Coronavirus: How Fylde coast parents are adapting to home schooling
and live on Freeview channel 276
For the majority of pupils on the Fylde coast, their classroom desk has become a dining room table.
Now thousands of parents in Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde are adjusting to their new role as a teacher as they find themselves responsible for educating their children at home.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBut children are resilient, and many have accustomed themselves to school life in their homes, working effectively with parents and siblings on work provided by schools and creative activities.
Katherine Bartlam from Bispham is educating son Jacob, eight, a Layton primary school pupil, at home.
She said: "Jacob has been doing all sorts of work including maths, literacy and science that school send through daily.
"We have a routine in place and he’s eager to carry on learning through this time that is tough for everyone.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"It’s not been to bad, seeing as though I’m juggling a four-month-old baby and housework too."
Hollie Tavernor is educating her three children Mickey, nine, Pixie, seven and Melody, three from their home on Norbreck Road, Norbreck.
She said: "We put YouTube on for PE with Joe at 9am, then yesterday I asked them to start a story about a boy who wakes up and realises he is invisible.
"I watched a video about Australia, wrote some questions down and made the children watch the video too, and answer the questions.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"In the afternoon we did half an hour of maths. I have a schedule for every day of the week."
One of the most popular activities for children around the UK has been the 9am YouTube live stream, "PE with Joe," by "The Body Coach" personal trainer Joe Wicks.
His PE sessions for children have proven a hit with many families, after they were viewed online by nearly one million people in the UK yesterday (March 24.)
Danielle Atherton is educating her four-year-old son Isaac at their Marton home, after his school Armfield Academy on Lytham Road, South Shore closed last week.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBoth she and Isaac's dad are key workers, but made the decision to educate Isaac at home instead, starting with an activity-packed first day on Monday.
She said: "We started the day being active with Joe on YouTube, then went into the garden to scavenge for things.
"We also did a science project to see which items would sink or float using a washing-up bowl, followed by number sequences of one to twenty.
"We also designed Easter eggs, and built a desert island from Lego."
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdCharlotte Shaw is home-schooling five children, including three who have autism from her Layton home.
Faith, 12, Caden, 10, Freya, eight, Corey, six and Cami, three, spent their first day at home tackling maths, English and science.
Mum Charlotte said: "We've allowed the children to make their own maths calculations and solve them, as well as using cubes, worksheets etc.
"In English we used creating words, explaining their meanings and using them in a sentence, and did worksheets and exercises.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad"We learned about the organs in the body for science, and also watched frozen planet and learned lots about polar bears, penguins and the poles.
"Teachers don't get enough recognition for the hard work they do, the planning, keeping kids engaged and keeping topics fresh so they don't get bored, I have a greater appreciation and admiration for all teachers."