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]

🙄

[FrippEnos]

@NeverTwerkNaked

I asked last night what this "proper model"

Should look like, taking all the variables in to consideration.

Are you going to answer or just dance around the issue. again.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

@Fripp I imagine it would need different things for different ages. I think there are multiple ways it could work. But uploading worksheets at random with no commentary and no feedback certainly doesn't deliver that.

I don't really need to worry any more as have sorted online school/private school/ tutors for mine (varying depending on age and needs) and they are all being taught remotely now so I can get on with my job.

[FrippEnos]

NeverTwerkNaked

So you are asking for something that you have little or no idea of what it looks like or the complexities of putting it together?

[NeverTwerkNaked]

@Fripp on the contrary from my children's experience now I have moved them I can see numerous different ways it can work really well

[SmileEachDay]

Twerk

Interestingly, your comment re needing to plan for a potential “worst case” whilst facilitating the here and now is exactly what the teaching unions are pushing the govt to do.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

@LolaSmiles

[Italiandreams]

The problem may be that many schools will struggle with a mix of online teaching and teaching those in the building. I don’t have an answer and agree it should absolutely be looked at but schools only have limited manpower

[Hercwasonaroll]

The government just need to make a decision and stick to it.

Online learning has been shite by some schools. However schools that now have all staff back full time to deliver to half a school worth of pupils are going to struggle. It's not just a case of send the ppt home or even send the planning home. Teaching is much more than that.

At Secondary live lessons aren't a magic silver bullet. Our students prefer pre recorded stuff as they can actually access it wheras if they miss a live session it's gone. (I know they can be recorded however we've had to delete so many for safeguarding concerns that it's becoming triple the workload).

I'd accept back full time in September for all. However unions will push back on it. Boris can't /won't say anything until he's cancelled 2m distancing either.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Sorry! @SmileEachDay the govt doesn't seem to want anyone talking about the second wave. The Torygraph is mocking the very idea of one still, even though it has always been a feature of pandemics to have several waves and even though the modelling indicates this one will be no different

[SmileEachDay]

I agree Twerk

Our school has 3 plans:

Everyone in
Blended learning
Further lockdown


I think schools realised a while ago that we can’t rely on the govt and have to plan for any and all eventualities. We’re committing the most time to scenario 2, because that’s the one which is most easily flexed either way.

[NeverTwerkNaked]

Makes sense @SmileEachDay

[Northernsoulgirl45]

My dds primary school teachers are doing a fab job. Lots of work to do online but dd3 is so hard to motivate. They are now teaching in bubbles aswell. I admit I am not quite so happy with the secondary as dd2 was struggling with attendance due to medical reasons and I have not had a single call. Plenty about perfect dd1 eho is fully engaged with home learning. But this is my own personal issue
The problem lies squarely with the Govt. They make decisions without consulting the right people. I heard they consulted no-one from the NHS when they made face masks mandatory for patients. Schools got precisely the same notice as parents when they closed schools. They have had do many u turns on guidance and general policy.
The only headd that should roll are BJ and his inept Cronies.

[Kokeshi123]

That would depend on how far back through lockdown you go

Sure. However, I think that our annoyance needs to be primarily targeted towards the minority of schools that are not doing their job properly, not towards the parents for not complaining enough, complaining in the right way, complaining at the right timing etc.

In my line of work (not teaching), I wouldn't dream of trying to defend a member of my profession who was coasting or doing a poor job and was inciting online complaints as a result, so I find this defensiveness really odd.

[echt]

I wouldn't dream of trying to defend a member of my profession who was coasting or doing a poor job

Has anyone done this?

[SmileEachDay]

In my line of work (not teaching)

What is your line of work?

[Appuskidu]

In my line of work (not teaching), I wouldn't dream of trying to defend a member of my profession who was coasting or doing a poor job and was inciting online complaints as a result, so I find this defensiveness really odd

What if your whole profession was being pulled apart on a continual basis based on what a handful of those in it were supposed to have done?

[GuyFawkesDay]

MPs finish for summer break in mid July, go back in September

So they're allowed their huge summer break despite the biggest political and economic crisis since WW2. Awarded themselves £10k "working from home" money, had their pay rises, and had their Easter break in peak Covid.

Where's the outrage about them?

Maybe they can come and teach in the summer schools with all the Ofsted inspectors who've been not inspecting?

[DoubleDeckerBusRideLover]

We have no teachers refusing to come in. In fact, several who were living with shielding people have moved out in order to come in. The only ones still at home actively need to shield themselves and there are very few (across a large school).

I hope people aren't imagining a load of at-home teachers they can magically persuade to come in to solve the problem. I am not convinced they exist.

[macaronilemonpony]

It’s maddening!

[GazeboParty]

What if your whole profession was being pulled apart on a continual basis based on what a handful of those in it were supposed to have done? Why the need to doubt posters with what the teachers have supposed to have done. We aren't imagining the lack of input and when teachers come on here doubting parents, rather than the colleagues they haven't met - that's what's infuriating.

[FrippEnos]

Kokeshi123

There are some genuine threads but even those are often derailed by a group that likes to stick the boot in.

In my line of work (not teaching), I wouldn't dream of trying to defend a member of my profession who was coasting or doing a poor job and was inciting online complaints as a result, so I find this defensiveness really odd.

In this case because of the extenuating circumstances surrounding it.
Because they have been told what to provide.
Because there is a huge amount of work and effort that goes on in background.
Because no one knows the personal circumstances behind the person.
Because in many cases the teacher is in the same position as the person complaining.
and finally
Because its the same names that pop up over and over again to have a go.

[loulouljh]

How can we possibly do remote teaching when parents need to work/go to work? They cannot supervise their kids! Some older ones can probably work alone but younger ones cannot! That is not the solution...

[cantkeepawayforever]

I think we also have to be very careful about what is an individual teacher's responsibility, and what is a function of Government or Headteacher policy.

Schools not open / partially open: Government policy, or in some cases local Public health policy.

Overall decision about home learning: Headteacher

Delivery of home learning in line with school policy: Teacher

So if a school as a whole is not delivering good home learning, that is not the individual teacher's fault, but lies wholly with the head. If, on the other hand, 6 classes out of 7 have good home learning but 1 teacher is not delivering the same, that is down to the individual teacher.