Kowel Gwenen: The Hive CIC
Case Study...
Meet Aimee
Two weeks off school turns into a six month long, isolated lockdown with little to no education provided throughout, nor a proper transition period for children moving up from the end of primary school to the start of secondary. Now stop. You don’t need to imagine because this happened, and I was one of those children.
After the first, initial lockdown, I was suddenly thrown into a new, much bigger environment without the necessary support. We were put into bubbles, unable to mix with anyone outside of our tutor groups, stunting the social growth we should’ve had. Then, another lockdown took place over the Christmas period, really dampening the festive spirit. Things kept getting worse. I personally, only lasted in education until May. Despite a support package, it was too little too late.
Most children aren't so lucky.
I am incredibly lucky to have a wonderfully supportive mother who was more than willing to fight for me, but not every parent can, knows how to, or even knows where to start with those battles. When kids can’t get support, the only real option left is to home educate. Now, home education is difficult enough as it is without worrying about exam season, but for home ed families in Cornwall there’s an extra level of stress added to the ordeal: there is no exam centre in Cornwall. The nearest exam centre is in Taunton. For children, or parents, with mobility difficulties: there is no exam centre in Cornwall. For anxious children who struggle with long journeys: there is no exam centre in Cornwall. For children like me and those less fortunate: there is no exam centre in Cornwall.
Imagine this...
It is 2020, a covid pandemic spreads across the nation and shuts down everything from hair salons to hospitals. Included in the nationwide shutdown is schools: every parent’s worst nightmare, and as it turned out- a child’s too.