What schools will look like

[whatthefuckishappening]

Has anyone had a confirmed outline of a plan from their school of what school will be like for reception if they go back in June? We expect to hear next week sometime. I'm undecided whether to send mine back or not (erring towards not, but then I'm on mat leave so currently don't have to factor work in).

School sent us a photo this morning of what a class layout would look like, basically a room can hold 9 desks with 2m spacing. So no chance of groups of 15, on the letter they only mention 1 class allocated to Yr 1 so I'm guessing lots of parents have said no to returning (there is normally 19).
They said the teacher will "teach" from the front if the class and will not come and look over a child's shoulder to see what they are doing. They will eat in their class room.
They talked about the bins etc, but yes, lidded bins, unless foot operated surely pose more cross contamination issues.
The one thing that both my kids said when I talked to them about going back to school was they dont want to wash their hands because it hurts with school soap. I remember how sore, cracked and occ bleeding my children's hands were. I hope they have moisturising soap or allow us to send our own.

New guidance that came out last night says that full time places should be the default and no rotas should be in place.

Well thats going to fuck up plans. Literally every school I know staff at (it's a high number as I'm a supply teacher) was planning on part time, most likely 2 days a week! Do you have a link to the guidance please?

Even before Corona, there was a copy of this cartoon in the loos of the school I work at.

The solution to the toilet problem depends on the layout of your school, where the classrooms are, where the toilets are etc. Both for Adults and Children. There is no one size fits all. Probably at least initially short days so that there is only morning break supervised outside by other staff. It may mean swopping all the classrooms/furniture round so a Y1 class is paired with an Y 6 so that the teacher can keep an eye on both classes for a few minutes. Re-designation of some toilets from child to adult. Use of disabled toilets.

And there will be extra money to make this happen - there has been additional money to councils so certainly non-academies will have this. I can't see that there won't be support for academies.

Not my school but a local one

www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools

This is the new guidance @TinySleepThief

It does have a paragraph that states it is for guidance only and so schools don't have to use it but they thought Heads might find it helpful!!!!

TinySleepThief

www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools

Please can anybody link to the updated guidance issued last night which a couple of people have mentioned? The guidance which says rotas aren't acceptable? Have looked but can't find it.

X-post!

How does it work with staffing in the morning when they come in one at a time? If the teacher takes one child in to wash hands, go to their desk etc, who looks after that child when they go out to get the next one? Are they expected to be in two places at once? This is for each bubble, so you'd need an extra member of staff to supervise that, surely?

I have no idea how things will loom with our school, we have heard nothing.
However, when / if Dd can go back to school I will be sending her. I’m aware of the risks, she has asthma, and I don’t want her to catch Covid if possible but she is an only child and she is suffering at present from missing her friends and her school. She is desperate to go back and see someone who isn’t me!
Balancing her mental and physical health, it’s best she goes.
Similarly I appreciate the school will do what it can to reduce the risk of transmission but we all have to be realistic - this virus will be with us for a while yet and we can’t protect ourselves from it 100%, it’s a risk we have to accept (like it or not), take what steps we can do to minimise our risks and the burden on the nhs, whilst still living our lives in a reasonable way. It’s not feasible to keep off school for the next 6-18 months while a vaccine is sorted out and administered.

One member of staff at door, one child in at time. Child washes hands and goes to classroom where teacher waiting

I feel obliged to send my year 5 back when it happens - probably not till September am I right? because the school has supplied at most 3 hours work for him during the entire time. parents have to work and we get stressed out at trying to 'teach' too, I am well-versed with Bitesize but I needed school work ideally. just waiting for the 'please don't send ypur children back but we're open letter.

Our school is also proposing to check children's and staff temperatures on entry too.

Sorry @TinySleepThief I should have linked the guidance. As op said, there is a handy paragraph that says schools can do their own thing anyway

www.gov.uk/government/publications/preparing-for-the-wider-opening-of-schools-from-1-june/planning-guide-for-primary-schools#familiarise-yourself-with-the-maximum-safe-group-size

Ours are being split in two and half will attend mon- tues and other half wed - Thursday . Then each group will be split into smaller groups with a member of staff each . They will stagger playtimes etc and do more cleaning .

Schools can access additional funding for covid provision like additional cleaning, screens, etc. They are able to claim the full FSM entitlement regardless of them being taken or not. This has allowed some parents who have lost their jobs to receive food packages. Staff can be part time.

We have been advised that staff who are currently part time might like to consider to be full-time. Not sure whether that salary increase will be covered by this additional funding or the already struggling school budget.

Thanks for tbe links to thw guidence it makes interesting reading.

We have been advised that staff who are currently part time might like to consider to be full-time.

Lots of my part time colleagues have said the same. Im also wondering if TAs will get paid teacher rates of pay if they are being expected to take sole charge of the learning for their bubble?

I have asked the question about TAs but I think as they will be using a teacher's planning the answer will probably be no.

I have asked the question about TAs but I think as they will be using a teacher's planning the answer will probably be no.

I suspect you are probably right but I do feel they should be adequately compensated especially those whose role pre lockdown was as a 1-1. Teaching 15 children is world's away from being a 1-1.

The guidance is not statutory so the decision on reopening is still down to local schools - most won’t be able to accommodate all children full time and split classes into two groups of 15. We just don’t have enough classrooms. So it’s either part time or you have to be prepared to send your child back to a class of 30 with no social distancing. Given the governor has low confidence that kids won’t spread the disease I suspect the latter is unlikely.

Oh absolutely. And what happens to the children who should have a 1-1?

You might also be interested to note the support from the British Medically Association for the more cautious approach being recommended by teachers...

The question of PPA time has also been raised