Annoyed with schools with big classrooms only allowing 8 in a bubble

[abreviation]

Government guidelines clearly say primary school dc are not expected to social distance so bubbles of 15 instead (16 in pre school). Why are loads of schools deciding to have half this number? This basically prevents any other year groups any chance of returning.

Eyfs guidance is muddy. Says 8 but also says no more than 15. its also not just room size but staffing. So you might feel 15 children could fit in the room but the school might risk assess and say thats unsafe eith those particular children or only one staff who is a TA not a teacher..

I have 15 in my bubble and they all came back. My classroom is full and I really feel sorry for the children in the back row. They are so far away from me and the board. Another bubble only has 7 children (more decided to stay away) and they have much more of a closeness for the children in that bubble.

I am giving them as much individual attention as I can taking into account the fact I am not supposed to walk around the room.

This is not an ideal situation for anyone.

I would much rather a school be over cautious than under cautious. Many local authorities are still advising not to reopen beyond key workers at all because they don’t believe the situation is stable enough to risk it yet.

There is advice suggesting that delaying the return could reduce transmission. Bubbles aren't set in stone, perhaps they might be combined at a later date allow more year groups in.

Parents and children, who have given up so much in the last few months, are entitled to ask questions about the scientific rationale behind a school's decisions. And that's without being leapt on by shrill assertions that if they don't work in a school they're not allowed to ask.

I'd prefer my child to be in a bubble of 8 rather than 15 even if it meant part time school attendance instead of full time. It's safer.

Why are shops only allowing a certain number of customers?
Why aren't hospitals doing routine operations?
Why can thousands of people protest and spit all over each other when shouting but I can't see my mum?

Because the government are making it up as they go along and don't have a clue. The guidance says 15 but in reality when you factor in teachers desk, 15 desks, reading corner, coats, bags etc there isn't enough room. There's also staff ratios, number of toilets, outdoor space for breaktimes, space for parents to drop off. When one person is sick everyone in the bubble is off for 7 days and their household for 14 days so keeping the bubble numbers low impacts less people if someone is infected. That's why it's GUIDANCE and left to people who actually know the school to decide

Children should still maintain 2m distancing where possible.

@Letseatgrandma

They can’t bring back year 6 as all classrooms full of bubbles of 8 with 2 teachers per bubble

2 teachers per bubble-really?

Maybe the teachers want to be able to go for a wee during the day?

The school dont decide independently!

Our school had a visit from the health and safety officer at the council and he did all the measuring and deciding.

I doubt very much it is two teachers per 8 children.

2 adults perhaps, yes.

YABU

My classroom is large. I can get 15 in, but there’s no social distancing - 1m between each child when sitting, no space when anyone ( including adults) move. If you think that they can sit in their seats all day apart from breaks, you’re deluded.

8 would mean distancing and space to move.

My windows open about 3 inches and there’s no airflow. And no PPE.

YABVU and difficult.

It doesn’t matter what neighbouring schools do; that’s totally irrelevant. Your child’s school has chosen to operate in a way that works for them and that’s all that matters.

They don’t need you harassing them. Their decision is final.

My bubble has me and an LSA in it. We cover each other for a 30 minute lunch break and toilet breaks. The LSA also has to cover me coming in late sometimes or leaving early as my DC are in their own school as key worker provision and the hours are only 9-3 - no wraparound provision.

@Letseatgrandma staff are expected to stay with their bubble all day. No other adult is allowed to come into the bubble so if you only have 1 teacher per bubble they get no break all day. For me that would be no break from 8-6 to eat or go to the toilet as it is a key worker bubble and we are offering wraparound care as well as taught lessons so parents can work and their children can be educated.

I am aware of that, @Cookiecrisps. I am a teacher.

My point is, I don’t think there are two teachers in every bubble of 8.

A teacher and a TA, maybe.

There is me and a TA in our bubble but some of the other bubbles in school have got 2 teachers as there are not enough TAs.

OP, you have no idea!

I can't see any other year groups going back before September, possibly for a day to have time with teacher and handover - at a push.

The schools have only just started or are starting in the next 2 weeks, they will want to see. How that goes before any other change, and if they announce any change schools would need to have implementation lead time, by then it is summer holidays. There is not enough term left.

When all this started, I (remembering the dimensions of my decent sized classroom - I'm now retired) worked out how many children I could have had sitting at tables, ensuing a 2m distance in every direction, from another pupil. It was eight. And that was with some kids with their backs pretty much touching the wall.

I can only assume that the other school you talk about, OP, is not maintaining that distance in every direction.

Letseatgrandma
I doubt very much it is two teachers per 8 children.
2 adults perhaps, yes.

that would depend on the school and the support staff that they have.

A lot of schools only have one staff member per bubble, and often a TA. If a school is just unlucky to have a higher proportion of staff who are clinically vulnerable, then that means they either have to allow far fewer children back, or they have to single staff the bubbles.

The vast majority of teachers will tell you it is far harder teaching 8 than 15. The days drag, there is less spark and interaction. But safety of pupils and staff has to come first.

You do realise the R number is really too high for schools to go back at all and we have the highest death toll in Europe?? Who are you to decide that children should sit closer together when you know nothing about it, clearly?

It isn’t just space. Schools also have to factor in the number of teachers who are pregnant or shielding/with family members shielding which will vary between schools.

The existing key worker/vulnerable provision has to maintained.
I wouldn’t want to be the school staff trying to sort all of that out. There is no one size fits all.

Re the number of adults, it would depend how many teachers/TAs as to how they would be deployed so it is possible some classes would have two teachers.