A FLINTSHIRE teacher has urged parents to keep their children active and maintain a routine while they are not at school.

Earlier this month schools across Wales closed to the majority of children in a bid to clamp down on the spread of coronavirus.

Forthcoming GCSE and A-Level exams were also cancelled, with Education Minister Kirsty Williams promising that pupils "will be awarded a fair grade to recognise their work, drawing on the range of information that is available."

Hawarden High School geography teacher Craig Smith, of Sandycroft, told the Leader the move had come as a huge blow to students.

"I do feel sorry for them," he said. "They have put in so much work and to not get to do the exams, it is really quite sad.

"Among the students there was a mixture of disbelief and euphoria when it was announced - some were lost.

"I think the year 13's were upset. They didn't get to wind down in their last year.

"Their school year just ended and they have left under this sudden cloud. I can imagine how they'd be feeling."

Describing how he had felt as the events unfolded, 33-year-old Mr Smith said: "Ordinarily I would be teaching the last bits of the course, revising, sending coursework off and going to exam meetings - but that's not happening.

"It's frustrating and a bit sad in a way but it is unprecedented and everyone is in the same boat."

Since the shutdown Mr Smith, who has been a member of staff at the school for 10 years, has been working alongside his colleagues on a rota basis to continue teaching and supporting the children of key workers.

Asked what his message to fellow teachers would be, he said: "All we can do now is the best we can from a distance.

"We can reassure them and do what we can to limit the impact on them.

"The school staff and leadership have done an amazing job.

"They have been thrown into this and they have done a very good job navigating it."

Mr Smith also shared his advice for parents, adding: "The best thing they can do is to give them a routine so they are working through the day - not for six hours, of course, but something.

"I am already feeling the impact of not having that same daily routine myself.

"My concern is that for some students, while it is warm and they are off they could become listless and wayward quickly. "They could play their computer games and vegetate and forget what they have learned.

"So having a routine and keeping up the work is important."