LEO Academy Trust teachers were invited to attend a special reception at 10 Downing Street held by Prime Minister Boris Johnson, giving thanks to teachers for their extraordinary efforts to support children’s learning during the Covid-19 pandemic.
For LEO Academy Trust, which serves over 3,500 pupils across six primary schools in Sutton, providing high-quality learning, excellence and opportunity for all children is at the heart of its education approach. With this vision, the Trust, like thousands of schools across the UK, has been working to provide the best possible education for pupils despite the disruption of lockdowns and school closures.
Held in the sunny gardens of 10 Downing Street, two teachers from Cheam Common Junior Academy (part of LEO Academy Trust), Cheryl Shirley, Year 3 Leader and Lead Teacher for Technology for Learning at the Trust and Sam Hart, Special Needs Co-ordinator, were amongst just 20 teachers and school staff members from across the country invited to the event.
Boris Johnson spoke to each teacher individually about their experiences teaching during the pandemic and thanked them for their incredible work supporting children through this challenging period.
Speaking with Cheryl and Sam, the Prime Minister was keen to hear about LEO Academy Trust’s innovative Google Chromebook programme, which involves providing personal Google Chromebooks to every KS2 child to help pupils develop their digital skills.
To support families in need during the pandemic, the Trust offered an additional 1,000 devices to pupils who did not have access to a laptop or tablet at home. This free digital access ensured a smooth transition to remote education and enabled all children to continue learning with their teachers via live and pre-recorded lessons during lockdown.
The Chromebook programme particularly supported pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), who have struggled more than most with the uncertainty and shifts in routine caused by Covid-19. The accessibility features in the Chromebooks supported pupils with learning challenges to still engage and enjoy the learning experience from home.
As a result, LEO Academy Trust saw 100 per cent pupil engagement with its online lessons during the January lockdown.
At the reception, Boris Johnson said, “This is just a chance for us to say a small thank you to some of the teachers and people involved in education who have made a huge difference in education. It’s been so unfair on the whole country, but it’s been particularly unfair on young kids, on pupils, students who’ve had their education interrupted because we’ve had to protect the vulnerable from Covid, and the sacrifice has been absolutely enormous. Yet the teachers of this country, everybody involved in education has risen to it.”
Cheryl Shirley said, “It was wonderful to be invited to the reception at Number Ten alongside my fellow teachers from across the country, and hear the kind words of thanks and appreciation from the Prime Minister. Ultimately, we’re all here to support children and equip them with the skills to thrive in life, a mission that has never been more important than now during the pandemic. Meeting with likeminded teachers and sharing stories of everyone’s experiences during Covid-19 made it a very special day.”
