Our children have the right to an education.

[NameChange738676756]

So many posts about whether schools will be safe when they reopen but I’m not seeing this point made. Lots of discussion around the childcare that schools provide and the importance on children socially.

My 11 year old has lost all interest and I can’t get him to do anything significant. We’ve had one zoom social with his teacher and classmates. So pretty much zero learning going on.

We know children are less susceptible and there is some discussion around whether they’re transmitting less. The children of key workers (i.e. the ones more likely to catch and spread it) have been at school the whole time and as far as I know there haven’t been massive outbreaks in schools.

So I think I just want to loudly shout: our children have the right to an education.

I think the biggest thing that is getting lost in translation on here is that most teachers are not against reopening schools. But the lack of clarity and planning from the government is frustrating. The blanket 'no PPE' required for schools when they are advising PPE in supermarkets and on transport is confusing - it makes people question why it is different for teachers. I'd be devastated if I infected a pupil. The fact that we are going back to school but not back to teaching is a huge worry. 15 to a class in secondary means I'm not seeing my class and teaching my subject.

In primaries, they are rushing the opening with little thought to how schools space kids out, provide access to hand washing, organise pick ups and drop offs. If R, Yr1 and 6 go back on June 1st they will have plenty of classrooms to space those kids out. Makes sense, but the guidance goes on to say 'all primary school children to have one month of learning'. In my LEA, that means a return to school for everyone else on June 8th. The school can not double the amount of classrooms they have, even if they use the hall, the library and the outside learning space (weather permitting). So is my primary aged child going to be back in her class of 32? Shes already had one autoimmune condition - although the risk is small, the Kawasaki thing really worries me. Wi they actually get the opportunity to wash their hands?

Then there is the question of why English schools are going back ahead of Welsh, Scottish and Irish schools. Why? Why is it safe in England but not in the other countries? Asking as a teacher and a parent now.

Still, I will go back June 1st with Yr 10. I will continue teaching online. It isnt that I dont want to go back, I just want some clarification on the above.

Then there is the question of why English schools are going back ahead of Welsh, Scottish and Irish schools. Why? Why is it safe in England but not in the other countries? Asking as a teacher and a parent now.

Scottish (and Irish I think) schools break up earlier. So it isn’t comparing like with like. If English schools followed the same terms as Scottish they wouldn’t be returning ahead of the summer either.

@Xenia - a voucher system would be grossly unfair on so many children. it would lead to a huge attainment gap. Okay for the middle classes who would supplement the voucher but what about others.

The government would still have to fund schools but lets assume that the voucher was £3k and you still had to buy 180 days of schooling that would be £16 per day. Some schools may be oversubscribed and therefore charge £26 or more per day .... what about extras ?
A Level Chemistry tutor - up to £60 per hour
Music tuition - shared class £14 per hour
Swimming lesson £5
etc

Or is it a case that the middle class will just use the £3k as a discount against private school fees? Then all the disadvantage and poor kids will have no access to well paid jobs!

You are just pulling up the ladder and stopping social mobility - shame on you

@hatingthevirtuous
I get what you're saying and do think it would be lovely.

But if teachers provided 1.1 sessions for any pupils, this would amount to maybe an hour of teaching per week. (30 pupils per teacher - 6 hourlong slots, five days per week. Similar argument for state funded childminding, though cheaper as childminders don't need teacher training. So not particularly helpful.

In small groups it gets better, but not a lot. In groups of 6, you're up to an hour a day, and probably quite decent teaching in a group this size.

In groups of 30, you're up to 5 hours per day. I must admit I've not tried it. Other teachers on this thread have I think, so I'll leave that up to then (while being suspicious that it wouldn't be easy to hold the attention!)

I completely agree that if schools can't return in September, we need a radical change as the inequalities are too big. I'm just not seeing a solution yet that I feel is workable. I suspect that's partly why government feel schools should begin returning ASAP, especially for the littlest, who really do need an adult in the room, not on zoom (I hope I've just accidentally made up the next government slogan!)

The Scottish government haven't said there is no point in opening schools though. They have said it isnt safe. That's the question.

There are common sense answers to lots of the problems cited. Private schools, and one state school to my knowledge, are delivering a full academic primary school curriculum. I can see no reason why other state primaries can't do the same. They could even club together and share content and workload. My university has worked hard over Easter vac to change to online delivery of classes.
Kids who are vulnerable/ don't have online access could be taught in parallel in school as they are open for key workers. If their parents don't send them in or they don't attend online then the EWO should be involved.
When schools open up, they could send the kids in part time only. For example- week one- group one (half the class) come in to school, week two, group two. This would give the weekend for any virus contamination to naturally be eradicated. Flex the curriculum for 50% online/50% in school. With 1 teacher and I TA per class this could be manageable with planning.

Scottish (and Irish I think) schools break up earlier. So it isn’t comparing like with like. If English schools followed the same terms as Scottish they wouldn’t be returning ahead of the summer either.

Wales puts a spanner in the works in that theory though.

Whatsername177 - of course it's not completely safe nothing is, we have to accept a new level of risk for the foreseeable future
The Scottish government depend a lot on the taxes from rest of England to survive so they're actually being very selfish.

