Maths Teacher Jamie Frost from South-West London has won a Covid Hero Award after his free tuition website helped students around the world study during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Jamie Frost, who works at Tiffin School in Kingston upon Thames, received a one-off prize £33,000 for going above and beyond in the coronavirus crisis to help keep pupils learning.
He was one of 10 finalists shortlisted for the sixth annual Varkey Foundation Global Teacher Prize.
His Dr Frost Maths tuition website that he runs from home had more than million-page views a day when schools shut amid Covid-19 and has had more than seven million teaching resource downloads. His online learning platform is funded by the Mayor of London's office, free to use and used worldwide.
The ceremony was broadcasted virtually from the Natural History Museum in London, actor Forest Whitaker announced that Mr Frost had been awarded special recognition.
On receiving the Covid Hero Award, Mr Frost said: “I feel absolutely fantastic”.
“It’s such an honour to receive this award and I’m just so happy that so many students have been able to benefit from my site, and that’s what I want really.”
Mr Frost was selected from more than 12,000 nominations and applications from over 140 countries for the Global Teacher Prize.
In a video message, Whitaker said: “Your creativity and dedication have illuminated millions of minds for free. Thank you, Jamie. Thank you to all the world’s teachers.”
Despite not achieving the pass mark for his 11-plus exams, his own maths teacher knew he was able and would often let him get on with his own work while in the classroom. He had attended sixth form at Tiffin School, where he currently teaches, and took up the opportunity when offered work experience there.
While studying for his PhD in computer science he realised that he wanted to go into teaching when helping to educate undergraduates.
He told The Times that he 'hated' working in the banking sector, saying:' I was working on trading strategies for bond traders. 'I was just helping an institution with loads of money make more money. It wasn’t a very good feeling.'
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in his video message, Mr Frost’s “ingenuity” had “given hope and support to millions of children throughout the world”.
Mr Johnson added: “It’s been incredible to see how teachers have adapted to home learning and used technology to continue with lessons throughout the pandemic.
“You don’t just represent the heroic teachers in the United Kingdom but also across the whole world.”
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “I would like to send my warmest congratulations and thanks to Jamie for his outstanding innovation and dedication in helping pupils and fellow teachers around the world.
“It is a truly remarkable story, and I am pleased he is receiving the worldwide recognition he thoroughly deserves.”
Million-dollar prize
Comedian and actor Stephen Fry announced the main prize of £1million went to Ranjitsinh Disale, a village primary school teacher from India who was praised for improving the education of girls.
He started teaching at the school in 2009, when it was in a rundown building next to a cattle shed, according to organizers. School attendance was low and teenage marriage common. He also provides online science lessons for pupils in 83 countries and runs an international project building connections between young people in conflict zones.
Prize organisers said he was honoured for having "transformed the life chances" of girls at the Zilla Parishad Primary School in Paritewadi, in Maharashtra state.
In his winning speech, Mr Disale said he would share half of the prize money with the nine runners-up in the competition - the first time the Global Teacher Prize winner has done this.
Andria Zafirakou has been the only British winner of the million-dollar prize. In 2018, she won the prize for her work as the deputy headteacher at Alperton Community School in Brent, West London.
At the time, she said: “At the end of the day, it's all about the kids and giving them the opportunities to find the best of themselves.” “Anything is possible.”
Founder of the Varkey Foundation, Sunny Varkey that set up the teachers' competition, said "by sharing the prize you teach the world the importance of giving".
Just a day before the second lockdown kicks in, the Department of Education (DfE) have issued new guidance; "face coverings should be worn by adults and children aged 11 and above when moving around the premises, outside of classrooms or activity rooms, such as in corridors and communal areas where social distancing cannot easily be maintained", and the same applies to further education colleges.
This should be implemented as soon as possible, however the department said, but can have until Monday 9 November if they require additional time.
Face coverings had already been required for secondary school pupils within areas under Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions in England, with those local restrictions now to be replaced by the national measures.
Those who are exempt from wearing face coverings are primary school children and those older children with special educational needs or disabilities. It will also remain at the discretion of primary schools as to whether staff and visitors should wear face coverings in communal spaces.
The announcement brings English schools more in line with their Scottish counterparts who have been under stricter COVID-19 restrictions for several weeks.
The DfE also says teachers with serious underlying health issues should keep away from the premises. "Those individuals who are clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to work from home and not to go into work," the guidance says. "Staff should talk to their employers about how they will be supported, including to work from home where possible, during the period of national restrictions.” "All other staff should continue to attend work, including those living in a household with someone who is clinically extremely vulnerable."
