'We’re delighted to be back' says principal of St Hilda’s Special School upon reopening

The principal of St Hilda’s Special School has said that both staff and students are delighted to be back in the classroom after weeks of uncertainty and scrapped plans surrounding the reopening of special schools.

Jennifer Moran said that while some pupils were apprehensive to begin with, they soon settled in again and got on with their day.

“The kids came off the busses with smiles on their faces and we were all delighted to see each other again,” she said.

“Everybody was happy to be back, and the staff were happy to help the children settle back into the normality that they were used to before the lockdown.”

As per department guidelines, only 50% of students are in school at any one time. For St Hilda’s, that means 22 pupils are present, with all seven teachers and 18 Special Needs Assistants also being back in the school.

“The children are split into two groups. Group 1 do Thursdays and Fridays and alternate every Wednesday with group 2, who do Mondays and Tuesdays. They all seem very content and happy to be back.”

Speaking about remote learning, Jennifer says that parents had a mixed reaction as to how it was going throughout the current lockdown.

“Not all children can work remotely. Special schools have very individualised planning for children, and that’s why special schools are a suitable option for children with special needs. Some children have complex additional needs, so it’s really important that they get individualised teaching and one-on-one engagement, and that’s very hard to provide while remote learning.

The school’s Covid response plan has also been completely updated.

“Everybody has their own individual entry and exit points, including the staff, to minimise cross-over. Sometimes cross-over of staff is required, but huge protocols have been put in place, including sanitisation and changing of masks when moving from one place to another.

“There are a lot of protocols in place to keep everyone safe, and long may it last,” she finished.