Unsung Heroes: Emergency childcare hub staff

Their roles have changed beyond recognition in the last few weeks, becoming the extended family for the children using the emergency childcare hubs.

Hundreds of teachers and learning support assistants have been volunteering to work shifts at six main hub schools with a focus on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children.  

Many are working long hours, combining their roles with preparing work for their own classes online and responding to the resulting questions and comments from pupils.

The hubs - open from 8am to 6pm – are currently in their sixth week of operation with the majority of children aged between 4 and 11 years-old.

At each hub, children are grouped with those from their own school, with activities throughout the day involving a range of arts and crafts, design, outdoor sports and games, and online learning.

Joshua Slade who usually teaches Year 2 at Litchard Primary School is doing two shifts a week in the Central Hub at Coety Primary School while setting online work for the children in his own class at the start of everyday to ensure the progression of their language, maths and key skills.

As the digital coordinator for his school, he has also been heavily involved with trouble-shooting IT issues relating to online learning for staff and repurposing school laptops to give to families without access to computers or tablets, enabling them to participate in online learning activities.

He said: “In the hubs, it’s all about maintaining a positive and very relaxed atmosphere so it’s a good environment for children to come into.

“With the weather having been good, there’s been a lot of outside play, helping to keep them positive. We also encourage the children to try and get on the computer and do the jobs their teachers have set them.

“Some of the children are there for a long time during the day and there’s often different children coming in during the week.

“Our role enables others in the pandemic who have vital jobs to still do them – if we have around 10 children in our classroom then that’s between 10 and 20 parents who can potentially go to work in hospitals or for the police or collect our rubbish.”

Jonathan Lewis, Coety Primary School’s headteacher and the central hub lead, has gone from managing a school of 470 pupils to leading one containing seven schools with hub rooms of no more than 10 young people, and a range of volunteers, at any one time.

He said: “There’s a relaxed atmosphere in the hub with everyone working towards a common goal of making the experience for the young people attending a positive one.

“The first two weeks were interesting and there were some initial challenges – we weren’t sure the exact numbers of children that would turn up, or volunteers.

“As a result of this, the team really bonded which is of great benefit to the children.

“The welcome our staff give in the morning to children coming in is really important, their parents are working in critical areas and we’ve become that extended family.

“We provide that wellbeing support, the family nurture and provide an environment where they can have fun with their parents knowing they’re well looked after.

“The children come in with smiles, looking forward to coming in and they leave bouncy and happy, and that’s exactly what we want this whole experience to be for them.”

The school’s deputy headteacher is managing all the homeworking teachers in charge of providing online learning activities and resources for pupils.

Alice-Mae Bird who normally teaches Year 6 at Coety Primary School is among the volunteer teaching staff at the hub.

She said: “We want the hub to be a home from home for the children that come through our doors. We’ve done many different activities, such as; arts and crafts, wellbeing activities and got lots of fresh air.

“When I’m not in the hub, I’m involved with the provision of online learning. Planning rich learning experiences for the children that can be undertaken at home. It is important that our children are still given the opportunity to learn.

“Going from seeing my pupils every day and the progress they make as young people to just having virtual classrooms is hard, especially with Year 6 as they’re off to comprehensive school in September.”

Meanwhile Delyth Powell, a Year 2 teacher at Ysgol Bro Ogwr, has been involved with the welcome at the central hub every morning between 7.30am and 9.30am since the start.

She said: “It’s important for parents to see the same faces every morning – we’ve developed a real rapport with them, some stay for a chat with us when dropping off their children, it’s a time for joking and laughing, and letting off steam.”

At the North Hub, at Maesteg School, Gwennan Jones is doing a half-day shift three to four days a week. A nursery/reception teacher with responsibility for additional learning needs across Ysgol Cynwyd Sant, her role is also to ensure all children are able to access online resources.

She said: "There are challenges in the current situation but in meeting them it has brought our school community closer together."

Nicola Jones who is usually a teacher and ALN coordinator at Mynydd Cynffig Primary School is doing various shifts at the West Hub, at West Park Primary School.

She said: “Our role is around reassuring the children things will get back to normal and we are all in this together.

“With our online learning, we try and respond to children as soon as they comment on their work or ask questions so they know we’re here for them.”

At the East Hub at Pencoed Primary School, Alison Garza who is a care teacher for children diagnosed with autism at Pencoed Primary School, is doing a half day, every two weeks.

She said: “My day-to-day role has completely changed – with the children at the hub we’ve been building dens in the schools lovely forest area, playing hide-and-seek and helping with online work.

“With my own pupils, I am having to communicate on video link, coaching parents on how to do lessons and providing online support as some are really struggling with the behaviour of their children and motivating them to do their activities.

“It’s a real challenge not being there to assist the children in their work, usually we can provide a highly individualised education. It’s also a bit disheartening to not see the children at this time as the summer term is when the children come into their own, having had two very hard-working terms.”

Delyth Davies who is a care supervisor and wellbeing officer at Coychurch Primary School is now working two days at the East Hub.

She said: “Children are asking lots of questions, some have access to social media accounts and they hear their parents talking about the death rates across the country.

“They’re scared, they don’t know what to expect. As adults, we’re unsure about what’s going on but for them it’s ten times worse, they’re out of their comfort zones.

“A big part of the role is to make sure they’re all ok and just make sure they feel safe and happy, and kept occupied. We’re trying to make them feel like they’re at home with access to some school work but also fun, we’ve had water fights and made dens.”

Claire Nicholas, deputy headteacher the Maes yr Haul Primary School, and the joint hub lead based at the school, said: “While we have a relatively small number of families accessing the hub, around 30-40 each week, when we are used to having over 500 children at Maes yr Haul Primary School, the families are extremely grateful to the school staff for enabling them to attend their key worker jobs. 

“There is a really supportive atmosphere around the hub and we have a range of headteachers, deputy headteachers, class teacher and support staff volunteering week in week out. The children access a range of activities throughout the day, but key to what we do is ensuring that we look after their wellbeing.” 

And, Jemma Evans, a member of the senior leadership team and Year 4 teacher at Penybont Primary School who is also now coordinating their school at the Central Hub, said: “Every Thursday I get so emotional when I clap on my doorstep for keyworkers, they’re the heroes. I’m so grateful for their courage and commitment.”

Having to suddenly get used to different school environments, new colleagues and different children in the midst of great uncertainty was very daunting for many staff but we are incredibly proud in how our schools have met this challenge, helping to keep our children happy and safe.

With administration teams also required to staff the hub, taking responsibility for the daily paperwork being sent to the local authority, it really has been a fantastic team effort.

It shows how selfless and committed our staff in schools are when supporting the children of our keyworkers – they are playing a very important role, taking the pressure of families doing critical work during this crisis and we can’t thank them enough.

Bridgend County Borough Council leader Huw David