WHEN schools across the country closed two months ago, there was no precedent for them to follow.

Teachers and support staff were forced to adapt rapidly to a new normal.

With a lot of hard work and the help of parents they’ve ensured children are still able to learn, albeit virtually.

But with what looks like the majority of primary schools set to reopen on Monday, the situation will shift once again, and this time, things look set to be even more fraught with problems.

There are so many variables, particularly in a place as unpredictable as a primary school.

Parents have been assured their child’s school won’t reopen if it is not safe and Peter Jones, headteacher at Littlegarth School in Little Horkesley, said children will always be a school’s priority.

He said: “This has been the most difficult time in terms of teaching. The staff have worked their socks off.

“We had a school which functioned very differently before, then we created one which functioned completely differently whilst pupils are at home.

“Now half half of our year groups are coming back with very different safety regulations and restrictions. But we are as ready and prepared as we can be.

“You think you have prepared for everything in terms of the regulations but we will have more than 100 children coming back who have missed their friends and who are coming back to an unfamiliar environment.

“Different people have had different opinions about schools reopening and the decisions which have been made but we have been asked to do all we can to prepare for the children to come back so we have done that.”

Mr Jones admits preparations have been difficult, not least because of the tight timescales involved.

He said: “We have spent a considerable amount of time going through all the regulation documents one by one. We did not get them until the bank holiday so it has been a difficult time.

“We have also asked the staff for their opinions on the regulations. We then wrote to parents offering them the opportunity for their children to return to school.

“We have spent this week preparing the site, completing a full risk assessment. We are presenting the plan to the governors who will scrutinise it.

“If there are any safety implications we will not be opening unless we are absolutely sure. But all being well we will be open on Monday.”

Schools authority Essex County Council has promised safety of all pupils will be paramount and a phased reopening of schools is likely in order to meet guidelines.

At least three quarters of schools are expected to open, but the full scale of the challenge is not entirely clear.

A spokesman for County Hall said: “We do not yet have a full picture from all primary schools, but current indications are that approximately between 75 and 80 per cent of primary schools will be open in some form and 20 per cent have indicated they will not be opening on the 1 June.

“Each school is responsible for communicating with parents and the school community about their individual decisions.”

At Littlegarth, which is an independent prep school, around three quarters of its nursery, reception, year one and year six pupils are expected to return - around 120 youngsters in total.

Whilst those returning to school will take immediate priority, the pupils still home learning also need to be catered for.

Mr Jones said: “It is difficult because I have staff who will be planning lessons for those at home and also teaching in school.

“We will ramp up what the staff working at home are doing on the online lessons to help.

“The children cannot be in their form groups so we are thrusting them into completely new friendship groups. It will be a challenge for us and a challenge for them. But we are teachers and keeping children safe is part of what we do.”