Proposal for Schools in Sept

[BelleSausage]

So, the announcement over the last couple of days have seemed to suggest that school opening in September is getting uncertain.

There’s lots of people out there putting forward what they want to see in Sept and I think there is a way to get all kids back in for school and pick up the childcare strain so working parents (let’s face it mostly mums) can manage to work.

Here it is:

Schools divided into two bubbles- bubble A and bubble B. (Could make further sub-divisions in bubbles if necessary)

Bubble A- in school Mon and Tues then at a support school Thurs and Fri.

Bubble B- in school Thurs and Fri and in support school Mon and Tuesday.

Both locations deep cleaned on a Wednesday.

I propose that the government get together with local authorities, schools and local businesses to find suitable premises for the support schools, so that there is a separate site I.e- old sure start centres, empty office blocks, halls etc.

They can be staffed from supply agencies and a recruitment drive. Or by the teachers for that ‘bubble’

Bubbles would be by household rather than by year group.

My main concern at the moment is two fold: sustaining learning as infection levels spike and lockdowns have to be introduced and stopping the entire education system falling over from staffing shortages.

I think this is a reasonable halfway house.

Comments?

I see no one is up for a reasonable conversation about this then.

I think it's far more likely that schools split pupils into Week A and Week B groups.

Possibly with a half day on Friday to cover staff PPA and a deep clean.

@LatteLover12

Could work too but would put a lot more strain on working parents. I get why some people are desperate for full time school too.

I think the government really needs to step up and find a solution for the childcare gap that doesn’t risk the education of children.

Really can’t see how GCSEs can run next year if lots of schools are going in and out of isolation and students are missing teaching. It is so concerning and I haven’t seen anything to address it so far.

You only waited 14 mins for a response , maybe people are eating their dinner or something?!
Sounds a reasonable suggestion, I think our village would struggle for additional locations though (2 primary schools, one community hall, no office blocks (empty or otherwise) that I’m aware of).

@Drivingdownthe101

I’ve just sat down from doing bedtime and may be a touch tired and grumpy 😳

Been chuntering to myself all day about this. Getting really worried about Sept.

It is concerning. Fact is no solution is going to suit everyone. Problem is though I’m not convinced there is anyone in authority who is trying to come up with any sort of solution!

Wouldn't work for some children with sen. Definitely wouldn't work for mine.

Logistically doubling the number of schools which would include lots of equipment as well as extra staff would be very difficult. Where I live we don't have lots of suitable extra buildings.

It would be hard to identify a 'support school' for every school and get it kitted out with desks, chairs, display equipment and suitable staff in 5 or 6 weeks time even with a budget. Without that budget how would that work?

It's exactly what was going to happen in Scotland until they decided that schools would go back full time. Less than two weeks till return here.

Look I don't think it's a dreadful idea, but it probably isn't as simple as it seems. These premises need to have some kind of insurance, presumably. And what happens on Wednesday? Also sounds like you need twice as many cleaners as you'd need to clean the support school premises. The bubbles are still huge, plus issues of transport (older kids on public transport etc).

Thinking of my local school, there just isn't time to organise something like that for next term. It took our school 4 months to figure out how to run an MS teams call! I cannot see where they would get the funding to recruit staff, cleaners, pay insurances, buy missing furniture etc. The paltry amount the government set aside for supporting the schools will not go far.

Without the support schools, just at home on the days not at school.

@Sockwomble

It would require extra investment and thought. Which I fear the government are’t going to give.

There needs to be flexibility to give SEN students the support they need. I think one size fits all is not the way to go.

But my big worry is that when faced with pubs or schools, the government will just let education slide into dust to support the hospitality trade.

Most schools can’t function with more than ten percent of staff out sick. There will come a point in autumn term when schooling will grind to a halt because of staff shortages if nothing is done to decrease infection rates.

Not sure how bubble with family rather than age would work for actual learning/teaching even with sub bubbles. I’m not saying the current plan is great and full of issues anyway with cross contamination, but it then comes down to school being more childcare than learning, which was what a lot of key worker children experienced.

I’m not saying it’s simple. It’s just an idea. I think it’s better to try to be constructive and find a way.

Deffo would need LA and DfE support and planning. Would require time to set up (delayed Sept start) and buy in from parents.

I am just sick to death of unhelpful threads on this topic where people insist full time opening is a panacea. It has the real potential to go horribly wrong in about fifty ways.

I don't see how you can provide full specialist teaching for 10 or so GCSEs with proper access to labs, art rooms etc on that basis

Not least as pupils will not necessarily make subject options that can tidily be divided into aonoy two groups. Especially when you consider that in the vast majority of schools subjects such as maths are settled, and English, maths and language sets might not match

@meditrina

It would be quite straightforward on that front. Year groups are already divided into two populations at most secondaries for setting. A few students would have to be moved about to fit but would still have an equivalent set on the side they moved to.

And practicals can be done on the days they’re in school. The write up done when they are doing self study at support school.

Bubbles by family would not work for those in more than one school, I don't think my 15yr old would appreciate being in a class with 10yr olds!

I can see it working more for primary school but with three dc in three different schools I think it would be a logistical nightmare.

Just send the bloody kids back to school, this is not their problem!

Wrap around care wouldn't be able to go ahead , support staff work across multiple year groups so more than one bubble logistical nightmare just to plan the current bubble system xx

I had a similar conversation with a friend. He DCs school is a village school, 15 children per year Ours is a 2 form school in a reasonable sized town with multiple schools. He could identify 6or 7 spaces in the village for extra classrooms. I could identify 2 close to our school. Maybe a couple of extra in shops that have shut.

I’m thinking each class split in to two groups one week on and one week off, My son has been at school since May but there were only 7 children in his ‘bubble’ the less children mix the better, all the children and parents couldn’t help mixing it was a joke.

@TW2013

I didn’t quite mean it that way. The ‘bubble’ would have to be done by school population. In secondary you should be able to have students in their year group but streamed (lots of schools do this anyway) instead of set.

They key is to press the government to fill that childcare gap with something other than school. So that if a bubble becomes infected it is less likely to spread to other bubbles and cause more closure.

There needs to be a childcare revolution in this country. It just does not work.

It will end up being put back to local authorities and headteachers to solve at a local / individual school level because no two school buildings are the same and no catchment/staff group are the same.

The period from March 23rd to end of July was one of the most stressful that school leaders and staff have been through. It takes a very supportive LA to keep things on track.

I agree it's a worry for September but I don't have much faith in this government putting children and staff first I'm afraid.

[support schools] can be staffed from supply agencies and a recruitment drive.

This is completely unrealistic. You won't get the DBSs done or anyone qualified recruited in the necessary window. There is a bad teacher shortage now & that's while pretending no teachers are shielders or just plain scared. You can't magic up qualified people like that.

@ragged

I know that. But schools need to be supported to make all the vital roles they fulfil work.

The government needs to stump up. If that’s paying to have supply staff vetted and managing the process then so be it.