By Tony O’Reilly-
Some schools in Wales are planning to move teaching online one day a week, in a bid to deal with rising energy costs.
Other options being considered for schools in Powys are children wearing coats in class and not filling some vacant teaching posts – where the work could be transferred to another existing staff member in the short-term.
The ideas were raised at a briefing to headteachers where the council said it is “considering every option regarding potential savings” in relation to rising energy costs. The idea of moving teaching online could start from once weekly and then extend to longer days in the week.
There are also concerns that if the practise begins in Welsh schools, it could extend to other parts of the Uk.
The council cabinet member responsible for education said schools would be able to take their own decisions and there would be no “clear directive” given on the plans.
During the meeting Powys Cllr Beverley Baynham described the ideas discussed at the headteacher’s briefing.
“At a recent briefing for headteacher’s and chairs of governors suggestions were put forward from officers of how to achieve financial savings”, she said.
“These suggestions included, children wearing coats, not filling vacant positions, finding volunteers to work in schools, consider a four-day week with the fifth day being taught virtually at home.”
Cllr Pete Roberts, the minister responsible for education, said blended weeks of learning would be “extreme cases for consideration”.
But Cllr Roberts stressed that there would be no “clear directive” given to schools to do this and said that a “financial toolkit” was being prepared and shared with schools to help headteachers and school governors discuss how to tackle financial issues.
He added that the council was helping schools by holding finance surgeries and going through budgets “in detail”, looking at spending patterns and “suggesting potential solutions”.
“Ultimately it is the decision and responsibility of the headteacher and their chair of governors regarding the school
Cllr Roberts said that the online learning option could “reduce the utilities cost for the schools and lead to a considerable saving” and that, like in Covid-19 lockdowns, hubs would need be open to look after some pupils.
He added that some pupils have been wearing coats in classrooms over the past few winters anyway due to Covid guidance seeing windows open to increase ventilation. With Covid cases expected to rise, he said this “is likely to happen again this winter”.
Cllr Roberts stressed that volunteers would not be teaching children, “Not at any point would we advocate volunteers replacing teachers to teach our children.
“The proposal not to fill vacant posts is only for consideration if the work connected to that post can be covered by other staff in the short term.”
Plans to help lower school costs for parents and families are also being considered nationally. These include scrapping logos from uniforms so individuals can buy the items from a retailer of their choice, at a cheaper price.
The average cost of uniform for parents is £337 per secondary school child and £315 for a primary school aged pupil, according to The Children’s Society.