please read the guidance for schools....

[Ariseandsmellthetea99]

Key points:
-Since hospital grade PPE is neither obtainable (needed for medical staff) nor practical for teaching young children (scary and next to impossible to teach in) this is not recommended

• Since face coverings would need to be worn by all the children to have any effect at all (this relates to the science that a face covering only protects those around you not the person wearing), this isn't practical or recommended.

-They are NOT suggesting children are kept separate from all other children (as some fairly alarming photos on social media have shown).

-Children should be kept away from others who are NOT in their group bubble (the max 15 other children they WILL be mixing with). These groups should remain the same with the same adult to limit exposure for the adult.

• Any staff who are (clinically) vulnerable or live with someone vulnerable should be leading remote learning from home.

-Any children who are (clinically) vulnerable or who live with vulnerable should stay at home

• Parents should be socially distanced. To enable this, each bubble of 15 children should be dropped off at a different entrance or time.

If you disagree with these measures, please say what measure you think would be better, since children remaining home for up to 2 years is neither desirable nor healthy.

My child's school have been separating key workers children since the beginning. Reception age are having to sit at seperate tables for lessons (there's only 6 per room at the moment but 10 per class) and lunch, they aren't allowed to touch, not allowed to play together as they'll all be touching or touching the same object they're playing with (I.e a ball if they're playing catch) etc etc.

The email I received from the school yesterday said this would also be the case when /if the other children go back on June 1st.

Not to mention the 2 weeks isolation for the whole class, teacher and their families if someone tests positive.

It sounds like a logistical nightmare for all involved and I don't want my 5 year old to be stressed out for the sake of 6/7 weeks of school. I have no idea if anything will have changed by September but I'm definitely taking a wait and see approach.

Thanks to everyone engaging with this.

@JemimaPuddleCat Apologies should have said that this was for England.

@TheListeners schools presumably have capacity for approximately half the number of classes they have ordinarily, since class sizes are typically around 30 (max 30 for infant class sizes, obviously higher in yr 6 but not normally more than 35). So unless it is an infant school, they should have room for reception, year 1 and year 6.
On the matter of TAs - I fully agree. Unite should be asking for at least HLTA rate for any TAs taking responsibility for a group in this time, and central government should fund the difference.

@Eskarina1 Headteachers absolutely should have been told earlier. It's a ridiculous situation at they weren't. Although neither were cabinet so they are good company. On the subject of TAs - yes some children would only see TAs. I think this highlights how reliant schools are on the (Few remaining!) and a good opportunity to look at national pay and conditions that are around the unqualified teacher rate. They are underpaid. On how many hours are feasible - I fully expect that it will only be part time.
@Pipandmum Children will likely only be able to be in part time I think if staggering is to work at all.
@PheasantPlucker1 it seems to suggest children will eat in classrooms in their bubble. This brings into question how we ensure breaks for teachers. Realistically, I think this is only possible if all teachers are fed by the school and eat with their bubble, and the hours are short with no formal assessment or planning requirements. In terms of TAs, I can't imagine many schools will have double the staff required especially with so many staff needing (for good reason) to be working from home. Presumably the adult in charge will stay in the loo and supervise the hand washing at key times. Possible, if time consuming.
@siring1 apologies, the two years is a total guess. I am guessing that is how long it will take for a vaccine to have been developed, tested and rolled out on mass. Happy to take other guesses!

Irrespective of all of this what no one has yet been able to answer is when the fuck do the teachers get to go to the toilet?

Well as it seems that no one wants to send their children in, it shouldn't be difficult to achieve class sizes of 15.
Given the rates of coughs, snot etc in primary kids, most of them will be off half the time anyway!

I’m concerned about toileting and frequent handwashing and how that will be managed, amongst all the other points people have already raised.
There aren’t enough toilets for each bubble of 15 to have a designated one, our children are accustomed to drinking vast amounts of water and having free access whenever they fancy.

