What educators say:
How can we support educators during and after Covid-19?
When Covid-19 forced the closure of UK schools to all except vulnerable young people and the children of key workers, the Protection Approaches Education Team were keen to know how they could best support educators. Over three weeks (March 28 - 17 April) we consulted with our networks of educators in England and Wales through an online questionnaire. In total 111 educators took part. This fact sheet highlights the major findings of that consultation. We hope it will be of use to others working to support educators at this difficult time and in the future. A big thank you from us not only to all the educators who were able to find time to complete the questionnaire - but to all of you who are doing so much to support our young people through this challenge.
We asked educators which topics they would most like to see new education resources covering. Respondents could select multiple options.
This graphic shows the percentage of educators who said that they would like to be provided with resources on each of the topics stated.
While how young people can play a role in building kind and resilient communities was the most popular topic overall, there was a difference between educators teaching at primary or seconday level.
We also asked educators which topics they would most like to receive training on both now and after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Training on whole-school approaches to building tolerance and resilience was by far the most popular, desired by 73% of respondents.
The graphic below shows the percentage who said they would like training on each of the topics stated. Respondents could pick multiple options.
The most popular resource among educators who work with primary age pupils (ages 5-11) was resources looking at how young people can play a role in building kind and resilient communities - chosen by 77% of respondents
Finally, we asked what sorts of resources/support educators would be most helpful from education organisations/charities during the period schools are closed.
The most popular resource among educators who work with secondary or college age students (ages 11-18) was resources looking at how to recognise fake news and think critically about information/media - chosen by 82% of respondents
We asked educators to tell us what they see as the biggest challenges for students while schools are closed and the biggest challenges as schools reopen.
The below word cloud highlights the words and phrases most used by respondents. Many told us about their concerns for students' mental health and returning to a routine.
Eductors who work with secondary or college age students (ages 11-18) Most want to see activities that can be completed by students at home and submitted to teachers online / via email
Eductors who work with primary age pupils (ages 5-11) most want to see resources that can be delivered at home by parents/caregivers - chosen by 71% of respondents
Lesson plans for teachers that could be delivered through live video or in the classroom were the least popular option with only 26% of educators saying they would find these useful.
Toolkits and resources for teachers outlining best practices are popular wanted by educators working across all ages - a total of 61% of respondents saying they would like this support