Parents praise Sheffield headteacher for going 'above and beyond' during the Covid pandemic

A Sheffield headteacher has been praised by parents for how she has dealt with the Covid pandemic and ensured that staff and pupils needs are always met.
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Deb Halliday, headteacher of Athelstan Primary School, is said to have gone “above and beyond” over the last 10 months to support her pupils, checking in on a regular basis and making sure they could access remote learning as well as ensuring parents are looking after their own mental wellbeing too.

One parent described her as “impeccable” and mentioned how she quickly organised food hampers for children entitled to free school meals after realising there were issues with the Government's food box scheme.

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Deb Halliday, headteacher at Athelstan Primary School, has been praised by parentsDeb Halliday, headteacher at Athelstan Primary School, has been praised by parents
Deb Halliday, headteacher at Athelstan Primary School, has been praised by parents
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Ms Halliday also applied for laptops for disadvantaged students through The Laptops for Kids campaign - launched by The Star, WANdisco and Learn Sheffield – to ensure they would not miss out on learning through the lockdown period.

Lisa Watson, deputy headteacher of Athelstan, said: “Our staff have all pulled together and worked tirelessly to ensure that all pupils are getting the best possible education at such an unstable time.

"This has meant trying to make certain that every single child has access to the appropriate technology at home so that they can access remote learning and don’t miss out. I’m sure we’ll all face many more challenges before this is over, but with Deb leading us, we honestly couldn’t be in better hands.”

Claire Crownshaw whose son Kai, aged nine, and 10-year-old daughter Maddison attend Athelstan said she would not have been able to manage the periods of home schooling without the support of Ms Halliday.

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She said: “During this lockdown it’s been so hard for all the teachers as they had to just go with the flow, but Ms Halliday has got everything so spot on.

"Every week we receive a newsletter from school explaining what is happening and how difficult these times are and every single week she will share crisis numbers if anybody needs help, it’s not just about the children but about the parents and how they’re coping too.

"She goes above and beyond all the time. I honestly think she’s a superstar. The other parents I’ve spoken to all feel the same, they all say the school deserves so much praise.”

In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a digital subscription or buying a paper. We stand together. Nancy Fielder, editor.

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