For those who want schools to go back..

[pfrench]

.. tell us how you think it should work. Primary or secondary.

In your ideal world.

How would social distancing be adhered to?
How about drop off and pick up?
How would classrooms operate?
How about lunchtimes and breaktimes?
What about after school childcare provision?
What about staff who are sheidling?
What about children who are sheilding?
What about staff who have family members who are sheilding?
Should only some children go back? Who should they be and why?

So many education and school experts on here, it will be interesting to read your safe solutions.

Hand washing stations akin to festivals could be set up. Simple rows of taps with a trough and soap for each individual tap

First almost sensible suggestion.

Portaloo in sink form. On the playground.

However, The cost would enormous - who would pay? Schools haven't enough money to fund basic materials/resources.
How much time would be spent during lesson changeover doing this 5 times a day?
How long would it take to get them all through? In a secondary school?

@Flaxmeadow who's looking after the class while the teacher carries the bucket to the playground?

Every school I’ve been in has had a sink in each classroom
Not doubting that is your experience, but the only rooms with sinks at secondary are Art and FCT/Home ec. Been that way for years.

Parents wouldn't send their kids in initially but numbers would increase very rapidly due to FOMO and when parents at home aren't seeing anything sinister happening within the kids who are in.

I know more and more are sending theirs inner ours because they are more reassured that staff and kids aren't dropping like flies.

Then erm discipline them? Send them home? Exclude them ffs

We can't exclude children from school (unless it's drug/violence related).

Ahh, That’s the problem... teachers just aren’t strict enough

What would you suggest should be done about a teenager trying to drink hand sanitizer or rub it in someone's face then?

In this scenario rules can surely be changed. Or should we keep schools closed because a minority of teenagers can't behave?

We've all had a laugh at the bucket idea, but here's the thing - the bottom line is that it is not a workable idea because the health and safety of the children and staff would be compromised. This is what it comes down to every time, except instead of passing buckets and people slipping, spilling and using dirty water, the thing that is being carelessly passed is a lot more dangerous. At the moment we need fewer buckets and more supervision. Then it works. It's exactly the same with the virus. Unfortunately, unless schools become less litigious places to work, no employer is going to bring people back to a workplace where they can't guarantee that at some point in the future they won't be in court facing allegations of not safeguarding children and staff.

This is the case across all workplaces too, but schools are a service we all use here.

Every school I’ve been in has had a sink in each classroom

Primary schools maybe.

Bucketgate 😂

@Howaboutanewname good point about secondary. I said in my previous post I can’t comment for secondary. It would be very hard without a sink, I’ve been in about 5 primary schools including tours when I started placement at my academy trust and they all had sinks in the classrooms. It would be very hard without them.

Honestly Flax just fuck off with the goading now please. Teachers are doing their bit right now whether through staffing key worker hubs or producing online resources and contacting families and children. Preparing for next year and possibly reduced timescales for exam subjects. While probably minding children of our own.
It is grossly offensive to suggest teachers are currently paid for doing nothing and aren't involved.
There are many, many jobs that aren't carrying on as normal just now but how many others are complained about on mumsnet.

@Floatyboat
Yes. I am worried about the kids being damaged by not being in school. I'm worried about their mental health. I'm worried about kids in danger of abuse. I'm worried about kids in families in poverty. I'm worried about all of those and more.

That's why I want to go back as soon as a safe way of doing it has been worked out. Or the safest way possible. Not safe for me. Safe for everybody.

Again, I can't see anything controversial about wanting to open schools in the safest way possible.

Flaxmeadow
Let's just say. YOU carry the damn bucket.

So one bucket per class of 30 children?
Nice and hygienic then.

Let go of the (frankly moronic) bucket idea.
Please.

I’m
Wondering about all the kids on screens while their parents work. What are they watching on YouTube, unsupervised.

Sinks outside classrooms would be a good idea. It all boils down to money.

Because I'm sure you all really want to do your bit for the country in a time of crisis don't you. Don't you? Louder at the back please, I cant hear you

Part of us ‘doing out bit’ is being concerned about what will happen if we open schools with nothing other than a bucket of water and a bar of soap plan.. If children don’t transmit, great. If children do transmit, it will be a disaster. And teachers will die, probably in as great a number as health professionals and your children will bring it home to you. 30k dead already. Do you fancy your child having to deal with the trauma of the loss of a couple of school staff and their grand parents at the same time?

Again, I can't see anything controversial about wanting to open schools in the safest way possible

Me either except the safest way possible is to not open before a vaccine. That isn't a solution.

Recently on this thread only one poster has been positive in suggesting how she as a teacher could make it work.

Everyone else has just been saying no. That wouldn't work.

Nobody else has offered any insight into what they think they could do or what a workable solution might be.

Are you on Twitter @Flaxmeadow. I reckon you should start tweeting the education secretary. With your brilliant ideas we'll all be back to normal in no time

Please do this!!!!

Unfortunately, what parents don’t understand is how children behave in a group in the school environment

Seriously?

So you can tell us your lovely snowflake would never do that but we know exactly what would happen with buckets of water and bars of soap or hand sanitizer on the wall.

More barriers and excuses. It's your job, deal with it

I like the festival trough idea and can see that working to a point say, outside with some kind of shelter over it, several around a school...

Great idea ...oh wait, here we go...

...But the cost is the issue and again, parents don’t understand just how ‘on a shoestring’ we are. It also wouldn’t happen overnight

The government is spending billions upon billions on saving the economy. Builders are out of work and have nothing to do. Stores are donating all kinds of goods. Volunteers with the council are crying out for something to do. Ask

Buckets, soap and “heard immunity”.
So much fun.

Going...