To think they may as well say "don't send children with additional needs back in September"

[drspouse]

The current plan is:
All in bubbles of 30
All in the classroom together
All facing the front (WTF has that got to do with virus protection)
No use of shared spaces except at your rota time and after it's been bleached.
Teachers at the front, 2m away
AND focus on behaviour.

My DS has an EHCP and needs a space to escape to when the classroom gets too much. He's often been using a work space outside the classroom. We just looked round a lovely mainstream primary that has a behaviour base and a nurture base. Oh and a library and an ICT suite that children can access at lunchtime.
His previous school had very little space and the corridor was the library etc.

So how are schools supposed to cater for children who need time out of the classroom to prevent meltdown?
This includes children who are having a hard time at home, can't cope with playground noise etc. Not just those who have a diagnosis of SEN.

And children like my DD who have small group teaching outside the classroom most days - you can't do that with 2m separation and all facing the front even if you can disinfect the break out area.

So I'm guessing nobody really wants a child like my DS in their child's classroom if he's not allowed to go out to his calm down area when he needs to?

Well, I guess I knew the government didn't really want to deal with inconvenient children who don't fit their mould, but this confirms it.

I really feel for teachers, yet another impossible task.

[drspouse]

how does that work with years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12, do they start lunch at 10 on the morning and finish at 3?

Sounds about right!


Currently my DD is getting hot school lunch (she's in Y1 so it's UFSM) in the KW bubble. They only have an EYFS bubble, a KS1 bubble and a KS2 bubble and I think EYFS is eating in a separate area with KS1 and KS2 using the dining hall separately.
But even in a primary school that's 7 bubbles of a year each that have to eat in the dining hall (or halls if they have more than one space) at separate times. So again that will be the first group in at 11 and the last group in at 2, allowing 20 mins for eating and 10 for disinfecting!

One option that some schools are talking about is packed lunches in the classroom for all, with school-provided packed lunches if the voucher scheme has stopped for FSM children.

[Porcupineinwaiting]

@BankofNook children can have EHCP for all sorts of reasons. Children w diabetes and asthma and medical conditions that make them vulnerable to coronavirus also have a right to an education and to be kept safe in schools.

[BankofNook]

My comment about disabilities covered all conditions, I never said children with diabetes or asthma were excluded.

[drspouse]

I think what @BankofNook was saying includes the needs for smaller groups for those with health risk too.

[WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn]

I'm currently in a reception class bubble of 15, we are not expected to do social distancing, once in the classroom it is a normal day with extra hand washing and no mixing with other bubbles. The classes with older children are expected to socially distance, but most schools realise that is not a realistic expectation for 4 and 5 year olds.

[drspouse]

Indeed they do, @WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn but the government do not.

[slipperywhensparticus]

@Porcupineinwaiting

Ah, so you think the changes are being made for ideological reasons, rather than because there's a novel coronavirus doing the rounds? Ok then.

No she feels that her child is not going to thrive under these conditions and she isn't alone my son is removed from his classroom and regularly put in with other children for small group work with another teacher/sen ta this will mix in the other classes

I'm not sure how it's all going to work

[WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn]

It's actually government guidelines we're following on that, not that I'm defending them, it's been a complete shambles with very little clear guidance from the start. As a school we find out most of what's happening from the media like everyone else, then have about a day to implement it all!

[Realityofsen]

My DD still has her safe place and her 1 to 1 stats with her.

[WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn]

We also have a high number of children with SEN, as a school we have a reputation for providing for their needs well, but as you say, without the additional space I'm not convinced we will be able to continue to provide that much needed extra support to the same standard.

[x2boys]

Nobody's even thought about special schools,my son goes to a special school for children with complex learning disabilities and or autism ,non of the measures can apply in his school and that's quite apart from school transport which mainly consists of mini bus,s

[FizzFan]

The whole thing is ridiculous. Either schools are safe to open normally or they’re not. If someone has it I fail to see how all these measures would prevent them passing it on given they are in school for a whole day, it’s not like a 10/15 minute contact

[Grasspigeons]

I agree. Whilst i understand the need to reduce transmission - it would look a lot more like they actually cared about children with ehcps if they hadnt watered down their rights to 'reasonable endevours'. Its already clear schools are risk assessing that a child isnt safe to come in and then using the1:1 to support a bubble. This will change when bubbles are class sizes but the 'behaviour guidance' is pretty at odds with trauma based behaviour guidance. Theres no way that we arent going to end up with huge numbers of excluded SEN pupils.
As it turns out, my particular child prefers individual desks and facing the front and it tends to be quieter and more predictable in that format but other aspects like sensory breaks and access to equipment and practicing social skills will suffer.

