Headteacher has posted this to facebook

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The headteacher at my DCs school has posted this to Facebook. He says that social distancing is impossible and unless we would be happy to let our DC play in a supermarket for hours to 'not even think about' bringing them to school. I have 2 expected back on June 1st. AIBU to keep them off after this?

m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10222994594279008&id=1403891361

Yes @kleeo

Maybe Rob should be doing some research and observation instead of spouting off on Facebook because we are in the fortunate position of being several weeks behind other countries who are returning to school.

By using his observation skills and digging a little deeper than scanning Daily Mail headlines he will be able to find hard evidence about the result of sending kids back to school, take some best practice from the countries that have gone before us, and be able to look at how children being back in school affects the infection rate in staff and families because again - fortunate that we are not the guinea pigs - that information will be available to help him form a plan, and a reasoned, fact based argument for that plan.

But that maybe seems like too much hard work and it’s easier to furiously type your brain contents into your phone for five minutes and sit back and watch the likes roll in...

@Fedup21 yes I've seen the guidance on small groups and the ambition that all primary children are back at school before the summer, but missed where it said they must all be full time?

@lilgreen could you link to the full time guidance?

I happen to agree with him. There has been very little evidence to show how safe putting groups of children is. Adults have to keep 2m apart but children don’t? Why is this? I also don’t feel that the Kawasaki disease type responses have been adequately explored. One London hospital has had 40 cases and 7 of those ended ventilating. Most are testing negative for covid and have no other symptoms yet half are showing antibody responses indicating that they have indeed had it at some time. We don’t know what this means and until we do how can our children together with no social distancing?

If this guy does not get sacked, there is something seriously wrong. Any other profession, if you completely undermined your paymasters like that, it would be instant dismissal (and that’s regardless or whether he is right or wromg - a point many here simply cannot grasp).

'He's approaching the whole situation with a completely negative perspective. His whole section on how he doesn't have enough classrooms/staff, it's pretty obvious the kids are going to need to be part time! He comes across as whiny and not looking where there are in fact solutions'

Yes, an exit plan was requested and this is an aim to start on June 1st on condition that the r rate stays below 1.

Fb is not a professional way to communicate such issues. His comments on not being able to build 20 classrooms make him look stupid, of course they will be part - time. There are many more questions than answers but a Head should be reassuring parents that they are working with unions, health and safety professionals and he will update them with plans.

@Bluntness100 yeah we all want to be off until September it’s not like we’re working from 7am-9pm most days, planning, marking, teaching, giving feedback, ringing parents, Zooming, organising care packages ...... the list is endless ..... I for one I’m loving this little jolly 🤦‍♀️

I’d take my headteacher’s word over that of Gavin Williamson.

He is taking responsibility and setting out the practicalities or otherwise of the situation in his school. Parents can make their own assessment based upon their personal circumstances.

The guidance says that they hope all Primary School children will be in school for a month before the school holidays. There does not seem to be anything in the guidance that says children can come in part-time.

I wish schools didn’t use Facebook. Totally unprofessional.

@twinnywinny14 it is possible that a separate infection is doing the rounds unconnected with COVID. Something that happens all the time and normally wouldn’t be picked up by news outlets. But infections and illness are the agenda just now so you are going to hear about it. More children will be in hospital with chicken pox right now but a new mystery illness is far more enticing for clicks and shares.

No mention of part time but mention on staggered lunch times and drop-off and pick-up times which suggests all day.

@ineedaholidaynow are you saying that as the guidance says nothing about whether children need to be full or part time, just that they need to be in small groups of half a class, that you are assuming they must all be full time
That doesn't really make sense.

If children are in small groups, and schools are unlikely to have double the classrooms they normally need, it's pretty obvious they will need to be part time?

@lilgreen - groups can be in for a full day but it may need to be alternate weeks.
Alternate weeks is better than half days to reduce pinch points at pick up and drop off times.

I see what you’re saying @Kleeo but it doesn’t read that way does it? Will find out more when we meet with our Headteacher.

How do you interpret that ‘all children will be in for a month’ and how do you think most parents will interpret it?

Obviously it would be better for social distancing and keeping children in small groups that it will be part-time but not sure how that fits with that statement.

You changed your name for this post but your quite ok about posting this teacher’s name on a website with an international readership. I bit unfair don’t you think? Regardless whether it was ok for him to post this or not...I bet he is boss is not going to be happy with him.

And for people who are criticising him - we live in a country of fair speech he is entitled to his point of view. Yes he is an employee - but he also has a moral responsibility so he is allowed to disagree publically with his employer.

@lilgreen yes it does read that way I understand there are safety concerns but people seem to be being deliberately a bit silly about this?
"It doesn't spell out exactly how to organise this so I'm going to assume it's the most impractical and unsafe way possible"
Why not just work on the safest and most practical way within the guidelines? That's what childcare providers are doing.

Also per the guidance, the adult assigned to each group of children should only stay with that group not move to other groups. That doesn’t work if you are saying one group of children come in for the morning and another in the afternoon as they shouldn’t have the same class teacher.

@tilder well it’s not actually possible to catch either of those anyway ...

I’m not saying it’s even an acceptable risk because I don’t think it is. My point is that there is additional risk with some professions and regardless of whether it’s right or wrong doesn’t take away the risk being there.

I don’t think I’ll be responding further to you either way as your point about teachers needing to ‘sort their profession out’ tells me we are already at opposite sides of a big wall.

@MinkowskisButterfly yes I get that. But I also know why lockdown happened. It was never supposed to be forever until the virus vanishes. It was to stop emergency services being overwhelmed.
We cannot avoid every risk of everything, but those at greatest risk will still shield/isolate when restrictions start to lift.

I think he will probably be sacked

But he is right

I've worked with infant and Primary aged children as well as being a mum myself. Kids who have been indoors for 23 out of 24 hours for several months will be so overwhelmed to see their friends, their peers and the teachers they won't be able to stop themselves hugging. It will be pure sensory overload for all.

The younger ones will really struggle to understand and how do you make them without scaring the hell out of them?

When I was at infants, we were not permitted in unless we could use the toilet unaided. I don't think that's always instilled now. Also we were lined up before and after break and lunchtimes to all go to the loo, then the sinks were on a long walk in the corridor so our teacher could ensure we were washing our hands. We would be told to cover our faces of we coughed or sneezed and woe betide anyone not blowing their nose into a tissue. You aren't allowed to do any of that anymore.

Can I also point out that this FB post is the only one of his that is set to public. This is a very deliberate post to get likes etc - it is not on "his private account"