It shouldn’t be close the schools, it should be make the schools safer!

[Clearasmuddypuddles]

I am a teacher in a secondary school. I do not want schools to close. But I do want my job to be safer.

How about instead of the pointless campaigning to close schools we actually try and get people to listen to ways that will make it safer.

1. mask wearing compulsory for teenagers even in classrooms. Yes they are uncomfortable and not nice, but it’s safer.

2. cut class sizes in half at least, preferable to groups of 8. Logistics are difficult here, but stripping schooling back to just 3 hours a day, or a one week on one off plan would help with this. Cutting the curriculum to essential content only would also help.

3. clean down desks after every lesson. Ours are done twice a day which isn’t enough.

4. stop students congregating as groups of 100 in the canteen whilst queuing to buy junk food. Provide each child with a pack up that they eat at a classroom desk. No walking around site in large groups.

I would be interest to hear any other ideas people have that would make our schools safer!

@Ffsffsffsffsffs

I am pastoral in a large secondary, and we are sticking to all the guidelines. Mask wearing is almost 100% compliance in our bubble (of 300), high 90s in other year groups, hands sanitised whenever kids come into a classroom, washed on the way into school and before leaving, canteen thoroughly wiped between each break sitting.

I'm sick of the close the schools brigade - yeah, sure that would reduce cases, but is EVERYONE doing what they should outside of a school setting? Are parents' workplaces as covid compliant as mine? Are the kids mixing with others (not siblings) after school? Are parents honestly sticking to the rule of 6/tier 2/tier 3 restrictions? I bet, hand on heart, most aren't.

Blame eat out to help out or schools/unis going back, whatever. Sure, schools aren't the most covid-secure but kids are only there 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. Kids need to be in school, the first lockdown opened my eyes to some of the real horrors some of our kids are living with everyday. But the wider older society needs to accept responsibility too.

Ps I've just bought a shit load of vests and jumpers from primark to see me through, I have a hot water bottle in my desk drawer and a massive (ugly) coat to wear on duty. I don't see a way reducing class sizes can work in your average school, most are at or exceeding max capacity anyway. Remote learning only works if tech is available, Internet access reliable and available and parents engaged.

Glad I'm not SLT...

You are correct. Our school is also excellent in ensuring the students follow rules. Only one single case.

Data shows spread in social networks and hence lock down since many won't follow the guidelines

I think one of the options for reducing class size could be asking parents to volunteer to home learn with class support, preferably by video conferencing.

There might be parents currently at home either permanently or temporarily who could facilitate home learning. This ofcourse needs to be flexible, particularly where the parent is home because they've lost their job and are likely applying for new ones. There'll also be the parents of vulnerable children (medical) who may prefer children at home for now. It would leave room at school for those who can't learn at home because of economic or social reasons.

Ofcourse, this is a big ask but think at this point asking for volunteers might be a good place to start.

Keep the windows open and don't pander to parents who ring in and complain their children are cold - let them where their own clothes!!

In our secondary school mask wearing is compulsory. They stay in the same class all day, in the same seat, with the same kids and the teachers move around the school. The canteen is closed but they can order food at the start of the day which is delivered to them at lunch time. They can go outside but only to the designated outside space for their class.

It sounds shit typed out but my kids are actually enjoying school for once.

Very few work places have this type of large number of people moving around and mixing.

Make school children a priority for any vaccine.

Working in a primary school there is a case for encouraging KS1 and 2 children to wear masks. Who knows in a couple of years time there might be another pandemic where it will be imperative to wear one? Yes, children will fiddle, break, lose them etc but normalising it will gradually take over. Possibly less coughs and colds would be a side benefit. No pressure but a move towards being the norm in the classroom. I am imagining personalised ones, crazy mouths etc. They'd love it!

I want priority to rapid testing for teachers and their households. It took 6 days for my test result to come back a few weeks ago, as I am the safeguarding lead at my school this was massively inconvenient. If teachers are waiting for results this could lead to schools having to close to certain year groups.

I also think we should get access to a vaccine after vulnerable people and NHS/care staff.

@rookiemere

Oh and masks for all senior school.

I've de registered from Us for them btw. I never had any issue with masks or other safety measures.

Good to hear 👍

Completely agree, would be more than happy for my children to wear masks all day at the school and for teachers to do the same, obviously some children may not be able to do this. Keep schools open but make them safer for everyone.

I definitely don't want to go back to teaching my class online, it's a nightmare for everyone involved! It also slows learning progress and in some cases learning completely stalls for the kids who don't engage.

More space in my classroom is what I need. Not just to help reduce the spread of the virus, which has spread between children and between adults (staff & parents) and children at my school. But more space for better learning and teaching. I can't even have a topic area in my classroom because when the desks (which aren't spaced out as there isn't room) are in place, there is absolutely nowhere to put any other resources in the classroom.

I am a class teacher in a primary school and totally agree with this.

Very happy for schools to remain open but I'd like to see masks on parents dropping and collecting, breaks between lessons for cleaning, no marking policy except on separate sheets. Ban on stuff being brought from home for e.g. birthdays.

We have windows and doors open but the children are always complaining about the cold so I'm 100% behind the WEAR A VEST campaign!

I’d happily support pretty much all these measures.

Yes! Keep schools open but make them safer. As a parent and a pregnant teacher this is what I want. I just want some care and regard for my health and safety and that of my unborn child please but I don’t want schools to close. I want schools to be able to demand to see test results of children. I want masks. I want to be able to social distance. I want parents to follow the rules and stop having sleepovers and play dates and a whole host of random people picking up their child even through they’re a stay at home parent! I want the cleaner to be in school full time not just for a few hours before school because that’s all we can afford. I want my classroom windows open even if it’s cold. I don’t want to not teach unless I can’t have these things. I think that’s reasonable.

Myfriend in Australia says her school is sending home anyone with a cold/snotty nose/sore throat. They see it as a child with "symptoms." Far less colds spreading et .

Might be a nightmare but easier than schools stopping altogether.

I would try to work out a way of having younger pupils in part time and exam classes in full time, creating enough space to socially distance in classrooms. So maybe a 2 or 3 week rota? Teachers of younger classes could deliver the same content to each group over 2 or 3 weeks, which should hopefully free up some planning time to prepare some content for the students on their weeks at home. Not sure how you would manage teaching the exam classes split up, because you'd need more teachers, but it seems like it could be feasible.

Yeah, I'd like to see updated guidance on the constant cleaning.

We have to get really near the kids to spray the desks and hand out sheets to wipe down, and I'm sure the close contact /breathing aerosols is now known to be more risky than not wiping down desks.

It would help somewhat if parents were allowed and supported to keep their kids out of school if they wished to, provided the school had no safeguarding concerns about the child.

This would reduce the numbers in school a bit at least. Also since for many families the reason would be to protect a vulnerable person, this could disproportionately decrease hospital admissions.