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| Back to school: How pupils feel about returning to class | Back to school: How pupils feel about returning to class |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| As millions of pupils in England return to school after lockdown, the BBC went to Chantry Academy - a secondary school in Ipswich - to find out how students felt. | As millions of pupils in England return to school after lockdown, the BBC went to Chantry Academy - a secondary school in Ipswich - to find out how students felt. |
| 'I had drills going off while I was working' | 'I had drills going off while I was working' |
| Twelve-year-old Ania says she is looking forward to the relative ease of face-to-face learning, having dealt with a few challenges at home. | Twelve-year-old Ania says she is looking forward to the relative ease of face-to-face learning, having dealt with a few challenges at home. |
| "Being online isn't the same - if you've got questions after the teacher has explained, [your task] you can't really ask them, whereas at school you can always put your hand up and ask for that extra bit of help. | "Being online isn't the same - if you've got questions after the teacher has explained, [your task] you can't really ask them, whereas at school you can always put your hand up and ask for that extra bit of help. |
| "At home, there can be very distracting noises going on; I have a little brother so there was laughing and screaming going on downstairs. | "At home, there can be very distracting noises going on; I have a little brother so there was laughing and screaming going on downstairs. |
| "We're having an extension done, so during classes I had a bunch drills, which made it hard to work. | "We're having an extension done, so during classes I had a bunch drills, which made it hard to work. |
| "It's much easier when you're surrounded by your school mates, as well." | "It's much easier when you're surrounded by your school mates, as well." |
| As a Year 7 pupil, she has only experienced one term of Chantry Academy before lockdown. | As a Year 7 pupil, she has only experienced one term of Chantry Academy before lockdown. |
| "I've managed to figure out where everything is, roughly, but I don't know them off by heart - the rooms or the timetable," she adds. | "I've managed to figure out where everything is, roughly, but I don't know them off by heart - the rooms or the timetable," she adds. |
| 'It's exciting seeing friends' | 'It's exciting seeing friends' |
| "It's been good coming back and seeing all your mates and all your teachers face-to-face," says Cian, 12, who is particularly looking forward to PE lessons. | "It's been good coming back and seeing all your mates and all your teachers face-to-face," says Cian, 12, who is particularly looking forward to PE lessons. |
| "It's exciting because you haven't seen your friends in a while, and you get to learn more things, easier. | "It's exciting because you haven't seen your friends in a while, and you get to learn more things, easier. |
| "You can see your friends and meet with them, and say hello, instead of texting and seeing them in the chat, if they turn their camera on." | "You can see your friends and meet with them, and say hello, instead of texting and seeing them in the chat, if they turn their camera on." |
| He found online learning difficult at times, especially when he had a query. | He found online learning difficult at times, especially when he had a query. |
| "The teachers can't see what's gone wrong and they might have moved on to the next part of the lesson while you're still typing your question," he says. | "The teachers can't see what's gone wrong and they might have moved on to the next part of the lesson while you're still typing your question," he says. |
| "I've got three other siblings also doing work, so that's hard. | "I've got three other siblings also doing work, so that's hard. |
| "They're older, I know the least amount about technology so I have to get them to help me and disturb them." | "They're older, I know the least amount about technology so I have to get them to help me and disturb them." |
| 'Online learning is very draining' | 'Online learning is very draining' |
| "It was quite nerve-racking, not being in this sort of social environment for a while," says 14-year-old Elizabeth. | "It was quite nerve-racking, not being in this sort of social environment for a while," says 14-year-old Elizabeth. |
| "It's weird and it will take me a little while to get used to that routine - getting up early, getting everything done, out of the door and to school on time. | "It's weird and it will take me a little while to get used to that routine - getting up early, getting everything done, out of the door and to school on time. |
| "I haven't been up that early for a long time. Recently, I've found online learning very draining, so I've been sleeping longer." | "I haven't been up that early for a long time. Recently, I've found online learning very draining, so I've been sleeping longer." |
| She says she is relishing the return of socialising with friends, seeing teachers and people her own age. | She says she is relishing the return of socialising with friends, seeing teachers and people her own age. |
| "Being at home - I do love my family and being with them - but it's just nice to get a change of scenery, and see other people. | "Being at home - I do love my family and being with them - but it's just nice to get a change of scenery, and see other people. |
| "Not being in school, and with Covid, I lost that, not being able to go out, see my friends." | "Not being in school, and with Covid, I lost that, not being able to go out, see my friends." |
| 'We picked up where we left off' | 'We picked up where we left off' |
| Remote learning did have some advantages, as 14-year-old Ellie points out. | Remote learning did have some advantages, as 14-year-old Ellie points out. |
| "I quite enjoyed it, it was very relaxed," she says. | "I quite enjoyed it, it was very relaxed," she says. |
| "Obviously, I got a lie-in in the morning, the teachers would send you the resources before the lessons, so you could always look at that if the internet wasn't working that well." | "Obviously, I got a lie-in in the morning, the teachers would send you the resources before the lessons, so you could always look at that if the internet wasn't working that well." |
| As for being back, she adds: "I was really tired and I still am, but it's been really good. | As for being back, she adds: "I was really tired and I still am, but it's been really good. |
| "I didn't really speak to many of my friends [during lockdown], I'm not much of a social butterfly, but we picked up where we left off, so that was really nice." | "I didn't really speak to many of my friends [during lockdown], I'm not much of a social butterfly, but we picked up where we left off, so that was really nice." |
| 'There's nothing like seeing friends in real life' | 'There's nothing like seeing friends in real life' |
