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?

Ofsted should rate them as inadequate in September if they are unable to open properly, because that is precisely what they are, not fit for purpose.
Full closure or a replacement of leadership should follow. Any other failing public service would rightly expect immediate action.

Jeez

Think of it this way.

Option one.

Your dc will definitely die if they go to school. Do you send them in? Obviously no.

Option two

Your dc has a one in 3.5million risk of dying if they go to school. Do you send them in? Yes

news.sky.com/story/chancellor-rishi-sunak-two-metre-social-distancing-rule-under-review-12006459

"Ihave no idea of your family situation. I was basing my argument on the premise that your dc is an average healthy child. In which case, the risk is negligible to them personally."
Well you dont know, do you, that's my point. You've spent the last half an hour, assuming we are a perfect family, with perfectly healthy children and no risk whatsoever.

"In all honesty and with respect...I think you have no idea what I mean when I discuss risk from a theoretical point of view. You keep banging on about the importance of lives...Maybe discuss this on Facebook with the huns, they'll all agree with you."

In all honesty, your a bit of an idiot arent you? You seem to think if I dont tow the line with you, and dare to have a different opinion than you, then I am a bit thick and belong on fb. . When actually, if you cant respect peoples opinions and realise that not everyone has the same family as you, lives in the same area as you and are in perfect health with no risks, then you are you one who belongs on Facebook. And I've never called anyone hun in my life. You need to look at your own actions and behaviours before you belittle others.

@pigeon999

Ofsted should rate them as inadequate in September if they are unable to open properly, because that is precisely what they are, not fit for purpose. Full closure or a replacement of leadership should follow. Any other failing public service would rightly expect immediate action.

So you think it's acceptable for individual headteachers to lose their careers and livelihoods because their schools have buildings that aren't safe to reopen fully?

@derxa I also agree. There are organisations like the Open University who have built up years of experience running online courses. How difficult would it be to extend that experience down into the school curriculum- not very given that it's a national curriculum.
The years I spent on planning reinventing the wheel. Endless detailed plans which I mainly ignored when I actually got into the classroom

I dont understand why so many parents seem to want to put their kids at risk

See, I think many parents feel like they have no choice. Many people need to work to live and therefore they have to send them. Sure, there are parents who think it's safe and are comfortable with any risk because they believe it is small. However, risk is risk and I think we owe it to children and staff to mitigate it as much as possible. Therefore I find those people suggesting we get rid of any safety measures callous, just because it'd be easier from THEM.

Just as an insight, I call 60 parents a week to talk about learning and only a small proportion believe the CURRENT safety measures we have in place are enough to minimalise the risk (1/10 currently) we should be looking at ways to REDUCE the risk rather than pretend that it does exist. Only then will you instill more public confidence.

Why don't we just shut up schools until we can find a vaccine, to be safe, absolutely!
That should be a minimum of er, 18 years plus if SARS is anything to go by. No problem the children of the UK didn't really need to learn to read or write or do a basic sum, and hey the economy will be in total tatters so why would they need an education if the chances of getting a job are zero anyway.

The only sector that will still remain largely closed will be schools come July. Everything else will be open, it is an absolute travesty

I mean, schools close in July anyway but don’t let that stand in the way of a dramatic headline. And schools are open to the capacity they can be given social distancing sooooo....

"You keep banging on about the importance of lives..."
Because you kept asking me about it. You kept inferring if I keep my child off it affects a whole generation of childrens schooling. Get a more sensible approach perhaps. Theyve missed 3 months. 3 months. Mine might miss a bit longer. My choices do not affect a whole generations education.

@pigeon999 I dont know how else to say this:

Individual schools have not decided to keep your kid out of school because they hate your kid. Nor have they decided to do it because they are lazy. As long as there is a requirement for 2m social distancing indoors schools are at a loss of any other option to take.

I don't think you can close all schools for complying with government guidelines. And if you did close all schools how will kids get an education at all??

You know that though, right??

Yes just stick any old graduate in front of kids.

Just shows exactly my point. Most of you have no idea what a skill it is to teach well.

And you don't value it.

