Hartlepool schools hailed for community response during the Covid-19 pandemic

The Ad Astra Academy Trust comprises seven primary schools across Teesside – four of which are in Hartlepool (Barnard Grove, Brougham, West Park and West View).

The pandemic has presented unprecedented challenges for schools as Ad Astra Academy Trust Chief Executive Officer Andy Brown OBE explains.

“It has been a really challenging time for all schools and I cannot thank our staff, parents, governors and a number of outside organisations enough for everything that they have done to help ensure that our children continue to receive the best possible support during these difficult times.

“As part of our role, it is hugely important to also provide support to families and I am very proud of the wide-ranging measures which we have in place at all our schools”, said Mr Brown.

West View Primary School in Hartlepool is just one of the schools to implement several measures to support children and their families.

These include:

*Arranging daily cereal/bagels along with weekly food parcel deliveries and food vouchers to families most in need;

*Establishing a free clothing recycling scheme;

*Providing essential household goods and personal items for families such as cleaning materials, toiletries and sanitary items;

*Live online events for parents/carers to help promote the various support measures and maintain regular dialogue.

Ad Astra schools have also received widespread praise from parents for the efforts to deliver home learning when children have had to isolate in their homes.

Charlotte Haylock, headteacher of West View Primary School, said: “There’s no doubt that Covid-19 has presented many new challenges but everyone involved with our school community has pulled together and worked incredibly hard to support children and their families in a variety of ways.

“Parents and carers have been very grateful for the extra support that the school has provided to help them through these challenging times.

“We have also been able to mobilise home learning very quickly when it has been necessary and the feedback from parents has been extremely positive.”

Parents of Ad Astra Academy Trust children have heaped praise on schools for the way home learning has been implemented during the pandemic with one parent commenting: “This week has been made so much easier by the Year 1/2 Team. It was easy to follow and engaging and my daughter Meredith really enjoyed it. Thank you for all of your hard work this week with our children. We really appreciate it.”

Another parent said: “James has loved the online learning. I can’t believe how much he has enjoyed writing his poem. I just wanted to say thank you.”

The other primary schools under the Ad Astra umbrella are Crooksbarn and Rosebrook in Stockton-on-Tees and Ayresome in Middlesbrough.

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