Why only primary school going back?

[Mummypig2020]

Just that really, why do they only want to get primary school back?

[SophieB100]

Not going to happen @Biscuit0110
Everything I've written is from yesterday's briefing, PM's Q&A in the Commons, and the guidance. Boris yesterday said in the Commons that he hopes after the 3 year groups go back, the rest of primary might return for a month, if the data allows it.
Earliest return for some primary students is after June 1. This is the part of the plan for the second phase of the 3 phases before September, subject to change, subject to being delayed. That's the road map as it will happen if the figures are ok.

I understand what you wish for - but it's futile - it won't happen, that has been made very clear.

[Biscuit0110]

The Times today confirms that the aim is to have ALL children back in primary setting sophie It makes no difference to me personally, but that is being reported widely this morning. I am surprised too. As of yesterday it was only three year groups, and Y10 and Y12 today the aim is for all children.

Additionally private schools may be doing something entirely different.

Looking at the rammed buses and tubes yesterday, I highly doubt we will even get to step two!

[BertNErnie]

The key there is the word 'aim'. It's simply not going to happen. If there is the expectation that schools follow the guidance in terms of class sizes etc then there's no way schools will be open to all classes for the last month of June.

It's completely open to interpretation and schools will make their own decisions based on their knowledge of who we know is going to be sending their children in and also based on the room sizes and how many spaces we have.

Parents and carers will be pissed off as some schools will be able to facilitate more than others and then blame the head teachers and school staff and the government will happily throw us under the bus and say 'well we gave them them guidance'

[BertNErnie]

I meant to say be open for a month over June/July.

[Grasspigeons]

BertNErnie - i think you are right. I also think that R thing will probably rise above 1 and it will all shift anyway. (Based on street parties and the return to work)

[SophieB100]

But that's what I said @Biscuit0110! The specified year groups in from June 1st, (data permitting) the rest of primary in for a month before the end of term (data permitting).
Never mind, doesn't matter at all.

We've had the guidance from the government, forwarded from our Trust CEO this morning. It's very detailed and I'll plough through it later.
@BertNErnie - agree totally, a lot will be left up to individual schools and none of us will win. Not that we ever did

[Samcj02]

My daughter’s primary school has one class per year so 6 classes..it’s been reported that they will be allowing 15 children per class? Which can be done on 1st of June but What about when the rest of the children return to school aimed which is aimed for the end of June.. some schools just aren’t big enough to split..so by then will it be classes of 30? And what about nurseries/preschools, will they be limited on numbers or will it be a case of just throwing them all back in at once! It just doesn’t seem very clear!

[Parker231]

The latest guidance (below)mentions the possibility of using another school in the area so if a small Primary school doesn’t have space they could use empty classrooms at a local senior school. This has been discussed on a radio discussion show this morning.

Each setting’s circumstances will be slightly different. Any setting that cannot achieve these small groups at any point should discuss options with their local authority or trust. This might be because there are not enough classrooms / spaces available in the setting or because they do not have enough available teachers / staff to supervise the groups. Solutions might involve children attending a nearby school (on a consistent basis).

[SophieB100]

The guidance received this morning is very clear @Samcj02
It doesn't say 15 per class at all, it says small groups depending on setting. It doesn't say all students in at once either.
It might mean that your DD might be in a small group once or twice a week - it will be up to the school to look at their own classrooms, their teaching, the amount of students who might come in, and adjust numbers accordingly. What happens at your primary school, won't be the same as what happens at another nearby primary school.
Right now schools are digesting the guidance, and seeing what they can do to follow the instructions and provide a gradual return to school. Everyone will have to wait until nearer the time to see if the schools can open after June 1st - which might not happen if we have a spike, which is more likely following the behaviour over the Bank Holiday; and then await information from their own school as to what is on offer.

[Samcj02]

Thanks for information regarding the guidance! Very useful and informative! I agree about the possibility of a second spike!

[BertNErnie]

@Samcj02 we are limiting the number of nursery pupils who can come in to ensure we have a max of 15 in at any one time so the only way to do this is for them to all attend on a more part time basis than they currently do. We are a school nursery.

At any one time, we have 39 in our setting so we have to split them into 3 groups of 13 and somehow work out which days they can attend. We also have to do the same thing for the PM children as well as figure out deep cleaning of resources before the changeover of pupils.

It's going to be very different than we are used to unfortunately but I'm sure it will be fine.

[Samcj02]

@BertNErnie thanks for the info! Looking forward to seeing what plans the nursery I work for out in place!

[BertNErnie]

It will definitely be different wherever you go or work as no two buildings are the same and therefore our risk assessments will be completely different.

It's a minefield!

[Samcj02]

@BertNErnie it’s such a strange situation!