A TEACHER has made the difficult decision to resign due to coronavirus restrictions “stripping every element” of her job away from her.

Jayn Sadler, from Wivenhoe, handed in her notice at Westborne Academy, in Suffolk, on Tuesday following an arduous year of challenges.

Ms Sadler, 47, said: “Covid has had a particularly negative impact on education. It’s not something we can ignore any longer.

“The switch to remote learning, which was utilised in the first lockdown had poor take up rates.

“In some areas it was down to 22 per cent student engagement.”

She said it has been “impossible” to socially distance with 1,000 children and staff together when schools have been open over the past year.

“I know, personally, some headteachers working seven days a week to make sure that their schools are Covid ready for March 8,” she added.

“Staff are floundering having to carry 30 books, textbooks and a laptop from classroom to classroom.

“On a school site as large as ours, it became absolutely physically exhausting.

“Students are sat in one chair for the whole week with teachers coming and going.

“They are so fatigued by the end of the week, it is almost impossible to motivate them.”

Ms Sadler said the exams process was “absolute chaos” with some students not getting the results they deserved.

“This year sounds even worse for this Year 11 cohort,” she added.

“I just hope they will get what they deserve for all their hard work and efforts, despite losing almost a year out of school and a quality education.”

The bold move to leave her job was not an easy one to make.

“I am heartbroken at having to leave the profession I loved but I felt it was impossible to support the Government with the measures they have put in place,” Ms Sadler said.

“Every element of my job has been stripped away from me: I can’t host group discussions, sit with a student to help them, check work during the lesson and give feedback, or help those weaker students by hosting masterclass tables.

“Children are still learning important lessons in respect of communication and having their faces covered for eight hours a day reaches a new level of insanity.

”Perhaps, the government - rather than giving millions to their friends for useless PPE equipment - should look at reducing the amount of students in one classroom as a priority.

“There will be some people out there who will say I should have stayed for the children and I completely agree with them, I could have but I have chosen to find a better way, which puts humanity and relationships back at the centre of education in a Covid friendly way."

Ms Sadler has chosen to set up a new learning centre offering students the chance to learn in small groups at the Clacton Enterprise Centre.

Each student will have a personalised learning programme and the opportunity to sit GCSEs if they wish to at 16.

She aims to open in September for 12 students from 11 to 16-years-old.