Are schools safe? Asking teachers

[Jumpingjellybeans29]

We are both frontline NHS so we don't have a choice about sending our kids.

My understanding is that there will be a mix of kids left in. Staff on a rota. Skeleton staff in each day. No continuity. Obviously some may go into self isolation so potentially risk of unsafe ratios. The schools have had v little time to plan this so no policies will have been updated eg safeguarding of kids and bullying issues.

Is it just me or this is really crap childcare?

It's that or nothing.

No, you’ve just about hit the nail on the head. Sadly.

No, it's that or quit my job. I don't want to deprive the NHS at a time of need but I'm genuinely worried for my kids. Teachers, do I need to worry? Or will it be fine?

I’m not sure it will be really crap childcare - maybe not super stimulating and organised but still a number of professionals doing their best.

To answer that question - yes I really believe it will be fine.

Schools will ensure there are trained safeguarding staff on site, a first aider and enough staff to ensure a safe ratio.

It may be a bit chaotic initially, but it will settle. We will keep children safe, but we definitely can’t promise continuity or that children won’t all be mixed together. We don’t know exactly what we’re dealing with until the morning.

It’s a last resort.

The union guidelines state that safeguarding and school policies remain the same where possible and that primary children should be in groups of less than 8 (10'at secondary). They will be supervised by a range of staff.

Please don't call it crap babysitting. Teachers, like you, are leaving their own children to look after pupils and heighten their own risk of exposure (obviously not as risky as NHS workers but still more at risk than if at home).

None of my colleagues or staff I know have really moaned about going in - other than parents who are taking the piss sending kids in when a parent is WFH.

OP we will do our best as I'm sure you will when our children are in your hands. Let's big each other up.

It is crap though. In a normal situation I would never put my kids in this kind of childcare. I would rather take a financial hit and look after them properly myself.

I am trying myself in knots. I know I need to support the NHS. But why should my kids suffer because of my job?

...can’t promise there will be hand gel though

The thing is, it may be skeleton staff BUT it will be school staff - the teachers and TAs who staff the school every day. They will have had the same safeguarding training, followed the same policies, dealt with the same types of issues as the staff who normally teach your child each day.

It won't be perfect, no. It will be boring (deliberately so - with such a long list of key staff, most schools are worried about being swamped if the provision is in any way 'desirable')

But it should be, basically, safe - though obviously not generally AS safe as families self-isolating in their own homes, which is why it is meant to be only for the very few who have no alternative, or for those who are genuinely very vulnerable if at home.

My youngest is in reception. She's so young for this. No other reception kids are staying.

I hope not. I think it will vart school to school and over time. Where i work the teachers really care about the children and, although staff isolating made running a whole school hard, there aee enough left to have a good rota. There will be a teacher, a TA per 30 children and a safeguarding lead, a float for breaks and an admin bod. The teachers are fully aware these children will have jncredibly stressed parents and will be confused and upset by the chsnge themselves. They are hoping to follow a routine, do the home learning tasks and do nice things like gardening and music. Theyve spent their own money on nice art materials. We really want the key workers to know we've done right by their children.

Seriously though your kids won’t suffer. In my primary we’re planning lots of PE, baking, gardening, art. The kids will have a great time. Ratios will be good and we’ll be doing our best to keep them safe and happy.

I don't think it will necessarily be the cleanest place unless schools have stepped this up a notch. In many schools, windows open only a jar so very little ventilation.

I'm sure head teachers have been busy updating policies and writing risk assessments over the weekend, though.

Skeleton staff and rota system - yes. Mixed age classes following the home learning that should have been put in place.

There's no way it can be like the school your children would have experienced just on a smaller scale. You can't expect all their teachers or even their usual teacher in to teach them. They will be 'taught' on a rota by teachers they may be unfamiliar with, in a class with children they aren't usually with. This is the best that they can do.

In terms of ratios and things, I think it will be better than it normally is at school. I honestly don't think there's anything to worry about in terms of safeguarding, etc. It's not educationally equivalent to school, but it is safe childcare - that other people are putting their own families at risk to provide so you can do your job.

I know it's scary af at the moment, but try not to worry.

(I should say that the reasons the children won't be safe are CV related, not teacher / school related)

Schools and staff will do their best. The rooms we are using are being deep cleaned every night. If the students are at their own schools then they should be familiar with most of the staff. If staff are ill more will be called in as they would normally. There will be some teething problems no doubt but soon everyone will get into the groove of what to do. The details coming from my school appear to be that most SLT are in every day, therefore there will be some continuity, a few members of admin staff and about 10 teachers. Your children will be in small groups and safeguarding and anti bullying policies will remain the same, ie mobile phones will probably not be allowed etc. We are to remind children to maintain social distancing and keep 2m away from each other.

There’s not a lot more they can do tbh. I know where I am the ratio is going to be 1:8, children spread out in classes and absolutely no sharing of pencils, pens etc. Guidelines are very strict on social distances as well as cleanliness and hand washing every 45 minutes. There’s a rota in place so no continuity of staff I’m afraid but we’ve all agreed to do the same days every week. All the staff have volunteered to be in so I don’t think you’d get anyone in a class who doesn’t want to be there. I’m sure everything will be just fine once the children get used to the new routine.

The rota at our school covers supervision, reserves, safeguarding and first aid. Children are being spaced out as much as possible and doing the same online work as the children at home are being set. The School’s safeguarding policy is really comprehensive and still being used. I would be comfortable about my children being there.

Is it just me or this is really crap childcare?

School staff shouldn’t bother then!

What do you want?

I agree with sundayfeelingbah. We will be doing whatever we can to make it easier on the children and parents who have to use the childcare. It will be a small group, with plenty of outdoor time and a very creative curriculum. Lots of art and crafts and learning through play. It won't be perfect, but we'll do what we can to support you.

I'm a bit offended by this 'crap babysitting'. I'm leaving my own children at home to care for yours. To provide a safe space, food and adult supervision. We aren't teaching them, we are supervising them completing the work set by their class teachers for all of their subjects.

We are giving you somewhere reliable for them to be, rather than at home alone of nothing else is available. Plus, we have kids with EHCPs who cannot be left alone due to health, learning disability or behaviour. Please do not think ill be sat their like an 18 year old on a sofa texting my boyfriend and ignoring your children.

This is all we can offer. We found out that schools were closing when you did in that press conference. We've not slept since then organising this and trying to comfort Y11 and Y13 students who have had their world ripped from them. Im still setting work for all my other classes just like my timetable says. I've even bought a pile of craft stuff to take for a bit of a break, as the rest of our school is out of bounds for a deep clean. We aren't 'crap babysitting'.

How about looking for a childminder instead? Your LA will have a childcare team who can probably help you. I know mine has surveyed all childminders to ask who is still opening and would be prepared to take on extra key worker children.

It's that or nothing.

This

I'm in tomorrow and very worried about germs. Self isolating it isn't.