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?

We have nearly 70 million people in the country. The death rate for yesterday was 181 - the lowest it’s been since this started compared to the worst Saturday which was 1115. This weeks average has been the lowest week. Amazing news.

So I can’t get my head around the fact schools are not preparing for full steam a head for September. It’s madness. 181 out of nearly 70 million is minuscule and it’s dropping daily.

I think we’re at a point now where the schools unions are hard ball with the government and that’s disgusting

Now we all know how it feels to be underfunded and ignored, maybe we could bear in mind when voting next time? Vote for a clown, circus in town....

ome schools couldn't open fully unless all social distancing were abandoned. Even a reduction to 1m wouldn't create sufficient space to accommodate all pupils full time

We are not talking about reducing the SD to 1m, we are talking about removing the restriction altogether! It is pointless in a school environment.

Even with half back we still can't do it with distancing rules.

I can get 9 + me in at 2m
15 + me at 1m

So my classes of 32 need splitting into 2 or 3. So that's 2 or 3 times the number of rooms or staff.

We don't have the space. Or staff. 85% of kids come on privately hired buses, out of our control. Catering is provided by out of school services who will only return when they feel it's safe. Until then our free school meals kids are trying to get by on vouchers the government has failed to provide.

Our teachers have been taking food parcels out to them.

It's so much more complex than most of you realise.

I'm bloody sick of people with no clue telling teachers how to do their job.

No other job gets that. I don't come on here telling nurses how shit they are and how to run a hospital because I have no bloody clue!

Why is it ok to do it to schools?

I can't wait to go back normally. I've been in 2 days this week. And still providing online work for students who I should have taught those days, so double work for those days.

I just want life back to normal too. Stop being so bloody unkind, unfeeling and start listening to those who know more than you do about how schools run.

I don’t think if this goes on like this people’s jobs will survive another 18 months of this and then How will the private sector be paid for? It all how a knock on effect.

So I can’t get my head around the fact schools are not preparing for full steam a head for September. It’s madness. 181 out of nearly 70 million is minuscule and it’s dropping daily

Schools are - we currently have 3 plans 1) everyone in 2) blended learning 3) further lockdown.
We have zero control over which one it will be.

I think we’re at a point now where the schools unions are hard ball with the government and that’s disgusting

Wrong. I posted the NEU’s latest communication up thread. It’s not in the least “hardball”.

I’m also increasingly at risk of losing my job as we’re expected back in the office and redundancies are on the horizon

Sorry to hear that, @LaurieMarlow. It must be a really worrying time.

Still, if the worst happens, you can always retrain as a teacher.

For any teachers who have got this far in the thread... do consider private before you quit. I feel respected and valued for the first time in my career.

personally be happy by a newly graduated teacher we are all have to learn. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides I’m sure some of the newly qualified teachers would do an excellent job.

I think there’s some confusion here. Most of these people will already have jobs for September so don’t count as “extra” teachers. Pp are suggesting we stick any old graduates - not graduating teachers - in front of classes and hope for the best.

I think we’re at a point now where the schools unions are hard ball with the government and that’s disgusting

Hmmm, that's odd when the unions have been the ones who have gone and produced a plan for how we can make the government's own limitations on class size and spacing work for all children?

I think you meant to write "we're at a point now where the government is still failing, months on, to plan effectively with the sector for a way back to full time education, and that's disgusting!"

There, fixed it for you

Still, if the worst happens, you can always retrain as a teacher.

That’s absolutely one of the options I’d consider as it happens.

I would but private schools here are furloughing staff and it's not looking good for some of them.

I promise all of you whining, our Headteacher and SLT has drawn up plans for every scenario. 2m, 1m, rotas.....but it's not in their control.

We find out what's happening when they announce not on telly, just like everyone else! We literally have NO IDEA what will happen or when, then have to sort it in record time so it happens.

Anyway our school have confirmed in writing that they will be reopening fully in September, they have listed all of the precautions and changes that have been made in order for it to open as safely as possible.

I fully expect all others schools to follow suit.

For all the handwringing on here, I am confident that this will be a non issue by the time we get there. In the meantime lets hope the summer school initiative happens for the most disadvantaged children or all children even.

Lesson learnt, never shut a school!

For those saying “the number of cases is coming down so it’s safe to open schools”... you do understand why the number of cases is reducing?

Can we make letters one foot high for this!

TEACHERS ARE NOT STOPPING SCHOOLS FROM OPENING FULLY. THE GOVERNMENT RULES ARE DOING THAT. IF SCHOOLS ARE ALLOWED TO OPEN FULL TIME FOR EVERYONE, THEY WILL. JUST AS THEY HAVE FOLLOWED THE CURRENT RULES TO OPEN FOR AS MANY AS THEY ARE ALLOWED TO TAKE. DO NOT BLAME SCHOOLS, HEADS OR TEACHERS. THEY ARE DOING WHAT THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD TO DO.

