Teaching staff from across Norfolk have been thanked for how they have “gone above and beyond” to keep children safe and vital services running during the coronavirus pandemic.

Norfolk Resilience Forum (NRF), which is co-ordinating the county’s response to the COVID-19 outbreak, has joined forces with Norfolk County Council’s (NCC) children’s services and the Norfolk Children’s Strategic Partnership to send a letter of thanks to the county’s schools, academies, nurseries and pre-schools.

The letter, timed to coincide with what should have been the end of the Easter holidays, thanks schools for staying open and for their significant work in responding to the coronavirus.

Tom McCabe, chairman of the NRF Strategic Coordination Group and head of paid service at NCC, said: “We wanted to write and personally thank headteachers, teachers, governors and teaching support staff for the huge efforts they are making in supporting the countywide response to coronavirus.”

Mr McCabe said the NRF wanted to thank all school staff for the essential role they were playing in helping protect the NHS and save lives.

Eastern Daily Press: John Fisher, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for children's services. Pic: Norfolk County Council.John Fisher, Norfolk County Council cabinet member for children's services. Pic: Norfolk County Council.

He said: “We fully appreciate that the work they have been doing has gone above and beyond the normal teaching role and there is no doubt it has, and continues to be, absolutely vital in keeping our children safe, our emergency services operating and our supermarket shelves stocked.”

Across Norfolk teachers have risen to the challenge posed by COVID-19, including by delivering food to pupils in need and working extra hours to make sure children are safe.

Headteachers have been working together to share resources and take in pupils at short notice so parents can work to keep the NHS and other vital services running.

Teachers and support staff working with children with special educational needs and disabilities have faced particularly tough challenges to ensure the wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable youngsters in Norfolk.

John Fisher, cabinet member for children’s services at NCC, said: “We want to say how very proud we are of Norfolk’s schools, academies and those working in early years.

“You are rising to an exceptional challenge and it has not gone unnoticed.”