Socially distant school drop offs give children a confidence boost, leading headteacher says

Socially distant school drop offs have given children a confidence boost as it means they no longer “cling to mummy” when they arrive, a leading headteacher has said.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to a “transformation” of school gate etiquette which has had some unusually positive side effects, according to Susan McLean, head of Kitebrook Preparatory School in Gloucestershire.

Official guidance from the Department for Education states that parents should not congregate at the school gate and should nor enter the school site unless they have made an appointment.

The start and end of the school day should be staggered to prevent congestion at any one point, the guidance adds.

Mrs McLean said that by effectively banning parents from leaving their cars when they drop their children off, and allowing pupils to walk up to the gate and into the school on their own, their confidence has “soared”.

She explained how headteachers often need to strike a balance between fostering a child’s independence and allowing their parents “to feel part of school life”.

But capitalising on the social distancing requirements and requiring children enter the school on their own has had unexpected but welcome consequences for pupils.

“In amazement, I have seen all of our children bound out of their car, bags in hand, and set off with purpose to their classroom,” Mrs McLean told Attain magazine.  

“Little ones, who previously, sometimes months into a term, would still get upset at leaving their parents, now grinning as they run up to their teacher, ready to start their morning with such positivity.

“We have eradicated the shy child who clings to Mummy and, instead, created organised, self-sufficient individuals.”

Whereas previously parents enjoyed mingling and chatting with one another at the school gate, the drop off and pick up set up is now “more akin to ordering fast food in a drive-through restaurant”, Mrs McLean said.

Parents all have designated arrival and departure spots and must have their surname clearly displayed on their passenger side visor, printed on a colour coded placard to match their child’s alphabetically allocated dispatch group.

Kitebrook Preparatory School, which charges £14,000-a-year, caters to boys and girls aged four to 13 and acts as a feeder for public schools including Downe House, Cheltenham Ladies’ and Stowe.