Anyone got ideas on HOW secondary schools can go back full time in Sept?

[Fizzysours]

I am a teacher and I want schools back now. Many of my pupils are getting really low and lonely and about 40% are not managing the work we set. I just don't get how full time will work in Sept though because....
-with one metre distancing we can fit 20, not 30 in a class
-kids will have to sit at one desk all day, to reduce transmission on objects, teachers would rotate
-so if we 'set' the class for english, the setting will be totally wrong for maths, and vice versa, so what level do we teach them? They won't get good appropriate work, but a 'one size for all'- shockingly hard for them
-what about their options? Half of each bubble doing geography, half history etc.....
-how do they get lunch? We can only stagger it so much, with rotating teachers.
Anyone else thinking this is just going to be so hard? Do we give in and have school as normal, with the really high infection risks? If it's as above, these kids cannot be expected to perform at GCSE.

Have I missed some really simple solution? It just seems impossible. But they must come back. Home is just so hard for them.

@Messageinateacup lol...thanks for clarifying 🤣🤣

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince thanks...that is reassuring....we can do whatever we need to as long as we can have SOME time to plan!!!!!!

Scotland have already announced that the exams will be put back a month. They are normally in May, they are being delayed until June.

I have DC in years 10 and 8. School does 3 year GSCE so younger one is due to start options in Sept. I've been trying to think how bubbles of 30 could work in secondary.

They could teach years 7&8 just in their tutor groups so no setting in core subjects. Maybe make some vague attempt to "set" tutor groups for year 7s by ability with info coming from primaries.

Year 9 - teach in form groups and delay start of options till Jan. In Jan either start options, teach options remotely or delay starting till year 10 depending on what's going on with virus.

Years 10&11 - ditch tutor groups and create bubbles of 30 with core subjects plus your humanities or language option. Some attempt to do this by ability. Eg one group would be high ability + geog. Other options to be taught via webinar which can be caught up with in school (as there will be empty periods) or home. There could be some small group teaching outside bubbles if groups for pupils who need it - say groups of 6 so SD possible as they would be outside their bubbles.

My big fear is that the gov will decide that year 10s should just do core subjects or maybe EBACC subjects and ditch Art, drama etc.

This would create extra time for everyone to catch up with core subjects and make bubbles easier as everyone is doing the same subjects. Would be awful though.

I also think there should be some analysis of what each school was doing during lockdown in terms of teaching and some weighting in GCSE results to reflect that.

A school local to me (secondary) will be doing split years other split days.

7 - 11, 2 hour gap to clean, and then 1 - 5 and there will be an element of home schooling, for the other half they are not at school.

@littlequestion yes... good in theory. Child centred, which would be the aim. The problem is that MANY children differ drastically in their maths/science, versus their english ability. And they absolutely need passes at GCSE in all of these

I don’t know how anyone can say for certain what their schools will be doing in September.

Partial opening and drowning themselves in Zoflora might look quite daft if the infection rates are really rock bottom by September.

@countessfrog everyone is hoping for that. And remote learning is not what teachers want. We need to plan though so I just feel like the govt needs tobe really specific...and honest. Bubbles of 30 will be very very hard for Y10 and Y11....we need to mitigate it for the kids and that takes PLANNING

But how can the government know either what the situation will be in September? All they can do is set out their direction of travel and where they hope to get to by then assuming we don't have a second spike.

I think DH's school is modelling 5 different scenarios ranging from total lockdown to total reopening with no social distancing. They will reconvene late August to decide which will apply and make any necessary changes then based on guidance which may or may not be updated in the next 10 weeks. Pointless to try and crystal ball gaze now as we are nearly as far away from the beginning of term as we are from the beginning of lockdown and think how much has changed since then.

And in term time we live with the students, and all his colleagues and their families, and all the house staff so it's pretty complicated!

I think we need to get away from the idea that if education isn't as it was before then it can't happen. A classroom is wherever there is a teacher and students. So what if it's set up for English and they're learning maths? Everyone will have to work around that. Maybe students won't be able to do their preferred subject options, or maybe it's on a rota. We need to get creative and start to find solutions, even if not ideal, because the alternative for many, many children is nothing. Something, even if not ideal, is better than nothing.

