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?

The bubble idea doesn’t work. Children have siblings in different classes and different schools. They use different after school care and attend different after school activities. Children often travel to school by bus or tube. These children have parents who travel to work by public transport and work for businesses with many different people. One child can be in numerous different bubbles.

The kids are going back that's all there is too it. Great proposal but not happening. Will be business as normal as it is for all is people currently working and not stuck watching sky news all day

With attendance at part time schooling where do children go on a non school day whilst their parents are at work?

Scotland schools start back in 10 days -Hopefully we can manage to go full time for the whole term until the October break. Our contingency plan at my children's school is part time each week but hopefully it won't come to that. It looks like the goverments will do what they can elsewhere to ensure schools do open.

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

I'm not sure that is the case. It is definitely not universal practice

Transport would be an issue. It’s proven to be the hardest part of the logistics for my school. Rural, with 90% of students arriving on many buses from two countries and three counties. With your plan, throw in different days in different places, I have no idea how it would be organised

What do you do with the children on the days they aren’t in school that doesn’t involve hundreds of thousands of women trashing their careers? Because it will be women who lose out.

Also, why all the chopping and changing between schools? Why not just split each school with a mix of existing staff and some new ones from the magic supply you need to make your plan work?

The government have said no more money for schools- they are not even stumping up for the cleaning Actually they pay for deep cleaning after an outbreak only which is scandulous.

The government need to commit to paying for the school cleaning costs. Otherwise schools are choosing whether to buy necessities like TAs and textbooks rather than antibacterial gel and cleaners wages.

I really don’t think the Government cares about education. It is of no benefit to the economy. If women have to give up work to look after kids and home school then that will solve the potential rising unemployment problem as they can be replaced by men. Let’s get back to the 1960s.

I would be surprised if schools have handwash in all bathrooms and hand gel in classrooms, there isn't usually in our neck of the woods. Never mind deep clean! Unless as usual staff buy it themselves.

Secondary aged kids do not need a parent at home if they have to be home, although it is obviously much better. So I would split the days into two halves, a morning and an afternoon cohort. So kids are not home alone for too long. When you're not in you're doing blended learning, pe classes could be a walk or a video, online, something independent. If you have English or maths say four times a week, two classes to introduce concepts and two to do practical application or extended practice. Other subjects similar. Anything that really needs kids in school, maybe tech or music has its timetable time taken off it for first half term and given to another subject then they can swap later.
Staff and pupils to wear masks in all changeovers and spaces outside of the classroom. Inside the classroom teacher has visor and visor or mask for students. Loads of ideas, better than mine are floating around, but they do need to be a lot better than what is proposed now.

I do think more pressure needs to be brought to bear on the government to do something realistic for education. They’ve listened to the fantasists at Us for Them and all that has done is lost school the funding and time to actually prepare properly for blended learning and part time provisions. Never mind address the childcare issues of parents.

I do actually think that most parents and teachers want the same thing: a good, consistent educational offer and supporting families.

I am concerned that the government will go for the economy over education and will give schools nothing. And the whole system will collapse with lots of schools shut from staffing shortages by October/Nov.

What will people do for childcare then? The government needs to step in and provide a safety net for working families. This is actually not the responsibility of schools. It was not what they were set up to do. It’s not what they were equipped for.