To think the idea that schools won’t be back full time by September is an absolute disgrace?

[LovingLivingInLockdown]

The government and teaching unions need to pull their fingers out. There should be no excuses.

The effects of 6 months out of school is going to be damaging enough, both educationally and mentally for hundreds of thousands of children. Not to mention the unnoticed abuse and neglect.

Teachers should be wearing PPE with spit screens if they are vulnerable and this should be being organised now. Temporary classrooms should be being built in playgrounds and school fields. Random testing routines in all schools should be being devised as well as guidelines regarding children’s contact with others outside of school and home. Whatever it takes, it must be done.

Our society expects parents to work while their DC are at school and if they want to get the economy moving again, schools being back by September should be non negotiable surely?

lauriemarlow I do always, work more hours at the moment than I ever have. Volunteer to support vulnerable students in school so other teachers can be at home looking after their own young children. Taken on extra classes to support another teacher who has coronavirus. Teach Y10&12 on line, will extend soon to Y9. Still doesn't stop parents complaining about things out of my control

Grad recruitment this year is going to be an absolute washout.

Does education have a central body in the way that health does or has that been eroded by academisation? I ask because Health Education England have been hugely proactive in managing the supply of new HCP into the sector and whilst I don't agree with everything they've done, it's very high on the agenda to think how we're going to maintain staffing levels over the next few years.

There's certainly a huge wave of new staff in the sector, however there was a big hero worship mentality at the time of the recruitment push and teachers just don't get this. Why the fuck would anyone want to put themselves in a ridiculously stressful and difficult job when they have no support from the people they're trying to support? Many of the people I know who left healthcare did it because they were working themselves into the ground and getting slated because they were getting a really hard time (generically and personally) from people who've got no idea about real life. The hero worship made them think things might have changed so they ventured back.

Also from the information I'm aware of (someone mentioned this upthread), staffing the nightingale hospitals wasn't an issue, they just weren't used.

A lot of people thought schools would be closed for a couple of weeks

It was never going to be a couple of weeks. For anyone paying attention that was obvious from the start. That's why those of us who were anti lockdown from the beginning felt the way we did.

"But how far do you take the ‘life before education’ thing?"
As far as necessary. I will be watching the numbers of infection in my area, I will be watching R. I will take on board what top scientists say. I wont be listening to people who say they have more chance of being hit by lightening. I will make informed sensible choices. I wont be rushing them back to an atmosphere where they are at risk or bring covid home. Education can wait. Theyve only missed 3 months.

Echt No you are right it won't, I spend my days trying to manage the shit show of school finances. What it does do is enable schools to claim back for buying supplies that many teachers are saying they are not being given.

Open letter today to govt from leading psychologists, pleading for schools to reopen

www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-53037702

I'm at my wits end with my toddler and trying to work full time, my work team doesn't have children, they claim they understand but I'm not sure they really do and they haven't let up regarding work being done. I'm also pregnant and I'm at the stage where I'd rather send her to nursery and risk us all catching it tbh

I will take on board what top scientists say

Only certain "top scientists" apparently, given there are multiple other "top scientists" with different views.

Raaaa hasn't your child's nursery reopened then?

I'm not sure that life is more important than education...I mean, on an individual level, we'd probably say it is.

But as a society? Not necessarily talking about covid now, but theoretically, would you sacrifice an entire generations education to prolong the life of people over the age of 90? Some would, I wouldn't.

A society without education is a horrific idea...people die, it's a fact of life.

When there aren’t any better options for them, they’ll find themselves able to stick it out

Yes because teachers who don't really want to be there are just those teachers half of MN whine about because they don't really give enough of a shit to do all the work to be really good at your job.

I've worked with enough jaded teachers who rock up, teach very average lessons, do the minimum required because it's a secure job/can't get out of teaching/etc. They're not the teachers parents love.

Short term it may fills the gap, badly..... but god I'd hope we want more for the future than that. How bloody depressing.

We need to make teaching a respected, attractive profession.

Teachers are not the problem:

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/13/government-risking-basic-right-to-education-warns-childrens-tsar

And

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/12/headteachers-berate-non-stop-guidance-changes-for-englands-schools

Even if you have underlying conditions the risk for anyone under 45 is very very low. The number of under 45s who have died barely appears on the ONS chart. All other conditions matter massively massively less than age.

We need to make teaching a respected, attractive profession

Show teachers the money. Shitloads of it. It's the only thing that really speaks respect.

It’s not realistic that some people are wanting things such as PPE and screens

All employers have a statutory duty to ensure that their staff are not working in an environment that is injurious their their health or safety. When there is a virus that can prove fatal widespread in the community, then infection control measures are necessary to minimise the risk of spreading it.

Children are more likely to spread infection, and the risk is greater with younger ones who need closer contact and are less likely to understand and observe good hygiene. As they seem to be minimally affected, there is a significant risk that they could be infectious without them even noticing.

Those measures are likely to include PPE, especially for primary, and screens could be required in some settings. So it's not just "some people" wanting it: it's the law, too.

When did the fact disappear that children can still carry virus on their hands and bodies and transmit that back to their families? People seem to have conveniently forgot this!

This is exactly how we caught Covid. My daughter returned from a ski trip.

Perhaps people who have not witnessed the virus up close and personal are in denial!

@formerbabe we are not yet a society without education. We are a society with 3.5 months of disrupted education.

We need to stop catastrophising

@StarUtopia saying FACT doesn't make it fact.

But if we're basing what we say on "FACTs according to @StarUtopia" then I can say with absolute certainty that all the primary teachers I know (and that's a lot considering I worked in education for 10 years) are working, and they have been working and teaching since the school closures in March. FACT.

I'm not saying no to a pay rise but with this government I won't hold my breath😂

Forgotten

Schools closed 23 March -
Easter hols - state sector - 2 weeks
Summer term - 8/9 weeks?
I guess around 3 months max of missed school NOT 6 months
Stop exaggerating about the time missed
None of it is ideal and personally I’m happy to go back as are many of my colleagues. Having said that we have been delivering a fantastic product via teams(Cameras off) across the school which includes full timetable of lessons, sports coaching, music lessons, assemblies etc, but we are private so smaller classes and our jobs are not guaranteed.
State schools
much bigger classes so harder to manage online teaching?
lack of familiarity with using technology to teach?
lack of own equipment at home (both staff and pupils)?
Solution:
All students should have access to textbooks at home - surely the government could have ordered and delivered to families in need?
All teachers/pupils have access to online textbooks - lack of funding in state schools makes this virtually impossible
All students/parents should have a scheme of work so they know what their child should be studying at any given time
The issue in a lot of schools is that there just isn’t the money for every child to have a textbook for every subject. In my previous school (state) we had one set of books per classroom if we were lucky
Maybe this pandemic will highlights the abject lack of resources in many state schools and lead to some real funding

"I'm not sure that life is more important than education...I mean, on an individual level, we'd probably say it is."
Well you cant enjoy education if you are dead, are you ,!

@NowImLivinInExeter no her class hasn't gone back. She goes to a nursery attached to the primary school and they've said the priority is the 3/4 year old room as they're meant to be starting school in September, she is in the 2/3 room and we got the end of year report 2 weeks ago so took the hint that they won't be going back before the summer.

Perhaps people who have not witnessed the virus up close and personal are in denial!

Well I have, my husband and I have both had it. My husband had 2 days in bed and I would have still gone to work if I hadn't known it was covid, that's how ill I didn't feel.

I know approximately 10 people who have had it and their experiences were all similar.

Raaaa

Ah I see. Worth looking at a private nursery maybe?