal school routine will have had an enormous impact on children, both in terms of their learning and their mental health and wellbeing, and this is something schools will be addressing for some time. They thoroughly deserve our thanks and support.”
Last week, on average, 166 of the 187 schools in East Sussex opened their doors every day to more than 11,500 students. During lockdown an average of 140 remained open each to support more than 2,000 children.
Primary schools have introduced a raft of measures in a bid to maintain social distancing and keep staff and pupils as safe as possible.
