How Keelman's Way School teachers are cheering up children during lockdown

Teachers from Keelman’s Way School in Hebburn have been putting themselves in front of the camera, to cheer up students who are stuck in isolation.

Members of staff have recorded themselves performing lively dance routines in their kitchens and singing much-loved songs for children to join in with at home.

They have been using the school’s YouTube channel to read stories and use Makaton signs to help maintain contact while the schools remain closed due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Some pupils, who are celebrating their birthday during the lockdown period, have even enjoyed a special video message from their teachers.

“The staff are all making an absolutely brilliant effort to entertain and make our special children smile,” said Sophie Mohamed, a nursery nurse at Keelman’s Way School.

“In the morning we usually do a warm-up routine with the kids and we know that they are really missing this, so we’ve been recording videos of us dancing and singing so that they can follow them at home.

“It’s a way of cheering the kids up and to give them that little bit of contact.”

Parents have praised the efforts of staff and have been sharing photos of the children joining in from home.

Sophie added: “We’ve had a really good response, they are all joining in and really enjoying it – it’s nice to see their smiling faces.”

Staff from Keelman’s Way - which supports children aged from three to 19 with severe learning difficulties and complex needs - know that the current crisis is a particularly challenging time for their pupils.

“All of our children have got complex needs so they don’t understand why they aren’t at school and they are missing that routine,” said Sophie.

“It’s a really challenging time. It’s hard enough for children in mainstream school, never mind those with learning disabilities and really high care needs.”

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