The Shadow Education Secretary has called for a “national support programme” to be developed, which can help pupils who may be experiencing emotional trauma as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Rebecca Long-Bailey said that teachers will need to “go beyond teaching” to support pupils affected by the crisis.

“Even if pupils have not been faced with a horrific bereavement, they’re going to have been psychologically affected when they’re at home," she said.

“Seeing the news every day and seeing the number of deaths that are happening, that is going to have a profound psychological effect on the mind a young person, not to mention the fact they haven’t been in that classroom learning environment for a long period of time.

“The government needs to be looking at producing a national support programme for all pupils that provides teachers with the additional support to deal with the emotional support that pupils are going to need when they go back to the classroom."

A Times Educational Supplement (TES) Global survey of approximately 5,000 school staff has found that almost two-thirds of the school’s staff think pupil behaviour will be a challenge as schools begin to reopen. 

A teacher reported to TES that “pupils will have had no structure or discipline during lockdown and behaviour issues and social distancing will be even more challenging”.

TES: 64% teachers worried over behaviour when schools reopen

TES: 'Help teachers to deal with pupils' emotional trauma’

TES: How to support bereaved children: a comprehensive guide