@TinySleepThief Indeed! I think the government are envisioning something akin to a childminding situation. This requires a real culture shift in schools about what is acceptable or normal...and of course nearby loos.

Whole thing is ridiculous- the virus was circulating for months before we found out and no serious illness or death for mixing in school environment. Just need to get back now. Washing hands is always a good thing obviously. We should be in the vanguard reassuring children and giving them normality, not whinging and panicking them.

I’d also like a transparent face visor and vast supplies of 70% of anti-bac, hand cleanser, tissues...that I don’t have to pay for.

@HeffalumpsCantDance is that more a concern when more children are in school? Presumably reception have their own and year 1 nearby. So maybe that becomes an issue if and when we get more years in school. It is starting to look like medium term there will need to be further funding for things like portaloos or even building additional loos over the summer.

@HeffalumpsCantDance what year do you teach? Personally wouldn't want that for primary but can see how it would be okay for secondary.

Please explain to me why I am supposed to be reassured why I am supposed to be reassured by the claim that testing will be available to all in the bubble should a pupil or staff member develop symptoms.
A) I don't believe that
B) If the test comes back positive, then it is too late! I would have caught the virus and pray I survive.

Most classes in state schools have 30 kids, you’d need double the number of classrooms - and teachers - if they were all in school full time.

They’ve got round the teachers bit by not needing the extra staff to be teachers.

Secondary are better at keeping their distance, primary are up close and in your face, but better at dealing with fancy dress. Clear full-face visor would mean they could see your face without spitting, coughing and sneezing in it.

What’ll happen to all the pupils with additional needs who need a 1:1 TA to access the classroom, if their TA has been pressganged into teaching 15 children they aren’t trained for?

I will be wearing masks when I return. Parents do not have the right to question my health or my family's to know why I feel that is best.
Parents need to prepare their children if they think they will be frightened as more people will be wearing them when out, there are lot of pics on the internet to show a child and a simple explanation about how the adult wants to keep germs away is enough.

They’ve got round the teachers bit by not needing the extra staff to be teachers.

If they’re only having one adult per bubble, I reckon my DC’s school have enough TAs to have the extra staff bit covered in that case.
But a scenario where the TA is expected to completely cover the teacher’s role doesn’t sound at all ideal.

It probably won’t stop them wiping their nose on your trousers though.

@Hippywannabe You're not. It does mean though that if one of the many other 'bubble's in your school get sick you are much less likely to be exposed.

But a scenario where the TA is expected to completely cover the teacher’s role doesn’t sound at all ideal.

I’d imagine the inbox is going to be overflowing with e-mails from parents about why their child needs to be in the group with the teacher.

What’ll happen to all the pupils with additional needs who need a 1:1 TA to access the classroom, if their TA has been pressganged into teaching 15 children they aren’t trained for?

Good question. Shame the guidance doesn't mention anything abut those with a 1-1

No idea how this will happen in a there-form entry school with just one TA per year group...who will teach the remaining two classes of 15. That's a shortfall of 14 teachers/TAs.

Hippywannabe

Don't forget that a lot of children are asymptomatic.

@MinorArcana most TAs nowadays tend to 1:1s not general ones, local schools near us don't have any general TAs.

Who are the clinical vulnerable staff and kids? The shielded group or the larger vulnerable group?

Being part of the vulnerable group (as is my dc) I am pretty anxious about returning to the classroom.

At the same time, if I'm off and all the other vulnerable staff, schools will struggle to open.

The government does not appear to have consulted with anyone in education

I think this is the crux of the matter really. It’s all just back of the fag packet panic policy-making.

A bit like announcing a Covid-secure workplace standard (which can be inspected by the HSE) that doesn’t exist at the time they want people to go back to work.

And none of it seems to join up. The Northern Irish plan was much more sensible insofar as it set out plans to expand the eligibility for schools places alongside expansions to the workforce. That makes more sense that cherry picking year groups.