Yr but not Yr6

[VicesReturning]

DC school are sending back reception and yr1, but not Yr6!

What might be the logic?

[MadameMinimes]

They only have enough space/staff for two year groups and have prioritised the ones least able to learn independently at home?

[Notsafetogo]

Well in our school we have 9 classrooms. We have 3 nursery bubbles, two year one, two reception and two keyworker groups. That’s our classrooms all used up before our year 6 take their two. We’re going to manage by using the computer suite and the hall.
It’ll be very strange. Year 4 teachers are going to be teaching nursery for the first time with no training.
That’s the only way we can get groups of only 15 kids.

[GrimmsFairytales]

Perhaps they only have the staff or the classroom space to cater for the younger age groups, which the guidance suggests should be prioritized.

[Uhoh2020]

My dc school have also hinted that not all the priority years will be able to come back but not said which years it will be. However they are planning for whole years returning when many parents have said they are keeping their child off , it seems unfair that some children will miss out whose parents might need them to be in school for the sake of an empty seat.

[choc27]

The government have advised that if you don't have enough room to take back all 3 year groups that you prioritise the youngest.

[GoGadgetGo]

@VicesReturning
Why would you need training? You have already been trained when you first went into teaching.
At the start of an academic year, the HT can place you in any year group from N-Y6. Yes you may get a couple of CPD sessions during that academic year, but not prior. You just get on with it.

I do understand that it might be a shock to the system though because it may be out of your comfort zone. Good luck.

[GoGadgetGo]

Sorry my post was for @Notsafetogo not @VicesReturning

[DippyAvocado]

The government guidelines are for schools to prioritise year R, then year 1, then year 6. My school plans to open to year R first, check that all our new planned structure works effectively then bring in year 1 then year 6. We have around 25 key worker/vulnerable pupils to manage space and staff for too.

[Drivingdownthe101]

Because that is the government guidance. If you can’t accommodate everyone full time, prioritise in age order (youngest to oldest).
Our head was actually surprised they had year 6 as a priority year. She said the only priority for them at this point in transition to secondary, and as the secondary schools aren’t doing transition sessions then that won’t be happening anyway. Otherwise this period is usually a ‘fun’ period for the year 6’s with little classroom learning, and all those fun activities can’t go ahead.

[ineedaholidaynow]

Some local schools are going to struggle to accommodate even YR once they have prioritised the vulnerable and critical worker children

[Notsafetogo]

@GoGadgetGo you’re right, they don’t officially need training. But it will be really difficult for the Y4 staff to get to grips with a whole new curriculum and an entirely different way of working.
I think that generally if a Head teacher was going to move a teacher from Y4 to nursery then they would be given time to spend in nursery observing the teaching.
They’ve no idea how phase one and two phonics work.
When I trained at college we had to choose whether to take a KS1 or KS2 pathway. Those who chose KS2 would never have even seen the EYFS curriculum.
It’s going to be difficult is all I was saying.

[Aragog]

Schools have been told to prioritise the youngest year groups and ideally it should be full time, not rotas, etc.

We are an infant school and will only have reception returning. Plus our KS1 KW children.

[WokeUpSmeltTheCoffee]

Don't blame the school blame the government.

They will have done a risk assessment and figured out they don't have either enough space or staff to open all the suggested year groups.

As a school governor we were given Advice by the LA filtered down from the DfE that if we did not have enough space or staff to open fully to all the target year groups then nursery and YR are the priority, then Y1 and lowest priority Y6. We were also told to prioritise opening full time for younger children rather than PT for all.

School staff feel this is all the wrong way around and would have rather tried to open for KS2 children, or prioritise the most vulnerable or any age or offer part time to more age groups. They feel it would be safer and more offer more educational value. Not that EYFS isn't valuable education but it will not be able to be done as it should with free flowing play based learning.

The government wants child care for little ones so parents can work.

[GoGadgetGo]

@Notsafetogo
"I think that generally if a Head teacher was going to move a teacher from Y4 to nursery then they would be given time to spend in nursery observing the teaching."

That doesn't happen anywhere I know. Although, sounds lovely.

[Notsafetogo]

@GoGadgetGo you maybe need a new job. I’ve worked at a few schools over the years in lots of LAs and don’t know of any that would expect a teacher from KS2 to move to teaching nursery without some extensive handover.
Maybe I’ve just been lucky to work in schools where the quality of teaching and learning is a priority and people are employed where their talents are.

[Appuskidu]

That’s the government guidance, OP.

Heads should prioritise the younger year groups if they are unable to staff or physically house all priority year groups.

[GoGadgetGo]

@GoGadgetGo
Perhaps.

[VicesReturning]

Thanks! But I guess I was really wondering "why" it's the government guidance? Doesn't seem too important to me to prioritise these year groups? (I'd have thought other year groups would benefit more and would be easier to social distance)?

[Drivingdownthe101]

Officially, the government guidance is to prioritise the younger children is for a couple of reasons. 1) it’s harder to home school younger kids. You can’t just print them off some work and let them get on with it, or just leave them logged on to a zoom lesson.
2) vulnerable young children stand to suffer more from not being at school
3) as young children tend to have small social circles outside of school, there is less opportunity for spreading it.
I imagine the childcare aspect also plays a part.

[user1000000000000000001]

Our school aren't opening to any other than in the vulnerable or key worker groups. Have increased the numbers within those groups though