[Sirzy]

Ds has full time 1-1, as well as support in class he needs feeding via a tube which takes 20 mins, he needs help with changing for PE and he needs therapy throughout the day which involves being helped

What is being done at the moment really scares me, his school are amazing but if they have to put in even half of this it won’t be possible for him to attend

[Stilllivinginazoo]

My D's is currently at home and we get wellbeing calls on weekdays from Sen leader .
She's having a lot of sleepless nights not knowing how these new logistics are ment to be implemented for her Sen register and fears the impact will be worse for them than continued attempts at home learning

[Davodia]

Either schools are safe to open normally or they’re not
Opening schools isn’t about education. It’s about boosting the economy by freeing up parents to return to work. Some parents returning to work is better than no parents returning. The right to a proper education has been completely removed - it’s basically a babysitting service that will accommodate the majority. There won’t be any proper teaching because there can’t be when the teacher has to stay 2m away and children have to minimise interaction and avoid touching things. Yes a minority will be excluded, but the majority aren’t really receiving an education either.

[Grasspigeons]

Davodia - can you not see how disableist that is? As long as the majority get freebaby sitting (of a highly skilled and good quality nature) it doesnt matter if the more vulnerable children cant access it and their parents are financially penalised. It was only a week ago when many MN posters they were using 'what about the vulnerable and those with sen' as a tool to push schools to open and when those who parent the vulnerable or those with SEN say 'the guidance hasnt really considered us' we are told it doesnt matter.

[10brokengreenbottles]

Grass prefers individual desks and facing the front and it tends to be quieter and more predictable in that format but other aspects like sensory breaks and access to equipment and practicing social skills will suffer.

^^ That could be about my DS3. It is the support that will suffer that he needs the most.

It is also worrying Gavin Williamson hinted that the relaxation of statutory duties relating to EHCPs could be made permanent. Parents will have even fewer options to hold LA's to account.

Personally, I worry about those children with EHCP's who will be recently deshielded when schools go back. I worry parents will be forced into EHE (thereby relieving the LA of the duty to provide provision in section F) to avoid non attendance fines.

[drspouse]

a minority will be excluded, but the majority aren’t really receiving an education either.

Which is why I think it might be better to have some continuing part time education for those that want/prefer it.

[drspouse]

Gavin Williamson hinted that the relaxation of statutory duties relating to EHCPs could be made permanent
WTAF.

[SleepingStandingUp]

Op have you asked these speciation questions to your school?
. DS is going into yr1, he has a EHCP and a 121 as he's on o2 so his 121 has to at least help him move around, he's also in nappies so she has to change his bum. His 121 has had her contact extended and all the teachers in the classroom will have training on his o2 and about his PEG. His 121 won't be 2m away from him because she's his 121. The other teachers won't be 2m away because they're 5/6 and it isn't workable.they're not going to be doing 1 class teaching as in teaching them all same thing because they're at the same level. Knowing this we can make an informed choice to send him or pull him out and homeschool him.

[10brokengreenbottles]

Drspouse DD2 showed me a link someone had shared on twitter. She has gone for a run but when she gets in I will ask her if she can find it me.

Please ignore the two errant apostrophes in my pp, I really should proof read posts.

[Camomila]

WhatTheFeckIsGoingOn
We've just got our 'new parent packs' for DS1 who is starting school in reception, it's got photos of how the classroom is set up normally and how it is set up atm...they've attempted spacing out chairs and desks.
I'm going to practise 'old fashioned' school with DS1 lots over the summer, just in case!

[WellTidy]

Ds is at mainstream with a full time 1-1 TA. He has classic autism and other co-morbidities. He has had an EHCP since before he started school. He is year 2, but is back at school in a Year 1 bubble with his TA.

The school has been very good indeed but he is only there between 9:40 and 12:30 two days a week due to staggered start and finish times. We are fortunate in that we have a nanny (started back a few weeks ago after 10 weeks furlough; DH and I both work, from home since March) otherwise I would have had to give up my job to take him and collect him.

There is such an enormous step backwards here for children with SN/SEN and their families and it is making me really sad. Lockdown created its own problems in terms of rigidity and control issues being amplified for him and so that made him take many steps back. And whilst it is great that he is back at school even for short periods, he needs so much more. The library (which was somewhere he went to escape when he had sensory overload) is closed. The play equipment in the playground is cordoned off. There is no group activity like guided reading (previously an opportunity to practice then taking, listening and taking instruction). I have no idea where we will all end up, especially when the future was so uncertain and limiting even prior to all this.

It’s all gone so wrong for him and he faced enough challenges as it was. But we’ve definitely taken massive steps backwards and I have zero faith that the temporary endeavours obligation will be dropped ever.

[drspouse]

@SleepingStandingUp if you read my OP we are looking at schools. We do not have a permanent school.
If you read my other posts I am not just posting because I want a fix for my DC. I am posting because this whole idea is appalling for all children.