Nearly 500 children were welcomed back to Sidmouth Primary School on Monday morning as part of the wider school reopening.

Although key workers and vulnerable children had continued to come to school during lockdown, most had been learning at home since schools were closed on January 4.

Head of School Claire Fegan said: “It was amazing to see all of the children back on Monday morning and lovely to see them with big smiles, enthusiastic about getting back to normal and excited to see their friends again.

“We are enormously proud of how hard the children have worked during lockdown and this seems to have really helped them to settle back into routines quickly and smoothly.”

The school, which operates across three sites in the town, has put a wide range of measures in place to help keep the school community safe, from staggered starts and ends of days to providing each child with an individual stationery set. Each class is acting as a ‘bubble’ – with their own playground zone, hand-washing facilities and entrance/exit.

The school’s approach is based around three key principles – reset for safety, recover for wellbeing and rebuild for learning, and staff are ensuring children have the support they need emotionally, socially and academically, to have a positive second half to the school year.

Mrs Fegan said: “Parents have been really supportive, both during the closure period, and again now as we reopen. There is a real feeling of hope and positivity with lots of parents feeling quite emotional on Monday. We were determined that we would emerge from the pandemic stronger than ever, and I really feel we are doing that.”