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of the NAHT school leaders' union, said the lockdown was announced four days ago and that it "beggars’ belief that schools have had to wait until now to find out how it affects them". "Frankly, it is ridiculous that this new guidance has landed on school leaders' desks less than 24 hours before the start of the national lockdown. "There is very little in the guidance that could not have been communicated with schools 72 hours ago."
Mr Whiteman also expressed concern about the impact vulnerable teachers staying at home would have a schools' ability to operate. "Given the restrictions around clinically extremely vulnerable staff, the reality is that some schools may now find it increasingly difficult to remain open to all pupils."
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, welcomed the move, but said: "It will mean that there are more staff missing from the workplace, on top of those who are self-isolating. "It is imperative that the government reimburses schools and colleges with the cost of hiring supply cover for staff absence. "We have received reports of schools having to spend £6,000 per week on supply cover, and this situation is going to become worse - schools and colleges cannot sustain these costs."
Mr Barton said the extension to the rule on face coverings was a "sensible response to rising Covid levels, and will act as an extra level of protection on top of the other safety measures in schools". He added: "The government's education recovery planning does need to take into account the impact of these restrictions on health and wellbeing."
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: "We must put the interests of our children and young people first, especially when the benefits of being in the classroom are clear.
"Children are settled back into their routines and schools have protective measures in place keep their staff and pupils as safe as possible.
"Education is a national priority and we cannot allow it to be disrupted again."
David Goodhew, head of £21,000 a year Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, said a survey of staff at his school found they feel reassured by pupils having to wear masks in the classroom.
Since August, pupils at the school had to wear masks in lessons and in communal areas. Mr Goodhew said: “Pupils and staff in the classroom are still wearing masks and that has worked well for us. I wouldn’t be surprised if more schools followed suit.” He added: “Our experience is that there are solutions to the two main objections, namely pupil discomfort and problems with communication.”
Mr Goodhew said he does not believe that schools are “engines of transmission” of Covid-19, but added: “I think people who work in schools are absolute heroes. Everyone else is being told stay at home if you can, but teachers are going in.” He said it was vital for the mental and physical health of children that schools stay open, and warned that many have “whole year groups or large numbers of staff who are off having to isolate as a precaution and waiting a long time to get test results back”.
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Education Secretary, Gavin Williamson has announced next year’s GCSE and A-level exams will be going ahead – but with some changes. Firstly, content will be reduced for some subjects and secondly, exams will be pushed back by three weeks to give students more time to prepare and make up for lost learning.
The government has rejected calls made by unions and leading figures in Education to cancel exams and instead use teacher assessment grades.
Usually exams start around the middle of May, they will now start from 7 June. Some exams – such as one maths and one English GCSE paper – will be scheduled for before May half-term. This will give students
Normally results are handed out a week apart, however they’ll not be given out in the same week; A-level results day will be August 24 and GCSE results day will be August 27.
Vocational qualifications like BTECs are also expected to be delay in-line with this changed timetable.
Gavin Williamson said more back-up plans would be decided later for “all scenarios.” The Department of Education plans to publish more details “later in the autumn”, in order to “ensure students have confidence that they will be fairly treated in terms of assessment in 2021”.
This year’s summer exams were cancelled due to the pandemic - leading to chaos for students whose marks were downgraded by an algorithm. The government was forced to make a humiliating u-turn and allow students to keep their teacher-predicted grades following a public outcry.
“Fairest Way”
Education secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Exams are the fairest way of judging a student’s performance so they will go ahead, underpinned by contingency measures developed in partnership with the sector."
“Students have experienced considerable disruption and it’s right we give them, and their teachers, the certainty that exams will go ahead and more time to prepare.”
“I will continue to work closely with stakeholders and I’m grateful for the commitment and willingness that’s been shown in delivering this additional time to ensure young people have the best opportunity to succeed.”
He added: “Combined with our £1bn catch-up programme and the changes proposed by Ofqual to free up teaching time, the changes I am announcing today give young people the best chance of being ready for their exams without undermining the value of the qualifications they receive."
“Unrealistic and Unfair”
Last week, education unions warned moving the timing of exams back slightly was unlikely to make any significant difference following the vast gulf in learning experiences between pupils.
Dr Mary Bousted, of the National Education Union, said it was "unrealistic and unfair" after the disruption to their schooling.
