Covid-19 has created havoc across the entire world. Each day brings a new set of statistics, as the number of cases internationally continues to rise. Each country has been dealing with the virus in their own ways: while some are placing extreme enforcements, others are not as severely affected and therefore are not experiencing such drastic measures.
During the past couple of weeks, the UK’s government has been reassessing the situation daily, trying to find the best way to approach the virus. In order to find a solution that will ultimately result in the least amount of deaths. After re-evaluating the original plan of herd immunity, the situation has spiralled into a national lockdown. Whereby, all schools have been forced to close and only those who are key workers are permitted to remain at work. As a result, most of the population is having to adapt to a new “normal” of working from home and going about their daily life from within their homes. Although currently leaving the house is still permitted, social distancing is required. Furthermore, those who are at home are permitted to only leave the house for exercise or food shopping.
Schools particularly have had to find ways to overcome the difficulties created by the lockdown, in order to continue education. Prior to the lockdown, Croydon High School gradually began adjusting behaviours and rules within the school in order to create a safer environment for the students and to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. Washing hands directly before going to lunch became a requirement and social distancing was practiced both during lessons and whilst eating lunch. In addition to this, all interactions deemed unnecessary, such as extra-curricular activities were cancelled. The system for lunch had to be adapted; the former 10-15 minute queuing to enter the dining hall was replaced with the rule that students had to spend this period of time outside, where it is an open space.
In response to the uncertainty from the government, Croydon High School was eager to ensure that the student body was prepared for whatever situation arose. As a result, multiple assemblies and letters outlined what would happen if it became necessary for the school to close; the staff ensured that they were prepared to continue their teaching via the newly adopted virtual learning. Google classrooms were set up for every class to ensure that the school would carry on like a normal school-day would with work provided for every lesson. Many teachers have adopted the Google meet feature, whereby they can essentially have a class facetime session and carry out a normal lesson- just from behind a screen.
Overall, the students have been kept to the same strict schedule as a normal school day; the only difference being they are not within the building or with their friends. However, for many, they have felt the system has helped to keep them entertained as well as maintain a sense of normality. A diligent and hard-working student of the school Abigail Daly, explains how she finds: “School in quarantine has been better than I expected as I am getting my school work done and we are all cooperating well. However, the only thing is that I miss all my friends, and doing all the extra clubs and opportunities in school.” Schools all across the country are dealing with this pandemic in their own ways and as best they can given the unusual circumstances.
