How has your role changed since the school closures?
It’s become critical to keep on top of the PPE and keep the cleaning up to get rid of the germs. We need PPE for everyone, to keep everyone safe. It’s been religious. It’s all about the logistics, keeping on top of all the orders, not letting anything run out. I’m going around the school 2/3 times a day checking everyone has what they need.
What measures do you think have been most important in managing the emotional wellbeing of your school during the closures?
Everyone is feeling it around school. Some staff are lonely and need to talk. The general feeling for staff is that there’s more focus on feelings; that they have been made bigger and under normal circumstances people could cope, but during Covid, they’re harder to deal with. It’s important that they talk.
What measures do you think will be most important to maintain/ initiate on return to school?
This is the norm now and needs to be the norm to keep everyone safe. We need to keep the virus controlled and keep (the new cleaning measures) up.
What has been most important in managing your own/ your family’s mental health during the lockdown period?
I’ve been coming into work, so I’ve had that routine. Getting to form a bubble and cuddle my grandchildren again has been the best thing.