Will that get through!

Laurie, please consider it if it's genuinely what you want to do. You're going to need to open your eyes and ears.

Otherwise you're going to last until Christmas at the latest if you don't listen to people who have more experience and knowledge than you.

I wasn't going to post but I think I need to.
I'm a TA in a primary school.
I have two children in Secondary school, both have ASCs.
I have been in work right from the start, on a rota, but worked over Easter and Half Term. When I wasn't n school I was on 'call' in case anyone was ill etc.
I am now running a bubble.
Last week I was running a bubble of KW children. They were younger children. Because I am a TA I wasn't supposed to be planning. However the work planned for online working was planned with the idea that each child was working with a parent beside them. I ended up having to plan. By Wednesday I had worked 22 hours. I'm paid for 25 hours a week. So Thursday and Friday I basically worked for free.
I am also responsible for the learning of children with additional needs so right from the word go I have been sourcing, printing, collating and then delivering work packs. Someone up thread said finding a printed worksheet takes 'minutes'. Does it bollocks. Planning for 2 children with additional needs takes me hours when it is work to be sent home because it has to be exactly right. In school it takes me nowhere near as long because I can adapt as I go along.
By Friday I was exhausted. I sat on the sofa, ready for work, trying very hard not to cry. I did cry at work when I was asked to do something extra because I am overwhelmed.
Next week I will be running a bubble. I am not expected to plan but I will be expected to teach them. I will also be expected to clean tables and chairs, clean loos, disinfect doorhandles.
My teacher colleagues are working flat out setting work on our online platform and then responding to that work and marking it. Our school is just about full to capacity _ I think we might be able to accommodate about 10 more key worker children but we are using every possible space, including the hall.
We have several members of staff shielding and some who should be but are in because they feel guilty about not being.
Meanwhile my two children are not in school so when I get home I have to check that their work is done.
I want it back to normal. I want the vulnerable children I work with back in school but they have not taken up the places offered. I want my kids to go back to school. And, to be frank, I want to go back to being a TA because there's a reason I'm not an actual teacher any more!
But, as long as the SD guidelines/requirements are in place we can't open to any more children - we don't have the space or staff to do so. We're already using TAs to run bubbles as it is.
But yeah, I'm feckless, lazy and workshy and spend all my time lounging around finding reasons why schools can't open....

Anyway our school have confirmed in writing that they will be reopening fully in September

They can’t have done. They may hope that will be the case, but there is no way they can categorically state that.

We don’t know what the government will come up with next until the daily briefings...

@HipTightOnions

personally be happy by a newly graduated teacher we are all have to learn. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides I’m sure some of the newly qualified teachers would do an excellent job.

I think there’s some confusion here. Most of these people will already have jobs for September so don’t count as “extra” teachers. Pp are suggesting we stick any old graduates - not graduating teachers - in front of classes and hope for the best.

Ohh give over I doubt that will happen. Let’s be honest teachers are at wits end so I doubt they will have a que of people who haven’t studied teaching to become a teacher with all the best will in the world.

I agree. Disgusting. There must be ways. Specific to each school. Just get in with it. The planning. Put what ever is necessary into action. No more excuses.

If you could just tell Boris that then. Or maybe you have a magic wand?

Ridiculous post.

Our school have looked into building a temporary structure (huge wedding marquee) in our playground which would take us from half capacity to two thirds capacity. The cost would be £4000 per month once rent, heating, lighting and tech are taken into consideration. We put in a request to the government and they've rejected it. This was the cheapest option as our town hall is nearly double that cost and it is the only building that would be suitable. What else would you like us to do, OP? Until they reduce the social distancing from 2m to 1m we can't have more than 50% of pupils in. That's not our fault or the fault of the teaching unions so place your blame accurately, please. Teachers and educational leaders are trying so hard to do the right thing for our pupils and accusations from people who have no real understanding of the issues is only making this time harder.

@pigeon999 your school should definitely contact the press and DfE with the information it is privy to, as clearly to be able to open fully to all children in September they will know for sure that we won't have class size limits / social distancing, OR they are aware of a slush fund available to instantly finance the doubling of the school. Please share!

Or is there a bit of small print you're not sharing with us? Private school with class size under 15? Part time schooling? That's "all" children, you know.

JeffVaderneedsatray

Oh love. I’m sorry you’ve been doing it under that pressure. Can anything be done to relieve that? I’d hate the TAs I work with to feel this way

@JeffVaderneedsatray

LakieLady

Still, if the worst happens, you can always retrain as a teacher.

If the idiots on here have their way she wouldn't need to retrain, just stick her in front of a class and watch them sink without a trace.

And she will be able to enjoy the wages of an untrained teacher £16K to £21K.

But it will be worth all the lesson planning, marking etc. just to get the kids back.