| "It was a bit strange," says Katie, 12, when asked how it felt to be back, "but it was nice to be around everyone, rather than just stare at a computer screen." | "It was a bit strange," says Katie, 12, when asked how it felt to be back, "but it was nice to be around everyone, rather than just stare at a computer screen." |
| "I missed my friends a lot, we've contacted over social media but there's nothing like seeing them in real life." | "I missed my friends a lot, we've contacted over social media but there's nothing like seeing them in real life." |
| It was also good to see teachers again, she says, and talk to them directly. | It was also good to see teachers again, she says, and talk to them directly. |
| Like Cian, she is looking forward to PE lessons, which could not be easily replicated at home. | Like Cian, she is looking forward to PE lessons, which could not be easily replicated at home. |
| "I've missed doing actual PE - you can do it by yourself but it's not the same as doing it with other people." | "I've missed doing actual PE - you can do it by yourself but it's not the same as doing it with other people." |
| 'We just get on with it' | 'We just get on with it' |
| Lola, 13, had just had her first lesson, with everyone in the classroom wearing a face-covering. | Lola, 13, had just had her first lesson, with everyone in the classroom wearing a face-covering. |
| "It was... different," she says. | "It was... different," she says. |
| "It's a bit awkward not seeing people as we usually would, but we just get on with it. They [face masks] itch a bit, but they keep everyone safe." | "It's a bit awkward not seeing people as we usually would, but we just get on with it. They [face masks] itch a bit, but they keep everyone safe." |
| Lola had lofty ambitions for the school year - she had been lined up to play the eponymous giant in a production of BFG, but is uncertain whether that will still go ahead. | Lola had lofty ambitions for the school year - she had been lined up to play the eponymous giant in a production of BFG, but is uncertain whether that will still go ahead. |
| Asked what she was looking forward to most, she replies: "I love performing arts, so drama and everything - being back in the classroom, doing those things and socialising." | Asked what she was looking forward to most, she replies: "I love performing arts, so drama and everything - being back in the classroom, doing those things and socialising." |
| 'School in lockdown was calm - I preferred it' | 'School in lockdown was calm - I preferred it' |
| Fifteen-year-old Isla, who wants to become a singer, was able to carry on with her favourite lesson - music - over the past few weeks. | Fifteen-year-old Isla, who wants to become a singer, was able to carry on with her favourite lesson - music - over the past few weeks. |
| "For lockdown I came into school," she says. | "For lockdown I came into school," she says. |
| "I'd go into the computer room and do my work, so nothing was really hard - it was calm. | "I'd go into the computer room and do my work, so nothing was really hard - it was calm. |
| "We'd be on the computers, then we'd go into the field, I preferred it. | "We'd be on the computers, then we'd go into the field, I preferred it. |
| "Now they are all back I'm like 'ugh, this is my area'." | "Now they are all back I'm like 'ugh, this is my area'." |
| Asked if she missed anyone, she says: "Not really, it sounds horrible, but not really. | Asked if she missed anyone, she says: "Not really, it sounds horrible, but not really. |
| "But to be fair they came in [during lockdown], my close friends. I'm quite nervous now." | "But to be fair they came in [during lockdown], my close friends. I'm quite nervous now." |
| 'You can't beat face-to-face interaction' | 'You can't beat face-to-face interaction' |
| Fifteen-year-old Harvey cannot wait to see his extended family, and have a proper celebration with his grandad, who recently turned 80, so it's no surprise he appreciated the social aspect of his return to school. | Fifteen-year-old Harvey cannot wait to see his extended family, and have a proper celebration with his grandad, who recently turned 80, so it's no surprise he appreciated the social aspect of his return to school. |
| "It's very repetitive in lockdown, you get up one day and it's a carbon copy of the day before," he says. | "It's very repetitive in lockdown, you get up one day and it's a carbon copy of the day before," he says. |
| "I've really enjoyed being back today, it's just really nice to see people. | "I've really enjoyed being back today, it's just really nice to see people. |
| "We are lucky enough to live in times where everybody is connected through social media, and technology, but you can't really beat the face-to-face interaction from people. | "We are lucky enough to live in times where everybody is connected through social media, and technology, but you can't really beat the face-to-face interaction from people. |
| "Even just to see the people I don't necessary speak to all the time, it's just really nice to see them, it's a sense of normality in crazy times." | "Even just to see the people I don't necessary speak to all the time, it's just really nice to see them, it's a sense of normality in crazy times." |
| 'I'd forgotten how to socialise with people' | 'I'd forgotten how to socialise with people' |
| Fifteen-year-old Kayleigh had got into a routine with three friends to help them get through lockdown, but was not used to seeing large numbers of people. | Fifteen-year-old Kayleigh had got into a routine with three friends to help them get through lockdown, but was not used to seeing large numbers of people. |
| "Me and my friend, we meet every Saturday for a two-hour walk, and we FaceTime with the other girls - we always have a daily catch up to make sure we are all all right," she says. | "Me and my friend, we meet every Saturday for a two-hour walk, and we FaceTime with the other girls - we always have a daily catch up to make sure we are all all right," she says. |
| Being back at school, she says, was "nerve-racking" and at assembly "seeing so many people in the same room doesn't feel right". | Being back at school, she says, was "nerve-racking" and at assembly "seeing so many people in the same room doesn't feel right". |
| "I'm not going to lie, I'd forgotten how to socialise with people," she says. | "I'm not going to lie, I'd forgotten how to socialise with people," she says. |
| "I didn't know what to say, you've got no plans, you can't have a proper conversation. | "I didn't know what to say, you've got no plans, you can't have a proper conversation. |
| "But it's much better than I thought it was going to be." | "But it's much better than I thought it was going to be." |
| Take part in our live discussion on the return to the classroom - we'll be putting your questions to a panel of education and mental health experts. | |
| Photographs by Laurence Cawley | Photographs by Laurence Cawley |