She said: “Today’s announcement is yet another appalling example of political ideology trumping practical reality.” "It demonstrates that this is not a government which is interested in levelling up because the impact of these decisions will impact most severely on the most disadvantaged."
She has called for a broader range of topics in exams to give students a fairer chance.
She added: "If government will not reconsider and change its mind quickly, members tell us that exams, even with greater optionality, are no longer tenable.” "In which case, the only route to fairness would be a complete cancellation of exams and the use of robustly moderated, externally quality-assured teacher judgements.”
Geoff Barton, general secretary of the ASCL school leadership union, said he was “dismayed” by the announcement, and said delaying the start if exams would be “of marginal benefit when compared to the loss of learning from the national lockdown and ongoing disruption”.
“It has taken the government an eternity to reach a very inadequate response to the scale of the challenge which lies ahead for students who are taking GCSEs and A-levels next year.”
Paul Whiteman, the leader of the NAHT, added: “Having started this discussion in July, it is disappointing it has taken this long to get to this point when there are so many more decisions to be made.”
Labour’s shadow education secretary, Kate Green welcomed the delay to next year’s exams, but said it should have been announced earlier.
“The government have finally listened to Labour’s call for exams to be delayed,” she said, “but they could have done this weeks ago to give schools more time to prepare.”
Wow. This is a first.
Never have we faced such a tough and unknown situation than the one we are all going through now. Covid-19 has changed the way we live, work, socialise, shop and commute in a way none of us would ever have imagined.
With so many restrictions, constant changes and hearing negative news it can have an impact on your mental health and well-being.
Stress, anxiety and fears of how the pandemic will affect our future and everyone around us can easily creep up on us without even realising. Now, more than ever it is vital that we take care of ourselves.
Working in education is probably one of the toughest challenges at the moment and one where there is a huge amount of uncertainty.
Follow these top five tips to help you keep in control, calm and focused.
1. Keep talking
One of the best things to do when you are feeling overwhelmed is to talk.
Talking helps to ease your worries and help you see things from a different perspective. Have a conversation with your manager or a member of the senior team, it will help them see things from view and provide the support you require. It’s also good to talk to friends and family, although they may not be able to change things at work, they can help to give you advice and sometimes it’s nice to talk to people outside of your school colleagues without the fear of being judged or worry about any implications your concerns may have.
It’s equally important to keep talking to your students and check-in with them of how they are feeling. Young minds are constantly developing and taking in new information, however many of them won’t have the emotional capacity to handle or process this in a healthy way.
If you can encourage all the staff to adopt the same practices, it can really help the well-being of the whole school.
2. Stay on top of basic things
Daily life mustn’t stop or change. It’s really important to keep on top of basic things like shopping, cleaning, laundry, eating, sleeping and exercising. If you keep up with the little things, you’ll be able to handle new changes and extra tasks that come your way.
3. Stay connected in the correct way
With so many restrictions in place you can easily find yourself locked away and out of touch with friends and family. Use the technology and social media around you to keep in touch with people remotely. And, if social media becomes too overwhelming then it’s okay to disconnect for a while.
4. Be kind to yourself
We are all constantly learning a new situation which is ever-changing. Don’t be hard on yourself if you’re struggling to adapt to new ways of working. Not only will you be faced with your fears and emotions, but also new types of reactions from others. You wouldn’t be hard on children when they are learning new things in the classroom, so why be hard on yourself?
If you find yourself having to take on more responsibilities, or work a different way. i.e. teaching via online videos, try to keep what you are doing simple. Don’t over complicate your work or do things that are not necessary, keeping to the basics will help keep the pressure off yourself.
5. Plan time for you – and only you
This looks different to all of us, but it’s vital to regularly take time out for yourself.
During the day try to find a few minutes in the day for a bit of peace or get some fresh air. Even if it means taking 10 minutes out to eat lunch without having any distractions around you.
Find small moments in the week to distract yourself and switch off from the things that are affecting your mind. There are lots of things you can do which don’t require a lot of investment, such as:
- Going for walks, bicycle rides or even a class at the gym. If going out is not an option; join a fitness class online
- Jigsaw puzzles – doing a bit at a time will give you the motivation to complete it
- Painting, making a collage, embroidery, pottery
- Playing an instrument – there are lots of tutorials on YouTube
- Cooking, learning a new dish or just experimenting with different foods. There are tonnes of social media groups, recipes and videos online showing you step by step guides
Whatever you do, remember the time is for you, no one else. It’s tempting to keeping looking at our phones, to stop temptation, switch off your phone and leave it another room.