@ChiaraRimini how do they get to school ? Most of ours are on buses.What happens if medical emergency - epipen from 2m will be tricky so better practice my darts. Drop off and pick up all at the same time - we will have over 400 with just 2 year groups and one main gate. Break times and keeping them apart. And year 10s who think coughing on staff and each other is hilarious.
Not obstacles but things we have to plan for before we go back. We are doing just that right now. On top of teaching and marking and feedback and pastoral calls and chasing students. And preparing more on line resources for next half term. We will get there. Let's work together and we can make it work. Teacher bashing doesn't help.

under I forgot. Scots don't work or pay taxes......

They actually pay more taxes than you.........

@ChiaraRimini

I'm genuinely interested in your claims that some primary schools are delivering a full academic curriculum online. Any links or anything so I can see if any of it could work in my school. I don't believe it to be possible, but I'd love to be proved wrong

Quite apart from the lack of clarity and planning from the government - what about the lack of consultation? Surely the people best placed to both spot the challenges, and brainstorm the solutions are the people involved in education at the frontline - the teachers and head teachers?

Hating, your laissez faire voucher scheme is obviously nonsense and would only widen the gap (which is the whole point of free market ideology) but i can agree on the centralised resources idea up to a point. Schools and teachers already due to the backdoor privatisation of schools have to buy in many resources, Twinkle, TTrockstars, Class Dojo Read Write Inc etc If there was one central government funded (out of the education budget) site where all the worksheets, lesson plans, tracking and intervention aids could be sourced it would save many thousands of work hours as teachers would be able to click on the correct week in the national curriculum and get everything they need and not have to find/make from scratch. It'll never happen though as it would stop some people getting rich.

@mumsneedwine

I have seen your epipen example twice now and really dislike it as it does come across to me as catastrophising. It's a really specific risk that applies only to a small proportion of students, and is usually a rare thing to have to do for those, involving a very short time within 2m.

Absolutely I'd administer an epipen. And I dare say you would too.

The rest of your post is spot on.

@titbumwillypoo I would love to work for that government!

@qweryuiop it's an easy example to illustrate the myriad of risk assessments we are trying to make. And we have one student who usually needs one every few days so pretty normal for us. Usually needs a 2nd before ambulance arrives. And I have got her blood on me several times pulling needle out. Don't have time for gloves. I need to be able to treat her without breathing on her. We have another with a medical condition where she needs her feeding tube cleaned - we are liaising with doctors over that one. We have several who need carrying down stairs in case of fire. So not catastrophising, just trying to make sure we have covered everything before it happens. Because risk assessments are part of a teachers life.

I thoroughly appreciate the discussion this thread eventually lead to. My initial desire to create the post was exactly what posters are discussing... the long term plan to deliver a formal education to our children. I wish I'd been more coherent or could have expressed myself better in my OP so that we didn't have to deal with the teacher bashing or sanctimonious parents telling me that I should be doing a better job.

Thanks to the posters who provided a great discussion.

Thanks mumsneedwine

I would have loved to have been a teacher back in the day when parents were less of a pain in the arse. And when you could teach roughly to a curriculum whilst allowing your mind to wander - today started with ‘freedom of speech’ and I still can’t remember how we arrived at ‘Concorde.’ But she’d never heard of Concorde, so I’m going to take her on a class trip to see it when I’m able to.

It’s genuinely the biggest privilege to inspire and educate children, but teaching one interested child is not like being a teacher in real life. I would still like her to go back to school, as sadly, I’m not able to do my ‘proper’ job under these circumstances, and whilst I’m still paid, I’ve become an under achiever, meaning there’s a knock on effect to the NHS, who employ me.

@Daffodil101 I came to teaching late after a corporate career. And I love it. Even the monkeys (in fact especially them).
We are all doing our best at the moment and that's all anyone can ask. Keep safe and keep teaching - I think instilling a love of learning is a key thing to try and achieve during this. Veer off the curriculum with KS3 and below and do the fun stuff. Learn about the world around you and experiment with stuff. RSC have some fab chemistry in the cupboard experiments to try.

There’s no way in this earth I’m doing chemistry!! There’s definitely a teacher in me, however. I sometimes wonder if I should switch careers then I give my head a wobble. But the feeling never goes away. Something about explaining a concept in a way they understand, using analogies - however I have no crowd control to worry about and only one learning style to cater to. Can’t imagine thirty of the buggers in a class.

So why do I still always wonder?

Go volunteer when this is all over. Teenagers are funny and sparky and challenging and oh so rewarding. Come spend a day with me if you like.

I do love when the odd poster pops up with the 'everyone teach zoom lessons'. I've been through the reasons why it is not easily do able for our pupils a million times, but a new reason popped up today. I have a 3 yo toddler. I was on my own as DH had taken our eldest to a hospital appointment. On zoom in a meeting when my toddler announced she needs a poo. I have to excuse myself to do the wipe and wash. My colleagues found it funny, then tolerated me having her sat quietly on my knee for half of the meeting when she decided to velcro. I couldn't do the same in front of a class of 30. Her nursery is closed and I have no other childcare. Dh is also WFH and can't have them full time whilst I zoom all day because he also conducts meetings on zoom. We clash enough times as it is.

What’s your subject, mums?

My degree isn’t in a curriculum subject, I’d have to teach primary. I’d love Y6 but the SATS drilling would be soul destroying.

@mumsneedwine. fair enough. I absolutely agree with you on risk assessments. I'm primary so as well as medical needs, we still have plenty who need routine help with toileting too, which is a concern. I guess my experience of kids with epipens isn't the same as yours, and I'm overly worried of giving the impression that teachers think we're special. Which I shouldn't be!