‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness’ – Dickens’ classic opening of ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ aptly sums up the contrasting turbulent pandemic year. A time of change, at times chaos and a test not only of our curriculum but of our culture
It is easy as we stagger through January with 15 teachers and 180 students absent daily, COVID in every pore of a cold, windows open school, to feel isolated and lonely, masked and invisible in your own bubble, no longer allowed the sanctuary of a reassuring ‘cuppa’ with staffroom colleagues. This has not been normal and for many families and colleagues it has been the worst of times, a trauma that we will live with for a number of years, an often untold story, as everyone desires normality and does not/will not want to scrutinise the reality of schools in the pandemic. COVID has finished according to our politicians. Yet for some of our most vulnerable, this has meant they have regressed and solely concentrated on themselves. Whilst understandable, this is dangerous territory. We should never become solely I because out of this survival and looking after yourself, extreme views and selfishness can seep out and be allowed, unless challenged, to become embedded. We need to be sociable and communicate face to face not solely on the unchallenged remote and isolated world of social media.
However, I would argue that in every sphere of society, some outstanding leadership and community work has quietly been undertaken, some that perhaps is surprising and should be recognised. For example, Chelsea FC ringing all living ex-players in the depths of the pandemic to check their health and wellbeing and what support they could offer, or Gary Neville opening up his hotels free for NHS health workers, or the significant growth of foodbanks since 2010, a mechanism to address food poverty boosted by another footballer, Marcus Rashford and his fabulous free school meal campaign that did not allow, would not allow their needs to be avoided or side-lined! Less surprising has been the education sector’s response, filling in the gaps of counselling, isolation, meal provision, laptops or simply being a constant reassurance, always open, always there. My hope and optimistic belief is that schools have perhaps returned to the valued position of the 1970s, viewed as a leading profession, a place of purpose, a team where the collective is firmly at the core, wisely led, providing for our fabulous young people the best of times, which if we work as a community are on the horizon.
Neil Morris 