No wonder we are where we are. Nine of you have supported teachers when we were up in arms over cuts and how it would impact the kids. The provision is now far worse than it was. We are using 20yr old textbooks that are so out of date it's woeful.

But yeah, stick anyone in a classroom and they can do it.

I reckon I should show up at the doctor's surgery on Monday and start treating patients. I mean, we've a shortage of GPs, and how hard can it be?

FFS

PS THE SCHOOLS DON'T DETERMINE WHEN OR HOW THEY WILL OPEN. BORIS DOES.

WE HAVE BEEN TOLD ONLY 25% OF YR10 ARE ALLOWED ON SITE AT ONCE. THAT IS GOVERNMENT GUIDANCE.

I genuinely find it perplexing thought that so many parents think their healthy dc are at risk. Ok, I understand it from a wider public health angle, I don't agree but fine. But, actual risk to children is miniscule. The figures tell us so. It blows my mind that people can't see this. Your child could die from chicken pox. Like covid, it's unlikely but it happens.

maybe half of all deaths are in an age group that would probably not have much longer anyway

Jesus! Look at the stats. Doctors are saying these individuals would have had many years of living. You would have felt at home in the Third Reich.

I'm sick and tired of hearing that lack of space and teachers mean NO children back at all.

Use the resources you do have. Halve the number of children in each day, rotate year groups etc. That way numbers can be limited to 15/room and ALL children are going in at least a day or two per week.

It's not all or nothing.

WHY??

Ofsted should rate them as inadequate in September if they are unable to open properly, because that is precisely what they are, not fit for purpose. Full closure or a replacement of leadership should follow. Any other failing public service would rightly expect immediate action.

HAHAHA Because a service public like the NHS is a model is it?

You might rant and rage, but we've accepted to have an Health and Education service at extremely poor level for years, many gushing how "wonderful" everything was, how much worst it was abroad . When a good summary is that they were both shit. (no resources, no staff, no facilities, overcrowding, waiting list, no support - both applying pretty much equally to hospitals and schools).

It's coming to bite us in the arse right now. We simply won't find a magical remedy within a month or so. We need realistic temporary solutions and refuse to go back to how it was, but it will take time. You can't magic space and staff.

Yes just stick any old graduate in front of kids

As an average mum with a degree unrelated to education who is trying to home school and struggling, yes, that's exactly what they've done

TabbyMumz I apologise for that comment.

The thing is your choice is being respected. My choice is not. I want my dc in school and they have effectively been banned from the premises.

It's not all or nothing.
WHY??

It depends on the schools, there's absolutely no consistency whatsoever across the country. Some schools are reopening to more or all year groups, some have full time schedule, others part time.

I'm sick and tired of hearing that lack of space and teachers mean NO children back at all

Some children are back.

Use the resources you do have. Halve the number of children in each day, rotate year groups etc. That way numbers can be limited to 15/room and ALL children are going in at least a day or two per week

Um. Yes. That’s what we’re doing.

It's not all or nothing

Yes.Um. What ARE you on about?

"Option two

Your dc has a one in 3.5million risk of dying if they go to school. Do you send them in? Yes"
You seem to think noone is at risk at all? You do not know the risk for my child, or my family, or the area I live in. Do you not understand that risks are greater for some than others? Do you not understand why we had lockdown in the first place? Do you not understand that parents will make their own choices, and should be able to? Without you spouting off that they are at minimal risk? You may be at minimal risk, but others might not be. Others may live in an area of high risk at the moment. Others may want to wait and see what it's like in September, and wait and see what schools are able to offer.

It's not a solution, is it?

Believe me, as soon as the regulations allow, I can't wait to get back to normal, and to teaching in my classroom.

In fact my brain has pinned September as the important fresh start I need. If we aren't back to normal it be hard.

Please stop pinning this on schools. We are doing the best we can, within the regulations we have been given

Yes just stick any old graduate in front of kids

I’d value the person willing to get out there in front of the class and get on with it over almost anything else right now.

My son’s teacher’s extensive skill set is currently being deployed to send out two generic worksheets from a centralised resource a week. So forgive me for not being bowled by what she’s bringing to the table.

Your son's teacher may well be working full time in front of a class as well as doing this

The stupid on here is astounding.