So the school guidance is out...

[Norecallpup]

Sorry if this has already been done. I could cry, I really could. Absolutely nothing. Just wash your hands, wipe down surfaces and encourage kids to cough into tissues! I don’t know why I’m shocked. Our government are a bunch of twats!

I wonder how this will work with children with SEN as quite clearly it won't work. You can't effectively socially distance from them if they need 1:1 support.

You do know that all other countries are sending their kids back as their junior schools are reopening too, right?? It's not England, it's not Boris, it's just what has to happen, and is happening all over the world

Exactly. We can’t keep the kids off for a year the risk is low. If the risk isn’t low to you as a teacher or parent then shield.

Tell me, what do you realistically think is an alternative to what has been suggested?

Wait longer, until case numbers as low as Denmark / Germany when schools started re-opening, R down as low as we can get it.

Only upper KS2, so Y5 and 6.

Half each class in at a time - 2 days of group 1, full class clean and setting of online work for remainder of the week for that group, 2 days of group 2.

Strictly 'setting in desks' learning, staggered playtimes and packed lunch in classrooms, much more 'from the front' teaching. PPE for anyone having to look after a child close to - from cut knee to vomiting to simply working with the type of child who bites and spits.

Maintain for AT LEAST 3-4 weeks and collect data rigorously, all parents and staff on track and trace apps.

Then add next 2 year group on same arrangement, could include a younger age group, because they can have behaviour modelled by older children.

@FirTree31 please don’t worry about any of those things. If all this goes ahead and we teachers end up in school on 1st June there is no way your child will be treated any other way than with love, comfort if needed and a knee to sit on. That is what we do. That is who we are. Certainly in my school, all staff will do the same. Nobody will hurt themselves and not get a quick cuddle!

@Barbie222 you mean you don't have access to the classroom fairy?!

Shame on you.

Any idea why they can't just make it an option for people to send their children into school if they really need to (like the current system for key workers and vulnerable children) but encourage people where possible to keep their children at home until its safe enough to all go back as normal? Let people make up their own minds if it's worth the risk taking into account their own Individual circumstances.

Yeah, what is happening in September that makes it safe to send them back? Is it because Hogwarts term starts then and they will magic the virus away?

I suspect that only people who have the luxury of staying at home because they dont need to work are the ones who are saying they will keep the kids off. MN is skewed by having a higher proportion of high earning families so I suspect that the 50/50 view wont be reflected in society in general. I suspect that the take up rate would be much higher, at least 80/20.

Also cleaning staff have been cut to a bare minimum in many schools. All this extra cleaning is going to be a mighty challenge with staff shielding etc.

, R down as low as we can get it.

Germany reopened schools on 0.5.

I think people look towards September as a more comfortable date to send children back as they (myself included) hopefully assume that number of infections in the community will be lower by then and a workable track and trace system will be in place to shut down small outbreaks before they spread at the same levels as before.

I keep seeing the comparison with shop workers. I know they have been working all through this. But shops have been controlled. Limits to the number of people in. One way system. And mostly full of adults who understand and want to comply with the social distancing.

Do shop workers regularly have to utter sentences like “Please don’t lick his face, he doesn’t like it. Well, I know he’s your friend, but we still don’t lick each other. We can say we are friends and that is enough.”

Teachers will be working with little kids who don’t get the concept of social distancing, and even if they know they are supposed to do it won’t remember. And even if they do, when one falls over and grazes their knee, we are not going to leave them on the floor crying. And if they wipe their nose on you, it comes with the territory.

I just cannot see how, on the one hand, I am told that I can only see one other person outside my household, at a safe distance, and if I don’t comply I may be fined, yet in a couple of weeks I will be asked to be a human tissue for every distraught child. And let’s face it, little kids can be hard enough to get into a classroom on a normal day. I’ve got at least 4 year 1s that have to be prised off their parents in the morning. What’s it going to be like after this amount of time at home, and with only some of their friends a new classroom, with a new teacher.

I want to go back. But I think we cannot pretend that this will be a normal experience for the children, (see also lack of toys), or that it is in any way compatible with social distancing. 15 in a class,
plus me, our bubble will be 16 households right there, and if they all then go off and see someone else...

