Question on schools reopening

[ruby2019missyou]

I know that Downing street are meant to be announcing a plan next week for schools re-opening. I was wondering when they were planning for this to happen and if they were planning for all year groups to return at once or a phased return. Just speculating obviously. What does everyone else think?

Staggered. Some won’t return until September.

I don't care how exceptional the circumstances are.
Would you work 6 weeks with no pay?

Just for fun, I then asked it 'How long will home schooling go on for?' and it replied 'Better not tell you now', which sounds ominous.

They will give schools sufficient notice....

Why can't schools work on two or three various scenarios, eg, after half term, after summer? So that when the science does deem it safe, they are ready to go.

Genuine question, I'm not suggesting it's easy to plan but I know at work we are planning phased returns already, aren't schools doing the same?

@BuffaloCauliflower I wonder what my school will do. It would be a surprise if they were to decide what to do themselves.

No one is going on holiday this year

@Pinkflipflop85 No, but like I said, I thought they were paid for holidays. Could be wrong tho.

I think the government said it would be a phased return. But that is all we know. The rest is guesswork.

I have friends in Germany where schools reopen next week - yet some of my friends have starting dates mid May/end of May and no starting date yet...I think it will h similar here and a long way off normality. I have DC at primary, at secondary and at special school. I don't think I will be back to the office before September with a very staged return and no childcare in the Summer.

@Onone Agreed.

@ruby2019missyou the school I’m close to has been asked what they would do, no indication that something would be imposed from above. They’ve said they can do half the school split from top to bottom, so half of each class (primary) so kids would be in roughly 2 days a week.

@Nixen We can't all be on your level

I don't mind these type of threads.
It's interesting to hear what different schools are telling parents BUT it's up to us parents not to take what others are being told as gospel.

@goldpendant Perhaps some are

Nobody knows. Our head has said not until September. It makes sense.

My guess will be primary so that parents of young kids can get to work.

Secondaary kids will be expected to look after themselves. Which will be an anathema to some parents on MN who won't ever consider leaving kids alone well into their teens . However these are extraordinary times and kids are going to have to learn responsibility and parents grow some trust. (Referring to NT dc only - SN should be able to access some provision as they can now. )

I'm scared to go, whenever it is.

Aside from the staffing side of things, the summer break is when certain large maintenance jobs are done in school. The sort of things that can't be done with children around.

You are wrong. Teachers earn the salary for 37 weeks a year but have it paid evenly over 12 months. TAs and support staff likewise.

HTH

School staff are paid for 9 months of the year but it’s split between 12m so we get paid every month. Working in summer means no holiday for staff, extra wages to pay us and no holidays for the kids. Please don’t forget that lots children are receiving education of some sort at home. My secondary school child has full days online. This is not a holiday currently for any of us

@Deelish75
I also want to know how it will work if there is a vulnerable parent at home, how do we keep them safe?
Either all family members including the child stays two metres away from the shielding parents and follows the other guidance or the child can’t go to school.
My dc will be unable to return to school as me have to shield as a family.

And just for fun, here's another consideration.

Has anybody considered the impact of test- track-trace on schools?

Someone in school has tests positive for COVID, people who have been near them (which I'm assuming in a primary school will be everybody) gets a text saying they have to be tested and isolate until they get the results- which to my understanding is a few days.

Schools could be regularly open/shut/open/shut with no notice and no provision for key worker children.

I honestly think that opening schools is on the government's -too hard, lets think about it later pile.

@TheHoneyBadger - Just to be precise, teachers are paid for the 39 weeks they are contracted to work plus 5.6 weeks of statutory holiday entitlement. This is then divided into twelve equal payments.

In other words, they get a salary, the same as everyone else. And for the 39 weeks that they actually work, it’s a fairly generous salary.

@EYProvider if you think teachers only work for the 39 weeks of term you’re delusional

The problem is going to be the social distancing which is impossible in primary schools especially with the younger ones. Also members of staff and children that are in the shielded or vulnerable groups.

Agree with the comment about track and trace in our school that would mean 230 children/families plus 20/30 staff members plus their families. Can't see how that would work.
Just like to add teachers and support staff are paid for 37 weeks work split over 12 pay dates. We are not paid for holidays.

Our school have said certainly no plans before half term, will be done gradually and with social distancing (where possible as we are severe LD special) and will not be before government say and waiting official guidance.

If we're being precise about teacher salary- they are paid to work 1265 hours, divided between 195 days. Those days are split: 190 in school with the children, 5 days as Inset (In service training).

The INSET days are sometimes called Baker days as they were introduced by Ken Baker (the then education minister) as the National Curriculum was introduced. To introduce these days, 5 days were taken off the teachers' holidays (not the children). Prior to these days, teachers worked 190 days, now they work 195 days.

I'm not sure when the 1265 hours were specified. It's worth noting that the 1265 hours are classed as directed time (as in directed by the Headteacher). All the other work that teachers do in terms of planning/marking, doing displays/running clubs etc they are doing in their non-paid hours

So, as an aside, when people ask "Why can't teacher do their training days in the holidays?"; they are doing. Its just that 5 of those days are now spaced across the year, rather than the 2 weeks at Whit and 7 weeks at summer that we used to get when I was a child.