Why can't the government create 'Nightingale' schools.

[Jessy193819]

I may be in la la land here and I bet you any money it's all to do with funding.
But the nightingale hospital was open to help NHS (lots of controversy about how useful it's been I know).

How come the government can't use hubs and other unused buildings to create some 'mini schools' (per say) to help with social distancing and creating smaller class sizes during covid.

There are thousands of supply teachers and supply TA's out there who would probably jump at the chance to apply for these roles.

There probably is a reason why this won't happen but it'd help ensure all children have a full-time education whilst reducing class sizes.

We know that our pm. disregards his own children... no surprise that he does the same with everyone else's🙁

@Rowenasemolina but this is the point I'm making - you list lots of reasons why you think it wouldn't work. What does it actually come down to though? Funding! Shortage of teachers? Provide better funding - incentivise teacher training, make it an attractive profession to join... yes it's a long term solution, but that's what I mean by educational reform, not a quick fix trying to use other premises as emergency classrooms.

Turn every blocker on its head and think about what the government needs to do to enable it - otherwise you're basically coming up with a list of excuses for the government to use to perpetuate underfunding, because they'll claim those issues exist regardless of the funding position.

The problem is that they pay private school fees for their own children so don't want to spend the tax pound on education for the masses! We should be challenging that instead of accepting it.

@doctorhamster

Because they're a bunch of cunts who won't do anything unless it benefits them and their mates.

This!

[quote chesterdrawsneedsgonetoday]@Rowenasemolina but this is the point I'm making - you list lots of reasons why you think it wouldn't work. What does it actually come down to though? Funding! Shortage of teachers? Provide better funding - incentivise teacher training, make it an attractive profession to join... yes it's a long term solution, but that's what I mean by educational reform, not a quick fix trying to use other premises as emergency classrooms.

Turn every blocker on its head and think about what the government needs to do to enable it - otherwise you're basically coming up with a list of excuses for the government to use to perpetuate underfunding, because they'll claim those issues exist regardless of the funding position.

The problem is that they pay private school fees for their own children so don't want to spend the tax pound on education for the masses! We should be challenging that instead of accepting it. [/quote]
But we have solutions to the problem of getting children back to school. Wait until it’s safer, then set up Rotas. Supposing we had countless millions of pounds and an army of trained and willing staff. There would STILL be no benefit at all in what you are suggesting

What’s the point of saying ‘turn every blocker on its head and think how it could be enabled’. There would be NO POINT. In enabling this crazy idea. Utterly wasteful, and useless educationally

Nightingale Hospitals have been an utter waste of money.
Not as bad as Navy Aircraft Carriers with no planes
but not far off
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/27/empty-nightingale-hospitals-government-healthcare-staff

It’s a nice idea in theory, but even without the staffing, logistical and safeguarding challenges, I’m having trouble working out which public buildings would be remotely suitable. In the catchment of our school, the only large, non-residential spaces are a few one room community centres, (which are all in use offering early years childcare), a couple of pubs and a bowls club. Nothing would offer anywhere close to the 21 extra classrooms we would need to keep class sizes below 15.

@Rowenasemolina

What’s the point of saying ‘turn every blocker on its head and think how it could be enabled’. There would be NO POINT. In enabling this crazy idea. Utterly wasteful, and useless educationally

If you believe that this sort of situation is a once-in-200/100-years event, then yes I can see why you think there's no point.

However, I think coronaviruses are going to keep popping up. SARS and MERS were quite recent - less extensively spread but more deadly than covid. So I think we'll see more of them in years to come. And I think it would be unacceptable to keep closing schools every time a new coronavirus emerges. That's why I'm thinking long term and grand scale - because I think we need a long term plan for how to continue safe schooling at all times.

Other services and industries have had to change their way of working and spend money to become "safe". When it comes to schools, the approach is "sit and wait until it's safe" rather than "what can we do to make it safe". Why should kids wait around just because people don't like change or refuse to believe it can be done? What will happen to them if we spend another year sitting and waiting? What will happen to them if they have to miss a third of every year? Or if they have to miss one in every 5 years? We'd be idiots not to at least think of what a long term solution might look like.

I don't think its anything to do with people not liking change.

I think its everything to do with the fact that we just do not have hundreds of thousands of qualified teachers sat on their arse through lack of work. Clearly we cannot produce the amount of teachers it would take. Further, the support staff required to make this happen would mean it just isn't viable.

@Bourbonic

I don't think its anything to do with people not liking change.

I think its everything to do with the fact that we just do not have hundreds of thousands of qualified teachers sat on their arse through lack of work. Clearly we cannot produce the amount of teachers it would take. Further, the support staff required to make this happen would mean it just isn't viable.

Well, considering the retention rate of the profession, we probably do. I think it's about a fifty percent quit rate after five years? So there will be thousands and thousands of trained and qualified teachers out there, who are not currently working as teachers at all. Whether you could convince them to come back to the classroom is a different matter.

Well, considering the retention rate of the profession, we probably do. I think it's about a fifty percent quit rate after five years? So there will be thousands and thousands of trained and qualified teachers out there, who are not currently working as teachers at all. Whether you could convince them to come back to the classroom is a different matter.

Yes, definitely.

Interestingly, I think if you scrapped or massively reformed Ofsted and ended the unreasonable level of misplaced scrutiny, fear and workload that comes with it-many would willingly rejoin.

There must be a far better way to monitor and support schools.

In the North West, there are a lot of supply teachers, so there is not a shortage of supply teachers everywhere

Really? Certainly not where I am. Never had an issue getting day to day work or long term and I am North West. I am a shortage subject area, however, which might make a difference. I am also unconcerned with working in awful schools which also helps.