Hang on a Minute, Boris. (Virus related)

[10FrozenFingers]

Listening to the news and the talk of what emergency plans could be put in place.

One suggestion was to legislate to "allow" teachers to teach much larger classes if other staff are off ill. I don't think so. Maybe ask the teachers if they are willing.

There are some school where it would be a total nightmare.

If staff have the virus the sensible thing to do is to close the school.

And get no education?

Some schools it might be a nightmare. Others might cope.

What about parents work?

I agree if the science says the school should be closed. If not, other methods should be used.

Classes of over 40 would just be crowd control and not education.

Dangerous for teachers. Dangerous for children. Better to shut the schools.

We already do this in secondary in times when teachers are off and we can’t get supply - two classes combined and given a ‘lecture’ college style in the hall rather than in class. Doesn’t happen often though.
In the event of teachers being off, students would be off too so having to regularly teach 60 students at a time is unlikely, I’d personally say.

And what about the children of Drs, nurses and other health workers?

I don’t believe there are sufficient classrooms available that are large enough for this to happen very frequently, so it doesn’t really seem feasible

All of the classrooms at my husband’s school can safely take (I think) 33 pupils. There is obviously the hall and gym but that is just two rooms, so wouldn’t solve anything if more than a handful of classes were affected

I agree that if enough staff were off sick to warrant combined classes then it would stand to reason that there would be a fair amount of pupils absent too so you would have a combined class of say 35-40 rather than 50-60.

Now if I was a teacher I'd be concerned that if this did come to pass then they'd use it as evidence to push for more combined teaching as standard practice rather than the exception.

If this is such a good idea, why (as explained on another thread) are they restricting classes to no more than 22 in Asia to prevent large groups of people getting together and spreading the virus?

It's yet another really stupid idea from someone who has no idea about the practicalities.

We have very, very occasionally had to do this (if a teacher has gone home ill for example). It's hideous. Certainly with younger children.

Imagine 60 six year olds crammed into a classroom with only enough seats for 30. You might be able to do this as a 'holding' activity eg. watching a film, but actually learning anything?! Nah.

Also sounds like the ideal situation to spread a virus even more effectively.

If this is such a good idea, why (as explained on another thread) are they restricting classes to no more than 22 in Asia to prevent large groups of people getting together and spreading the virus?
^ This
Sounds like one way of ensuring spread to me.

It’s not going to happen. We physically don’t have any classrooms big enough to allow it to, apart from anything else.

In my school the classrooms can only hold 30 children safely according to the local council plan of the school. We have a hall too. We would not be able to do this. It would be unsafe. But hey, if one of the things our government are suggesting is to suspend health and safety rules for schools, who are we to argue? !?!?!

I won’t be sending my son to school if ratios are compromised. It’s not safe for young children. There’s no need for legislation for teens since they can already be taught in large groups. I don’t have an issue with 15 year olds having some lecturers in the hall but 60 5years olds and a teacher is dangerous.

@once that's my school's situation. Primary school, and some staff who are immunocompromised, so this could happen really quickly for us. Children in ks1 have a maximum limit on class sizes for a reason!

I dunno. DD was in a class of 60 last year (outside the UK). She still got an education- her maths actually improved greatly.

In my school the classrooms can only hold 30 children safely according to the local council plan of the school.

But isn't Boris' Big Idea to pass a law to lift such restrictions ?

Would be awful toy soldier. If the government suggests this and I would really recommend getting the governors to create their own policy which risk assesses the situation, determines it is unsafe. Surely there are other solutions such as the healthy teacher teaching Mon, Tues, wed morning one class and Wed afternoon, Thurs and Friday the other class. Not ideal, but at least children would be able to have some sort of educational provision rather than unsafe babysitting. It’s not the school’s job to provide childcare.

I dunno. DD was in a class of 60 last year (outside the UK). She still got an education- her maths actually improved greatly

Morale in teaching is at rock bottom. Half of my colleagues are on anti-depressants and virtually all want to leave.

Making any of us teach massive classes to cover colleague absence like this will simply make people quit or be off with stress.

It’s been states on another thread as well that two of the confirmed cases are school workers.

Schools will become hotbeds for this virus, especially with massive numbers jammed into small spaces breathing and coughing all over each other.

Ban assemblies!

Schools will become hotbeds for this virus, especially with massive numbers jammed into small spaces breathing and coughing all over each other.

It seems the younger you are, the less the risk ...

But many young people come into contact with and even sometimes love people who are older, have pre-existing conditions etc...

Regardless of all that I just can’t see how this proposal would be workable given the average room size in schools

But many young people come into contact with and even sometimes love people who are older, have pre-existing conditions etc...

Of course ... which rather underscores the limited amount anyone can really do. Most people "self isolating" are only just concentrating the chances someone in their house could catch it ...

Anyway, must dash, off out to a show

Ban assemblies? What about school canteen or the playground?Schools will indeed become hotbeds for it and yes, it seems kids aren't as affected as badly as adults but what about staff/ parents who they pass it on to?

I was out at a show in London yesterday, what of it? I can be realistic about the risks and go about my business whilst also worrying a little about my immunocompromised father (in the same way as I worry about him getting flu or a nasty cold that could see him ending up in hospital)

As I said though, regardless of all this, the suggestion that schools could accommodate classes of 60 is daft, they just don’t have the physical space