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?

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 know it suits your agenda to make it out that I’m clueless, but I have spent 6 months as an unqualified teacher (no pgce) in the past so I’m not leaping into the unknown by any means.

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

They absolutely have! Two page email stating how they will open, what activities will and won't be available and confirming we will all be back in school full time. I was delighted. I expect others to follow. Why wouldn't they? It is two and a half months away fgs

Well please everyone write to your MP (super easy, you can just email) and ask them to stop the nonsense regarding bubbles and social distancing to get the children back.

*I for one am happy if teachers want to wear PPE. The staff in some of the local shops wear it, I disagree children will be frightened.

I also intend to write to the school to offer my part time services (I work) if required. I will pay for my DBS if I need to. I can at least listen to children read and be a TA type support person. Not everyone can do this but I bet some people can.*

Thank you, we need more people like you pushing for support and offering a little bit of time to help us. I would love more people to offer to do this, we might get somewhere if most people on here would offer an afternoon helping readers or a day at the weekend to clean. It would be amazing if people could work together instead of pointing fingers.

@LaurieMarlow

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.

Do come back here in two years and tell us how it's going.

SweetLikeCocoa I agree, it’s a ridiculous idea. But that isn’t stopping people from suggesting it (among other equally daft suggestions).

Do come back here in two years and tell us how it's going.

Happy to.

It is two and a half months away fgs

Exactly. The government will have cycled through plans number 800 through to 1800 by then. Schools do not know.

I don’t believe your school is that irresponsible- or have they used the words “it is our hope that” or similar somewhere?

We looked at getting portacabins, £50,000 per room plus installation. Funding rejected for that too. We have been told we can't claim for all the money we have spent on additional cleaning and supplies because we have a small surplus budget ( which was going to be used this summer for desperately needed repairs but is now having to be spent on disinfectant and handtowels and such like!)

I emailed my MP four weeks ago, she said she knows it is a causing distress to children and parents, and the gov are doing their best to reopen schools. My impression is that the unions are making it very difficult for them.

It's horrible.

And it's even worse when all of a sudden the general public fails to listen to the reality of what you're telling them.

Why can't you listen to those working in education? What's wrong with you that you think you know better?

I'm putting in 50+ HR weeks and I'm part time, officially. Hahahaha.

I don't mind because it's benefitting the kids I teach. Most staff I know are working hard too. We are in school at least a day a week if we are able (secondary, primary all are back full time now looking after bubbles), I am rewriting schemes of work and lessons and resources to make them accessible to the kids when I can't teach them. Oh and we still need to do all the other stuff we put off til summer term when Yr11/13 have gone like long term planning.

I'm knackered.

@pigeon999

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.

Right then. That means the government instructing schools to open as normal including all shielding staff returning to work. If that's the case the only reason heads would have not to open fully would be if they couldn't staff the school safely. So no reason to start bringing in Ofsted to deem schools inadequate then.

Laurie I didn't say you were clueless.

I said you need to listen.

My impression is that the unions are making it very difficult for them

You’re wrong.

I emailed my MP four weeks ago, she said she knows it is a causing distress to children and parents, and the gov are doing their best to reopen schools. My impression is that the unions are making it very difficult for them.

Your impression!
seriously!!

@LakieLady

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.

Obviously I wasn't the only one who was thinking that.

My impression is that the unions are making it very difficult for them

Based on what? Try this, why don't you?

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

I emailed my MP four weeks ago, she said she knows it is a causing distress to children and parents, and the gov are doing their best to reopen schools. My impression is that the unions are making it very difficult for them.

Sounds like you got fobbed off with a non answer there. In what way are unions making it difficult for children to return?

Parents who choose not to send their eligible children to school are the people you need to convince here, I think - Cummings and Boris don't listen to letters, they listen to polls.

Obviously I wasn't the only one who was thinking that.

We’ve been through all this, but it is of course heartening to see how much of a shit the education sector gives about parents losing livelihoods.

The kids can always do an extra year or so to catch up. Although I suspect what people really mean by this is that they’re sick of looking after their own kids.

@Teateaandmoretea, wouldn't they have to do a PGCE (or whatever it's called these days) first? And fund it. Although I believe bursaries are available in some shortage subject areas, they won't be enough to cover living costs and tuition for most people, unless they have a partner working.

I should add that this week was 'extraordinary' as staff illness (not covid) put us under extra pressure and I was in a year group I don't normally work in.
Generally I just bumble along and am quite an unflappable person!
This week was just a bit much!
All TAs running bubbles are generally HLTA (except me because, as an ex teacher I don't want the added stress of being an HLTA - generally school are great about not using my ex teacherness against me but sometimes emergencies happen and they remember what I did in another lifetime)
I just wanted the OP and others to appreciate that schools are working damned hard at the moment. I will agree that some schools are not pulling their weight regarding online/at home work but the logistics of full opening with SD in place are not as simple as 'get more staff and use a porta cabin.'
Sometimes I feel as if people think school staff are fine to be sacrificed upon the altar of money and finance. I'm 52 and obese. I know being obese is my own damn fault but the thought that my risk is high if I catch it is sometimes very frightening.
In terms of mental health of pupils - my children are thriving at home. I worry more about their mental health when they are at school!
And it won't be 6 months missed by September when holidays are taken into account.

The opening line of our letter of confirmation from school is:

'xx is expecting school to be fully open for the start of term in September 2020'

It has given me very good reason to expect just that!
I imagine many other schools will also be sending out similar information in the coming weeks. Then parents can feel reassured that their children will be returning as normal. We certainly felt very relieved to receive this I have to say.

When people say ‘money and finance’ do they actually understand that translates into feeding, clothing and housing children?

LaurieMarlow

We’ve been through all this, but it is of course heartening to see how much of a shit the education sector gives about parents losing livelihoods.

You would need to do some training on the difference between personal views and the views of a group.

You would need to do some training on the difference between personal views and the views of a group.

I was actually trying to not single out individuals on here, but happy to do so if you require it.😉