"As a school leader, I fully support whatever the parents’ position is"

"You know your child best", says chair of West Berkshire Primary School Headteachers Association

PARENTS know their children best and should have the freedom to decide whether or not they are happy to send them back to school next month.

That is the view of Andy Higgs, the chairman of the West Berkshire Primary Headteachers Association.

Mr Higgs said that schools were working “extremely hard” to ensure they were safe for the planned return of Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils from June 1.

However, he accepted that schools would “not be normal” when they reopen and understood that some parents may not feel comfortable sending their children back.

Speaking to the Newbury Weekly News on Tuesday, he said: “Looking forward, school leaders are not immune to the worries about safety that many are talking about.

“However, they are doing all they can to ensure the provision they do have in place is as safe as it can be.

“There has been an avalanche of publications about guidance and schools have put themselves in a good position to do what’s best for children.

“Of course, there will be families who say ‘my child is going to carry on at home’ and I hope that schools will be able to find the resources for home support for those children.

“I think the overall view is sort of ‘righto let’s do this and do it as well as we possibly can’.

“However, we have got to recognise that whatever schools do put in place, it won’t be ‘normal school’.

“So ultimately, as a school leader, I fully support whatever the parents’ position is.

“We think that if you are eligible you should come to school, but at same time it isn’t a normal situation, you know your child best and if you think it’s not right for your child then that’s fine.”

Mr Higgs said he believed it would have been a better process for the Government to “define the conditions of schools returning, rather than focus on a specific date”.

He said: “It would have been much better to say the schools will go back when this criteria can be met and not, say, they are going back on June 1.

“I think it would have given parents much more confidence.

“It certainly should not have been the case that everyone in education should have worked as hard as they’ve worked to prepare for wider reopening of schools.”

Mr Higgs was full of praise for parents and teachers for the “fantastic work they have put in during these unprecedented times”.

He said: “This whole period has been unprecedented and I think, ultimately, schools in West Berkshire have done an immense job of reinventing themselves in a matter of days to fulfil the expectations from the Government

“Not only have many continued to provide childcare for children of key workers, but they have worked fantastically hard to provide resources, guidance and work for distance learning.

“From a school leader’s point of view, I speak for all headteachers when I say we are enormously grateful.

“School staff and headteachers recognise the work that families have put in. It’s been a real team effort.

“There have been some huge challenges, but I think together we have done huge amounts to help children.

“We are hugely lucky to have the people we do leading our schools.”