We all need time to reflect, relax and recharge; after all, we’re only human.
Further guidance and support can be found by visiting the following websites.
The government have provided extra mental health support for pupils and teachers - https://www.gov.uk/government/news/extra-mental-health-support-for-pupils-and-teachers
The Education Support Partnership supports all staff in educational settings with mental health and well-being - https://www.educationsupport.org.uk
The NEU has published a guide on protecting mental health during Covid-19 - https://neu.org.uk/coronavirus-what-you-need-know-staff-mental-health-and-wellbeing
MIND is a leading mental health charity that provides support to anyone experiencing mental health problems - http://www.mind.org.uk/
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Back to school during Covid-19
Almost everyone involved in returning back to school will be feeling nervous and anxious while COVID-19 is still floating around. From teachers, pupils, non-teaching school staff to parents; everyone will have concerns about returning back to the classroom.
We’ve put together some helpful tips to help you get ready.
Government updates
Stay up to date with the latest government guidelines and information which is continually evolving as we continue through the pandemic https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-education. Save the link as a bookmark or shortcut on your phone or computer. Seeing it will prompt you to keep checking the website without having to search and find the correct website each time.
Communicate with the school regularly
Most schools will brief their staff prior to going back, however, if you have not heard anything before you start work make sure you have spoken with your school to understand what their policies and procedures are around the coronavirus is. This is particularly important for supply staff who are new to the school and not familiar with the school’s surroundings.
Be PPE ready
Understand the personal protective equipment (PPE) you may be required to wear and have some ready with you at all times. This includes, face masks, face shields, hand sanitisers and gloves. The government is continually implementing immediate changes, therefore its best to stay one step ahead and not get caught out. Some schools are implementing their own policies on PPE so its best you are aware of these and ready to go.
Regularly wash and sanitise hands
From the start keeping hands clean has been the key to preventing and slowing the spread of the coronavirus. Always keep a bottle of alcohol-based hand sanitiser with you and regularly use it. It’s worth investing in a personal bottle of hand gel with a keyring clip so that it can be kept handy at all times and refilled when needed.
Minimise direct contact with your environment
It’s difficult to avoid touching your surroundings but if you can try to avoid making direct contact when opening doors, operating light switches, using computers, laptops and projectors. You can purchase a hygiene hook keyring which is a hook shaped keyring that allows you to open doors and press buttons without the need for direct hand contact.
Listen and be supportive to pupils
Pupils will be feeling a range of emotions as they return back to school, so it’s important you listen and be patient with them.
Ask them what they did while schools were closed, find out how they are feeling and recognise any difficulties they have had through activities and groups sessions.
Letting them know that it’s okay to feel how they are and to talk things through will help ease their emotions and settle back into school life. Never avoid the situation as it will do more damage in the long-term.
Take time out for yourself
Remember you are of no use if you feel burnt out and struggling to keep yourself healthy. It’s important you take time out for yourself to maintain a healthy life and recharge. You may need to take more breaks during the day as it can be overwhelming having to deal with new procedures, being a support arm and taking on work which is new to you.
Be responsive to parents’ concerns
Naturally anxiety levels will be high for parents and they’ll want reassurance that schools are safe and precautions are being taken. You may feel yourself repeating the same information several times to different parents, but remember this will be all new to them just as it is for you.
Give them the time they need and perhaps set up a weekly email update to keep parents up-to-date and keep them reassured. This will also help reduce the number of requests from parents.
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Being concerned about the news is understandable, but for many people this is taking its toll on people's mental health, particularly those already living with conditions like anxiety and OCD.
People across the UK are now staying at home for long periods without the contact with friends, family and colleagues which would normally be part of everyday life. Some people may find the change easy to adapt to, but for others this will be a very difficult adjustment to make. It can make existing mental health problems worse.
Many are beginning to realise that this unique moment requires a focus on mental health as well as physical.
So how can we ensure our mental health is protected during the Covid-19 lockdown? Here are some tips for minding your mental health during the lockdown .
1. Get dressed and set up a routine
Creating a routine will help bring a sense of purpose to your days. With nowhere to go or nobody to see, it may seem pointless to get dressed and showered, but you’ll feel untidy and dirty by the end of the day. So, by just starting with simply getting dressed will help make you feel fresh and more like yourself. Without doubt, this is the quickest, easiest thing you can do that reaps the most benefits.
