With pupils learning in freezing classrooms and some schools even considering four-day weeks due to rising energy prices and soaring inflation, Helen Osgood draws comparisons with Victorian-era Britain
“When a cold wind blows it chills you, chills you to the bone!”
No, this is not feedback from members regarding the heating and ventilation policy in their school this autumn and winter. In fact, it is the opening line of the first song in the Muppet version of A Christmas Carol!
Christmas should be a time of bright lights, gifts, singing, heart-warming movies about love and redemption, but this year there will be a significant undercurrent of fear, pain and panic.
We heard recently yet more evidence that many schools in England are considering cutting teaching hours, teachers or teaching assistants to save money.
