Principals worried about sixth class pupils moving on to secondary level amid Covid-19
Primary school leaders are concerned about how sixth class pupils will transition to secondary schools during the Covid-19 lockdown, while there are also fears about how schools should approach welcoming a new group of junior infants in the coming months.
Principals are also eager for more guidance from the Department of Education on how to issue end-of-year reports for the current academic year, while they say pupils are missing social interactions with friends and are anxious about having to repeat classes.
These are among the findings of an in-depth study on the impacts of lockdown on primary school principals and pupils and their parents. Carried out by NUI Maynooth, the study polled more than 900 primary school principals for their views on how the lockdown has impacted their schools.
Every one of the principals admitted psychological challenges in coping with pressures presented by the pandemic.
Primary school principals reported a wide range of issues for their students.
A key challenge for many has been the loss of social interaction with friends, and others are concerned they may miss out on key lessons and have to repeat a year.
Sixth class students are worried about the transition to secondary school, while school leaders are worried about how they will welcome new junior infants in the coming months.
Principals reported that parents are also concerned for the social and mental wellbeing of their children, with some reporting their children are suffering anxiety due to not being in school.
Parents are concerned at their ability to teach and parent at the same time, and they are worried about academic progress, especially in maths and Irish.
Principals are also eager for clearer guidance from the Department of Education on the reopening of schools in September. Approximately one-quarter of respondents raised this as a concern.
Others say they need guidance on how they should address end-of-year reporting of the current school year, while there is also growing dissent regarding the adaptation and implementation of new online practices. Some schools lack the required technology.
Schools reported more contact with students, though. Two weeks after the closure, just three out of 10 schools were contacting pupils daily or every other day. This has increased to seven out of 10.
The research also looked at the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of principals. Social wellbeing is the biggest challenge for principals, though seven out of 10 have taken specific actions to address this during the lockdown. Lack of time was an issue for those principals who have not taken positive action regarding their wellbeing, with some fulfilling multiple professional and personal roles.