Think of a few things you could do that would make you feel accomplished – like studying for an hour, cooking, gardening or doing a workout video – and a few things you want to do – like gaming, binging Netflix. Perhaps do work around the house that you haven’t got around to all these years due to a lack of time. Lists are super useful here and will help you to look back and see what you have achieved with your day.
2. Stay connected
Advances in mobile technology in particular mean that we can stay connected through calls, text, WhatsApp, email, social media etc. Use this time to get in contact with people.
Try to connect with people who you haven't heard from in a while or people in your community who are likely to be isolated right now. The additional time at home can bring tension but it can also be an ideal opportunity to reconnect and strengthen relationships within the family.
Remember you can always mute WhatsApp groups and Facebook groups if you’re finding them too overwhelming. You can also mute keywords and unfollow accounts on most social media platforms., which will help limit unwanted content on newsfeeds.
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle
The negative impact of sleep disruption on mood is well-established. Without the structure of having to get to school, college or the workplace, it can be easy to fall into unhealthy sleep habits like going to bed later and getting up later. Changes to your sleep cycle now could go on to impact your mood in the weeks and months ahead.
Scheduling a balanced range of activities in your day including:
• Getting adequate and healthy sleep
• Daily routine of working and resting
• Eating nutritious food
• Exercising at home, there are lots of video on YouTube you can try out
• Practice meditation or try to relax when you can
• Do not be afraid to discuss your anxieties and fears with someone. It helps to ventilate and talk things out.
4. Working from home
If you find yourself working from home for the first time, it means figuring out how to stay on task in a new environment that may not lend itself to productivity. But there are ways to deliver results and avoid going stir-crazy, from setting up a good workspace to the way you talk to your team.
- Have a clear workspace is crucial for your state of mind, and not just in terms of being in a "working" mindset but also so you're able to turn off when the working day is over.
- Washing and dressing appropriately is very important when working from home. It will not only improve your state of mind, it will psychologically prepare you to start work. Likewise, changing out of work clothes when you clock off for the day helps your brain to understand that the working day is over.
- Remember to eat. With no access to a canteen or shops you most likely will have to make lunch. Try to plan ahead what you will make so that it is built into your schedule and it’s a healthy and nutritious meal.
- Taking breaks regularly is very important to avoid being burnt out. Overworking will only result in less productivity and frustration. Being cooped up inside can lead to fatigue, therefore even walking around the garden or even watering plants around the house will help keep your mind active and focused.
- Establishing boundaries is very important, especially if you're employed by a company, you'll probably have set hours of work, and it's important to stick to these when you're working from home. Be ready to start your day at the same time as you would normally arrive in your office or workplace, and finish your day at the same time. Setting a “to do list” will help you stay on track, organised and create order. Sharing this with your employer is also helpful so they are aware of your work.
5. Maintain hygiene
Whilst it is important to maintain hygiene, do not be preoccupied with it all the time. Be mindful of washing hands, and not touching metal surfaces, do not cough or sneeze without tissue paper.
6. Limit social media usage
Whilst it’s important to stay digitally active, it is also important to carefully choose your news and media sources, particularly if some of the information you are receiving is leaving you feeling overwhelmed. Remember that some of the information online is driven by the views, opinions and agendas of individuals, and it may not be helpful for you to take those on as your own right now.
Choosing one or two well-informed sources and limiting yourself to set times during the day to check for ups for example at 9am and 5pm.
Try and share the positive stories you see: of people who have recovered or even a post on social media that made you laugh.
7. Understand the risk
Stay up to date on COVID-19 but only trust the information that comes from authentic sources.
From the government: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
From the NHS: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
Try not to be glued to the news 24/7
Do not believe every message or tweet circulated in social media
8. Be prepared
Make a list of helpful contact numbers and emails – such as for healthcare and keep enough supply of non-prescription medicines to last at least a month. Talk to family and friends nearby about how you can support each other, in case one household is quarantined. For example, dropping supplies outside the front gate. Use self-help tools. There is a list of clinically approved apps that have been put together by ORCHA – who’ve been set up to help regulate the safety and value of these apps and make sure people find the right app for the right reason. They have recommended Wysa to cope with stress or anxiety issues. Wysa has released free tool packs for everyone to cope with the stress of isolation and current health anxiety. They want to ensure that everyone has mental health resources during this crisis.
At this time, it is important that everyone gets the help they need – and this includes looking after yourself.
Please continue to follow NHS guidance, stay at home, protect the NHS, and save lives.
