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EDUCAT ION IN CAMBR I DGE
Prioritising Resilience I T ’ S B E E N A N U N U S U A L A N D S T R E S S F U L T I M E F O R C H I L D R E N , S O W H A T C A N P A R E N T S A N D T E A C H E R S D O T O H E L P T H E M M A N A G E T H E I R A N X I E T Y ?
hen it comes to lockdown worries, the biggest focus, inevitably, has been the impact on children’s academic progress. Would homeschooling prove incompatible with effective learning? How would children manage when they could only access their teachers online? W
are struggling with anxiety. Even before lockdown, levels of anxiety among children were a matter for concern. In 2018, The Children’s Society reported that 10% of school-age children had a diagnosable mental health condition. So when the structure and routine of school life were suddenly taken away, even children who didn’t enjoy school found themselves cast adrift. Now, though schools are open for business again, the pandemic remains
Since the return to school, there’s been positive news. Teachers in some of our area’s schools report that pupils have reacted with impressive maturity, often faring far better than anticipated. Far from falling behind, in some cases they have not only continued to make excellent progress in core academic subjects, but even exceeded expectations. But it’s not just results that matter. Of even greater importance is the need to recognise and support children who
AUTUMN/WINTER 2020
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