'Students happy to return – to mix with each other and all those things which make going to school what it is', says Doncaster schools boss

The giant space at the school in Campsall has been transformed this week into a busy coronavirus testing station as the school gets into its stride with re-opening this week.

Like the other secondary schools in Doncaster, it is carrying out tests on pupils to make sure they are clear of Covid 19 as the schools return to their full number of pupils.

It is one of a number of schools in the North-Doncaster based Leger Education Trust re-opening today, along with Askern Littlemoor Infant Academy, Askern Moss Road Infant Academy and Spa Academy Askern.

Chief executive Adam Dale was at Campsmount this morning for the first day of the full return.

He said: “We’ve seen the return of all our primaries to full opening today. and the phased return of students at Campsmount Academy."

Some year groups at Campsmount are already in lessons, having had their first tests on Friday.

Mr Dale said “I was in the building today, and we had the unusual position where you walk through and in one room see teaching to year eights online, the next room has classes going on with the teacher and pupils.

"The students were very happy to return – not just to see their teachers, but to mix with each other and all those things which make going to school what it is.

"We have been using the sports hall for doing tests – and the students have been very good at that, doing them in the right way. They have embraced it.

"The sports hall has 10 bays at any one time. Like other schools, we’ve used it because it’s the biggest room in the school.

"It will be back in use for PE In a week.”

Headteachers met with Doncaster’s director of public health, Dr Rupert Suckling, Mayor Ros Jones and the borough’s three MPs to discuss the plans to re-open today, which Mr Dale said had been very productive and enabled any concerns ahead of this week to be discussed.

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