I am assuming Ofsted will need to get creative too!

Just to add randomly, like many schools have (I'm sure) our DT department have been using their 3D printer to make visors throughout the pandemic. I'm sure if they supplied to their staff they wouldn't be denying the NHS vital ppe.

They just need to be back, as normal. This is getting ridiculous. Teachers to wear PPE if they insist (which isn’t massively necessary since they spend most of the time at the front of the class).

Teachers generally stay at the front of the class you say?
It’s stupid comments like this that make me realise how out of touch people are.
Do you think that most children sit nicely and queue sensibly too?

Ofsted is going to interesting.

They will have hardly any data to go on. Our school were due an OFSTED inspection from February 5th.....we're well overdue a visit. But in what form?

That was in reply to georgie on the first page btw! Not the OP!

OFSTED have moved away from Data massively. We had an inspection at the start of this academic year and are now making stupid assumptions and judgements based on very short conversations with curriculum leaders.

Like many schools, ours is modelling 4 possible scenarios. Seems like a waste of time but other Industries (hospitality/arts & ents) are too. The govt are waiting to see how the virus behaves. They will know more than us about where community breakouts are and who is affected.

As a teacher I am happy to go back to complete normality. But if it is aafe to do in schools, surelt it is safe to do in pubs/shopping centres etc. The worry is staffing and general attendance when winter bugs pick up. People will be in and out unless test results can be tirned aroind in hours. I do think their will be a move to regional lockdowns too.

@chosenone oh my... kids will be turned away in droves due to raised temperatures caused by the usual winter bugs...that will be super fun for working parents, getting kids home at the drop of a hat :(

@therealkittyfane exactly ..we're kind of not supposed to teach from the front. I liked the previous poster suggesting I just get on with delivering to non setted maths classes as it was called 'teaching'. Yes...ineffective teaching!!!

I’m assuming the same will happen in workplaces, first sign of a sniffle or cough and you will need to go home. No stoically battling on spreading germs everywhere.

As a teacher I am happy to go back to complete normality. But if it is aafe to do in schools, surelt it is safe to do in pubs/shopping centres etc.
The two senarios are very different I’d say. Schools are very low risk given the demographic,the fact it’s the same kids everyday and hygiene rules in place. Pubs and shopping centres involve a rapid turnover of joe public and it’s grotty ways.

But I agree about the winter.Testing for Covid 19 as opposed to just colds will be crucial, otherwise it’s one long term of quarantine cases.

@steppemum so data from a different virus really helpful.

Coronavirus is spread via airborne droplets.

And @steppemum it’s fab kids don’t get sick but I assume you are also of the mindset stufff staff right? Who gives a flying fuck about them. If they die they die. If they get long term issues, fuck em.

1. colds and flu are also airborne, the studies included colds and flue
2. as people have pinted out again and again, most airborne droplets come out when you sneeze of cough, and most of these are caught in hands. Then they touch something. So, yes, even with airborne droplets, you can massively reduce the effect by handwashing.
3. I am a teacher. I hope that addresses your second point where you felt thew need to swear at me and put words into my mouth etc. Funnily enough, it wasn't just the kids in those classes that had 70+% reduced infections, but the staff too.

I’m assuming the same will happen in workplaces, first sign of a sniffle or cough and you will need to go home. No stoically battling on spreading germs everywhere.

That's just not going to happen.

I think in September the kids in secondary just need to go back in their normal sets for each subject and try to keep 1 metre when out of lessons. If not it is taking their life chances away from them. Young people are less likely to pass on infection and more likely to.shake it off quickly if they do get it. Teachers could try to teach from front of class and I day this as an early retired secondary teacher who would normally be moving around class. Any teacher with shielding letter from government could be replaced by supply while they work to prepare lessons from home.

Hmmm just been in another thread.

Lots of people seem to have caught Covid from their dc.

But they don’t transmit it in school apparently....