Going back to school has been strange enough this term with class bubbles and face coverings the norm and the usual playground drop-offs and pick-ups scrapped because of coronavirus.

But for the pupils, teachers and parents at one school it's been extra strange after creating "a school within a school" eight miles down the A2 .

The new Ebbsfleet Green Primary has opened its doors but not in the way teachers were expecting .

So when parents dropped off their children at the school gates in Ebbsfleet, they didn't see them running off into the playground but instead packed them on to a bus bound for Strood – a 10-minute ride away.

The permanent new Ebbsfleet Green building is not complete and building the temporary classrooms they were due to use on site was delayed by lockdown.

It meant school leaders had to come up with a Plan B and fortunately colleagues at Bligh Primary School in Strood were on hand to help.

Both sites are part of the Maritime Academy Trust and the 86 pupils – 26 nursery, 30 Reception children and another 30 in Years 1 and 2 – at Ebbsfleet Green will call Bligh Primary home for the coming year.

The school has taken over three classrooms and office space to form its own bubble at the academy in Bligh Way.

Eventually, Ebbsfleet Green – which is the third school to be built in Ebbsfleet Garden City – will educate 420 children and have places for 26 pre-school youngsters in the adjoining nursery.

Executive head teacher Joanne Wilkinson-Tabi said they were expecting tears on the first but in reality "there were surprisingly few".

"We did have a small number of reluctant children – after all many were only three-years-old and had been at home throughout lockdown – but staff soon distracted them with rhymes and songs," Ms Wilkinson-Tabi said. "The journey to our temporary base in Bligh school is a mere 10 minutes."

Bligh Primary has had £100,000 spent on it to house the Ebbsfleet Green pupils and staff which has been a bonus for Ms Wilkinson-Tabi as well as free bus service for pupils paid for by Kent County Council.

"We cannot believe our luck as we have access to a resourced outdoor area and newly furnished and resourced classrooms which has made our temporary move a positive one.

"We know coronavirus has provided challenges for everyone, including those in the education sector. Of course, we have written risk assessments, increased hand washing and hygiene practices as well as cleaning procedures.

"This is where working with Bligh has really helped us out.

"As a small school, we are one bubble and this has made life our lot easier for our children – apart from increased use of hand sanitiser, they probably wouldn’t know the difference."

Work on the brand new Ebbsfleet Green site continues but for now Joanne and her team are settling into their temporary base for this school year.

Joanne, who has been a teacher for 26 years, added: "We are really lucky as we have a committed staff who are really enthusiastic and are committed to the Maritime ideology.

"Our first theme is ‘We are Ebbsfleet Green,’ and we are keen to nurture a sense of belonging in our community.

"Coronavirus has forced us into thinking even more creatively and innovatively about how we can include our community in learning outcomes and this is something we will strive towards this year."

She added: "It feels as if the school is more established than five weeks old. We are very settled and the wonderful thing about having small classes is that staff know all the children.

"We have already had parents'/carers' evenings and received some very positive feedback from our parents.

"Our bus service is very organised and efficient. Our parents have commented on how much it has supported them in getting their children to and from school.

"Mrs Garrett our head of school and our leader of learning often get on the bus with the children. This supports communication and relationships.

"We are already seeing the impact of small classes as standards are already high. We look forward to further progressing our children this year."

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