Editor

I write this letter out of concern for the well being and mental health of the peripatetic music teachers of Ceredigion and all their instrumental pupils.

I was informed that the Peripatetic teaching staff were not going to be allowed back into schools to teach until September, but now I am informed that they are going back in for the last three weeks of the school term.

This is hardly an improvement, and a cruel decision in what has been a very difficult year.

Ceredigion are the only authority not allowing instrumental teaching in schools.

Indeed many authorities have also allowed after-school music ensembles to restart, understanding the vital importance these are in helping pupils to socialise and ‘catch up’.

The instrumental music teachers started teaching online after Easter last year, from their own homes with many technical difficulties resulting in many missed lessons. They were not allowed back into schools last September as other pupils and class teachers returned to school.

I can’t imagine the stress they must feel. Imagine trying to teach a beginner violinist online without being able to tune the instrument.

When I heard about this I volunteered to sit in the county car park in full PPE at designated times so parents could bring stringed instruments to be tuned but this was not allowed by Ceredigion council.

As a former assistant music service manager and senior string teacher I think it is disgraceful that so little concern is shown by Ceredigion County Council over the welfare of these teaching staff, particularly their mental health.

This is not the first criticism Ceredigion has had about the opening up and restarting of facilities for young people. I thought there was supposed to be an emphasis on social events, sports, music, the expressive arts etc to help young people with their mental health. The same applies to staff who have been banned from schools for, what will be, 18 months!

No doubt, when Tregaron hosts the National Eisteddfod in 2022, Ceredigion instrumental staff will be under pressure to put on a ‘great show’

Isobelle McGuinness Llanbadarn Fawr Aberystwyth

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