Is your school making concrete plans to use other spaces?

[Blankiefan]

There's been lots of chat about how schools should be innovative and use other spaces to increase capacity when schools to back in August (e.g. have 25 kids with one teacher in a local sports hall rather for 5 days per week rather than 12 kids and one teacher in the classroom for only 2 days per week). Our school (in Scotland) has made no plans to do this despite some obvious spaces close to the school.

I'm interested to know if this is really happening anywhere or just a nice idea that will never work.

There aren't local sports halls here- the only sports halls belong to schools already, who hire them out to community groups in the evenings/weekends!

They built a handful of nightingale hospitals, outside conurbations, mainly in conference centres. They're very large, and take time to get to.
How would that help the 24000 schools in England alone that need extra classroom space on site so that children can actually access it?

The Guidance that @Appuskidu linked is the updated DFE guidance for wider reopening of schools - the primary planning document. It was update to say that today.

No, cause can't!

School have been a big long list of can'ts, won'ts and don'ts...so wouldn't even ask!

@Appuskidu

The primary guidance is fairly clear that this should NOT be happening.

Petition to change the guidance? Why aren't the HT doing that?

Why aren't the HT doing that?

My HT has been working flat out in school, since March.

What, you think that HTs should start a fucking petition to overturn some rule that is never going to work anyway?
Gazebo, please piss off and do your goading elsewhere.

Petition to change the guidance? Why aren't the HT doing that?

You think on top of everything else they've been doing, they should have been petitioning government too??

Why don't you do it if it's that important to you?

HTs have been trying themselves up in knots trying to meet the existing, and ever changing, guidelines. They dont have time to do anything else.

My HT has phoned me at 9pm on week nights and any time of the day over the weekends. She doesn't stop working.

The Scottish Govt seem more front footed about this: extract from BBC article

"Asked about Edinburgh's plans, which could see pupils in school for just one day a week, Mr Swinney replied: "I accept that and I don't think that's strong enough."

He said authorities should be looking at how they could use leisure facilities or public buildings to increase the amount of classroom space."

I'll be interested to see our council's response.

@CallmeAngelina You're so lovely - I'd miss you too much.
PS have you seen this...clearly all teaching bashing😏

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/15/2m-children-in-uk-have-done-almost-no-school-work-in-lockdown

@Whaddyathinkofthis You are right because education provision has nothing to do with Headteachers.

I’m going to be teaching full secondary classes (up to 33 pupils) in large spaces in the school from August. There will be several classes in each of these spaces and we’ve got no answers on the practicalities of this re: sound, how children are going to be able to see the board, behaviour policies, etc. We don’t actually be able to see the space before August. I think it’s going to be an absolute nightmare and have actually been quite upset about it tonight.

Sorry, that should read “We won’t be able to see the spaces...”, obviously.

GazeboParty

where's your "can do" attitude?

Why can’t church schools use their local churches. Our school regularly takes them to church so I don’t see why they Can’t extend to having a lesson there without much risk assessment bother.

@FrippEnos Didn’t realise teachers were so passive - you wait to be told what to do, no professional responsibility leave it to the parents to sort it out, Yep I’m trying.

Petitioning to change the guidance might be a viable (if futile) move if it weren't for the fact that the guidance is more of a rolling feed than a static document. It's forever bloody changing.

GazeboParty

Now your just being negative.

@BreconBeBuggered

Petitioning to change the guidance might be a viable (if futile) move if it weren't for the fact that the guidance is more of a rolling feed than a static document. It's forever bloody changing.

Maybe petitioning for some bloody leadership might be better - but that’s unlikely to happen.

@FrippEnos

GazeboParty

Now your just being negative.

@FrippEnos - you are right as always.

GazeboParty

Now your just being passive.

@FrippEnos

GazeboParty

Now your just being passive.

Funny

@FrippEnos " you're"

In reality this would definitely take some LEA/govt level intervention to happen on a consistent scale across the country.

the schools would have to negotiate terms with each community group. LEAs /Govt have statutory powers they can use to requisition buildings if necessary, which gives them an entirely different negotiating strength.

It would be far better to focus on rolling out proper remote teaching. this also has the flexibility for schools to use it for some students all the time and others when their bubble has to shut temporarily.

@NeverTwerkNaked