Supporting wellbeing and learning during COVID-19 – approaches from PRUs

Maintaining class bubbles

At one PRU, pupils remain in their normal class groups (referred to as bubbles) because the building allows for this approach. Each ‘wing’ of the PRU has fob entry doors, which was normal pre-pandemic practice, but now lowers the risk of ‘bubble bursting’. The only difference for pupils is that their entry and exit points have changed to remove the possibility of crossover. With the exception of staff who are duty, other staff remain with their normal class bubble.

Adapting the timetable

Pupils at one PRU are split by key stage and maintain their small working group throughout the day. The timetable has been adapted for pupils’ phased return, with mornings focusing on wellbeing and reviewing on-line work. The afternoon sessions focus on vocational work, which is individualised for each pupil.

Digital support for parents and carers

Staff in one all-age PRU have continued to provide guidance and training for parents and carers on use of digital equipment throughout the pandemic to support their child’s distance learning. For example, they facilitate IT clinics for parents. The PRU has also collaborated with the local authority Team around the Family Services to lease iPads for parents and carers to enable them to support their children’s learning.

Communication with staff

At the start of lockdown, one PRU established a WhatsApp group for all staff. This group allows for a daily check-in by 8:45 a.m. in order to check that all staff are well. The deputy headteacher oversees/follows-up if this is required.

Behaviour policy

The teacher in charge of one PRU is working with the local authority to produce an addendum to the engagement policy (behaviour) to promote a consistent approach to COVID-related behaviours, expectations and consequence for breach.

Connecting via Google classroom

At one PRU, all pupils have access to Google classroom. Staff provide pupils with planned learning activities such as relaxation techniques, social stories, literacy and numeracy, as well as class assemblies and the opportunity to follow a commercial programme to promote their social, emotional and behavioural wellbeing. There is a weekly ‘shout out’ assembly, which is received positively. Visual timetables, lesson objectives, and success criteria are provided to try to maintain a similar routine to the usual lesson format. Pupils are responding well to this and there has been increased involvement from parents.

Focusing on pupils’ interests

At the start of lockdown, one PRU took a ‘project and paper-based’ approach to pupils’ learning, which involved a staff team delivering work to pupils on a weekly basis. This system has been replaced by a bespoke curriculum focusing on pupils’ interests, for example fashion, electrics, and ‘ready steady cook’ challenges, and resources for key stage 4 pupils studying textiles, electrics and food and nutrition, which is engaging many older pupils. The delivery of “bug houses” to key stage 2 pupils’ homes has facilitated both an engagement with and a practical exploration of nature.

Providing counselling remotely

At one PRU, the few pupils in receipt of PRU-based counselling have continued their individual sessions by either email, text or phone. All of the counsellors have now completed a module to be able to offer phone counselling.

Maintaining contact

One PRU has made effective use of ‘letters of concern’ for hard to reach pupils and their parents. In addition to the usual way of contacting pupils and their parents, the PRU made several different attempts to contact these families. When this was not successful, ‘letters of concern’ were written by the teacher-in-charge to the parents to explain their concerns about not being able to contact them or their child. The letter advised the parents that if they did not contact the PRU within a given time period, then the PRU would contact the agency relevant to their child’s needs such as social or health care. The agency contact was to advise and express concern about the lack of contact or engagement by a particular family, and to request follow-up. This approach has been successful in helping to ensure that the PRU has remained in contact with all pupils.