Schoolchildren ‘at risk’ if learning moved online, internet safety expert warns amid lockdown closure fears

Boris Johnson meets pupils at a school recently 
PA
Anna Davis @_annadavis10 November 2020

Shutting schools and moving teaching online will put children at risk by increasing their unsupervised screen time, an internet safety expert warned today.

Derek Peaple, a former headteacher who is now head of education at an online safety company, warned that a “hybrid system”, where schools introduce rotas and leave some pupils at home while others are at school, is the most dangerous scenario.

It comes as growing numbers of headteachers urged the Government to keep schools open during the lockdown.

Mr Peaple, former head of Park House secondary school in Newbury, said: “Increased and potentially unsupervised online activity leaves children at greater risk of accessing inappropriate websites and content, plus increased use of social media, and all the anxieties that come with that.  

“Clearer guidance is therefore now needed to schools, parents and guardians on proactive sources of help and support, positively harnessing technology in response to this new challenge.”

Mr Peaple, who now works for SafetoNet, an online safety app for children, said that if schools introduce rotas, teachers will be under so much pressure dealing with children both in the classroom and at home, that problems could be missed.

He added: “It’s obviously right to aim to keep schools open in the new national lockdown. This is not only about continuity of learning, but also the critical role that schools play supporting and safeguarding young people’s mental and physical welfare.

“But in reality, growing transmission rates are likely to result in schools implementing rota systems, with some year groups in schools whilst others simultaneously learn from home.  

“It’s in this hybrid context that threats to children’s welfare and safety are at their highest. The same key staff are having to address real time issues generated in school, alongside the additional demand of monitoring and responding to health and safety issues generated by increased online learning.

“School staff will of course be extremely vigilant, but they literally can’t be in two places at once.”

He said that there is not enough knowledge of what impact online learning has on children’s mental and physical health and their increased exposure to online risks.

Boris Johnson has been told not to consider closing schools
PA

Mr Peaple added: “Teachers and welfare officers responded remarkably to the challenge of remote education, but they aren’t superhuman. They literally can’t be in two places at once – Schools are currently lacking the capacity to provide for their students. Resources and guidance need to be offered to schools, pupils, parents and guardians, to help them through this new challenge.”

It comes as more London headteachers spoke out about the importance of keeping schools open.

Bethany Dawson, head of Sutton High School, said: “Education is about far more than gaining knowledge. As a school we provide support, stability and care that goes far beyond taught lessons. Our girls feel like they belong as part of a community and closing again would have a significantly negative impact on their wellbeing.  

“While we can provide online learning of a high calibre, it is no substitute for the warmth and excitement of school life.”

Matthew Shoults, head of Notting Hill and Ealing High School, said: “All students will struggle with their mental health if they are trapped away from the school community for another month, and that in itself impacts on learning.”

He called for rapid testing to be available for teachers to help keep them in the classroom rather than self isolating.

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