Where are we now? As I come up to the second anniversary of my tenure as Chief Executive at Education Support, it is a good time to give you an update of how the charity is developing.
The pandemic has been an experience unlike any other in the lives of many of us. Whilst we have faced difficulties in the past, few of us have lived through historical events that affect the whole of society: The effects have not been equally felt, with particular communities bearing more than their fair share of the pain. Much of what we took for granted has changed forever. This is true at Education Support too. Coronavirus affected our income and the way we deliver services, but I’m pleased to say that we maintained support for education staff throughout. This was only possible due to the thousands of individual donors who give regularly to the charity. We pared back our activity to focus on the work that makes the biggest difference to the frontline, and the lessons learned from this year will stand us in good stead as we face the coming years. I come from a family of teachers. My grandfather was a schoolmaster in rural Ireland in the 1940s and 50s. He taught his pupils to read, write and count, but more than that, he helped poor families to navigate an impenetrable and punitive welfare system. He encouraged parents to learn to read and write. He provided a listening ear for stories that would otherwise have gone untold. And he was beloved by the community that he served. 4
The context might be different today, but my grandfather’s experience is replicated across the UK in modern settings today. I will use every ounce of creativity and passion at my disposal to ensure that the health and wellbeing of school staff gets taken seriously in 2021. As the days lengthen and the buds of spring appear in the garden, I find my attention drawn to some of the positives in this horrible situation. A variety of polls show us that the public continues to value and trust teachers. Those of us who homeschooled our own children are well aware of the effort that is going in to remote learning, sustaining direct contact with children and young people, and maintaining on-site support across the country. Once again, education professionals have demonstrated the critical role they play in keeping calm and carrying on.
Individuals Support for the individuals who make up our education sector remains at the heart of our work. This includes teachers, lecturers, school and college leaders, as well as support staff and administrators.
