'This is great news - kids need to be back at school': Harborough headteacher's reaction to the return of school pupils on March 8

The delighted head of a Market Harborough secondary school said it will be “brilliant” to get all of his students back into class on March 8.

Dan Cleary, the principal of Robert Smyth Academy on Burnmill Road, said he was thrilled as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said pupils will go back to school in England in a fortnight.

“This is great news.

“Kids need to be back at school.

“They need to be back socialising and seeing their mates day in day out,” said Dan, who has about 1,000 youngsters aged from 11-18.

“It’s so important for the kids’ futures that they are back in the classroom being taught face-to-face.

“It’s absolutely critical.

“We have all missed a lot of things during national Covid lockdowns over the last year or so.

“I’m desperate to get a haircut for example!

“But I can get by without a haircut.

“I can take it or leave it.

“Whereas children returning to school is an absolute essential – it’s critical,” said Dan, who has been teaching the children of key workers as well as vulnerable youngsters.

“I’ve got children myself and they have to go back to school, they can’t wait.

“It’s a big part of the social contract in this country that we do our very best for our future generations.

“We need to give our students a solid platform to build on and to do well.

“This is all about educational opportunity and development.

“That’s what we have schools for – to give our children the best possible chance in life.

“We all have to give our kids the best life chances we can.

“And our pupils will be so well prepared when they all do return because they have been receiving excellent live lessons from our staff every day.

“It’s going to be very exciting to get all of our students and teachers back in class,” said Dan.

“And the return of sport is also just as exciting.

“Our kids will be just as excited and revved up by the chance to play sports such as football and rugby again as they will by the prospect of returning to school.

“We are not just writing off the last few weeks under lockdown either.

“Our students have continued to learn.

“We have learned a lot about them and about how to teach them virtually.

“None of us wants to go back to being locked down again.

“But if we have to at some point then we will be very well prepared,” insisted Dan.