It's actually not the same risk as shop assistant etc, it may in fact turn out to be a far lower risk. However it could be a far greater risk because you are confined to a very small space with 15/30 with, often limited ventilation, for 5/6h per day. Now there is no risk what so ever if everyone is well. However if a staff member is ill or a child (and they are found to spread at same rate) then you have a lot of problems, high viral load, often poor hygiene, basically crap cleaning, sorry if anyone actuallybthough schools were clean 🤣.
In a shop you have some distance, should be 2m but we know idiots don't stick to it. From now most people should be wearing masks to reduce their potential to spread the virus. Also although they see far more people in a day it is for very short periods if time and now most shops limit the number of people in the building.
As I say, open schools but be honest that this amount to very little being done apart from attempts to reduce class sizes.

Yanbu I have always said that No way will my kids be going back as dh is shielding.
Anyone can see it is a disaster waiting to happen.
He is putting money before health and it is teachers And their families and our kids and families in the firing line.

And.....on a roll here....

what about those kids that will be desperate to get back because its a respite from home? A place where they will be fed, looked after and hopefully rescued from what they have at home? Its not just about education but keeping in touch with seriously vulnerable children. Kids who are suffering mental health issues as a result of lockdown?

School is so much more than education.

You do know that all other countries are sending their kids back as their junior schools are reopening too, right??

Wrong! Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not sending children back to school yet. Spain has only just started letting children leave their own homes!

It also fundamentally ignores how little ones learn. They don’t sit down and do seat work. They move around the classroom, lots of free flow, lots of exploration. Which naturally brings them into contact with everyone else in the room. If we can’t use toys, and we need to restrict movements, then how they learn will have to fundamentally change. Which isn’t really what they need at this stage, a complete change in how school operates on top of everything else.

How will staggered opening and closing times work for school transport? I imagine this will effect the most vulnerable children as if they don't get transport to school their parents won't send them.

Other countries going back to school are either further past peak or never had a peak as high as us. Plus 15 is not a small group. Other countries have group sizes of almost half that. We have larger groups because our schools are overcrowded and we don’t have he space for social distancing. If teachers are teaching both groups - they will potentially be exposed to 30 people in close proximity with no PPE. Primary ages children, especially years 1 and EYFS will not understand the need to stay apart. They will need hugs when they get upset and teachers will do it because how can we not when a small child is distressed. The role of kids in transmitting to adults is still not understood. Not is the role of the virus is causing Kawasaki. It is far too soon to be doing this. I would love to get back to normal but some things just can’t be rushed. I’m a teacher and my own children won’t be going to school.

If TAs become class teachers, who will do the work TAs normally do?

I know a few schools have class TAs, but I don't think that is the norm. Our TAs are almost all assigned to children with EHCPs.

Not to mention there aren't any spare rooms.

I think by the time schools begin to reopen there will be further changes to being able to see family, so perhaps we can't use that point about schools. It's an if that they will reopen June 1. People having to go back to work this week, I absolutely understand the point of only seeing one member of another household but can mix with colleagues.

What about those that work in supermarkets on the till etc? Or those that work in shops, banks, handling cash that’s been touched by god knows who with god knows what?

Any teachers with underlying health conditions or with children/partners with such them they can refuse to go in. I don’t understand why the average person is so worried though?

It’s not ideal but the one good thing is that it doesn’t affect children anywhere near the way in which it affects adults. I don’t see why people are saying they won’t be sending their kids back.... this disease is going no where. So there’s not really much of an option.

You could keep them off for 3 years and it would still be around, unless they find a vaccine, but that’s certainly not a given. So what to do then?? What’s next? How will you keep roof over your heads and food on your table? I can’t tell you now, the government won’t be able to sustain this level of financial help indefinitely?!

Every time you go out in the car you’re taking a risk. You’re driving may be impeccable but that doesn’t mean you won’t get hit by a speeding lunatic it a drunk driver. The chances are small but they are not zero. Nothing is zero or risk free. Everything we do has an element of risk but if fear prevailed then you wouldn’t do anything.....

@pipnchops the problem is that things won't go back to normal.

If TAs become class teachers, who will do the work TAs normally do?

Who will pay them for the extra work?? TA's are not paid anything like enough to become class teachers. They are among the lowest paid staff in a school.

I’m really embarrassed by my profession at the moment ..... apparently we are unable to be in anyway solution focused. Just lots of no, can’t and won’t. Such a shame. And the guidance can’t be specific ....we have schools in rural areas of 20 pupils, 2 staff in a large hall and 7 form entry primaries in inner London. We will have to use a tiny amount of our own brain power to adapt the guidance to our schools.