Unions blocking schools re-opening?

[Confusedbutheyho]

Just been off the phone to a friend who’s married to a teacher and they’re hearing a lot of conflicting news re unions.

Many are saying June won’t happen for re-opening. Is that possible that the unions veto it and stop it going ahead?

Supermarket workers here are not in masks they now have Perspex screens but they were not up immediately and the ones on shop floor stacking shelves have no protection around them
It may not even happen it's over 3 weeks away and will depend on the r rate
I don't know what teachers do want as if this is still here in September , how long can we close schools for ?
School being open is not comparable to next when it comes to need
A child's education is priority over someone buying clothes so that is not something to compare with
I seem to see half the teachers going ok we can adapt and the rest saying no way
Judging by post on mn if this is representative then you won't be getting many sent in anyway
Care workers , social workers etc are all still working as are a fair few teachers currently who are going in.
Teachers won't get medical grade ppe over drs/nurses working with cv patients
Also Germany and France I believe have started sending some children back so I'm sure we will be watching the affects this has
But some how we have to slowly start getting back to normal ( although I appreciate normal is a long way off )

I'd hedge a bet that no, many schools don't have over 900 pupils but their sites will be smaller so effectively they are facing the same issue in terms of numbers of children coming in and classrooms/space to teach?

If I take my old infant school which has an average size:

1 x nursery class
2 x reception classes
2 x year 1 classes
2 x year 2 classes

One hall than can be used to house a class if needed.

In order for all classes to be split in line with guidance, you need 10 classes/spaces.
Once the year 2 classes come back you need 14 classes/spaces in order to make sure you comply with guidelines.

They can't magic an additional 7 spaces in 5 weeks and if the government are then saying that you don't need to social distance in July, why are they telling that social distancing will be in place for some months yet?

Hope it is blocked. Good luck to them

@Bertandernie
It was clearly said these are might be dates and if the r rate has gone up etc it won't happen . So we have several weeks to see if the rate is falling or gong up and no point has it been said that schools will e ripen June the 1st no matter what it is all provisional

Yes I agree with the idea of attempting to plan to see if what is being proposed is doable but the issue is that the government has just sent out this guidance and actually, it's been badly thought out and is open to so much interpretation schools will be damned if they do and damned if they don't.

I've already mentioned on previous threads about the plans we are making for a just incase scenario but there's every likelihood schools won't reopen on 1st June considering the daily death toll today was over 600 (I know there's a lag in reporting) and I'm honestly amazed that we seem to now be applauding days where ONLY hundreds of people have died.

Yes children need an education I completely agree with that but most schools have been doing that since lockdown (I am aware some haven't) and as a parent myself, I'd rather not put my children at risk and send them back for a month at the end of the school year as I'm not sure what the quality of education will look like then tbh.

I believe the government are wanting to shift blame away from them and on to schools. So if schools say they can’t open then my my my that’s the schools’ fault! Nothing to do with the government not giving enough time to plan, not providing resources or funding, demanding too many different year groups back at once. No no no the parents should get angry with the schools!!! Not the government. This is the agenda.

And this is what the unions are fighting for. They are there to ensure the 5 tests are in fact achieved and that schools are safe for their members to return.

No union is blocking a return - they are simply ensuring the government sticks to what they have said and that any guidance published ensures their members are safe.

I'm not sure what the union fuss is all about to be honest. They have been open in their letters to the DFE and they have published their 5 points they want to be clarified and in place before schools reopen fully.

The way I see it (don't have a go, it's just my personal opinion, I'm not an epidemiologist or a virologist!!) is that 3 weeks ago, the rates of infection & death rates were incredibly higher than what they are now.
I think the way the government are looking at it, is that IF we continue at this rate, then we should/may be at a point where it's safe enough to begin schools phased openings.

If so, then we (hopefully) won't need as vigorous safety measures in place.

We could take measures to make it safer. Other countries are doing that. So far we haven't but we have to start somewhere.

We need to get more PPE, accurate tests, and give early treatment. This would start to reduce the r rate and keep it down.

Unfortunately, judging by the incompetence so far, I suspect in three weeks time nothing will have changed. We can but hope.

@ concerned777 that's what I thought they said as well,

• is that IF we continue at this rate, then in 3 weeks time, we should/may....

We also need to (finally) implement checks and quarantines on the thousands arriving daily at our airports. No good reducing the r rate otherwise.

@Togfeeyigurt what do you mean by accurate tests ?

I don't want to put my child and household at risk in June, she's yr1 i won't be sending her. If I'm fined I'll officially take her out of school

Also pope is being brought in , in huge amounts the nhs is going through a lot . There is a worldwide shortage on this and it is still arriving we haven't stopped buying and sourcing it

@Wannabangbang why will you be fined it's already been said it's not compulsory to send them and there won't be fines

Ppe not pope obviously

bertnernie
I’m not shouting at anyone? My post was in direct response to the teachers posting that they are not going back to work whilst they can’t see their grandchildren “ if I can’t see my grand child, why can I teach 30 children.”

The govt guidance is quite clear ..... they won’t be asking schools to take additional year groups back unless the science says that it’s safe to increase the numbers in schools so we don’t have to find additional
Teachers or classrooms. The 15 class size rule is only in place while we have reception/y1 and year 6.

And I have no idea what forum you are reading if you think ‘most teachers want to go back to work’ .... all I see/hear on every site is “no, cant, shan’t and won’t” Thank Christ the NHS staff didn’t say this.

Didn't we order a load of tests that had to be discarded because they turned out to be inaccurate? Tests to show if somebody's already had it. Not sure if things have changed since then.

It was reported that Germany has an antibody test that's 99.8% accurate. We really need to start following their excellent lead.

Many of us have had to adapt to new work regulations and adhere to a new way of life. It’s not the best but most of us do need to earn a salary....

Some of these suggestions are totally unrealistic. A lot of parents would prefer for smaller classes but who is going to fund this? Doesn’t smaller classes mean more teachers are needed. I’m not against some of these ideas I do however think that some of them are bordering expecting a bit too much. There’s plenty of others that feel the same way we cannot be selfish.

Who would take a child’s temperature? Can it just be added into anybody’s role? What about documentation? Who would follow a high temperature up of you couldn’t get hold of a child’s parent straight away? Are you qualified to know these things?

I'm not so sure i have a bad feeling this is herd immunity being banged out again and our children and school staff are guinea pigs to see the mass spread between ages. I think the government will unfortunately make it law for them to attend in June

Is PPE something we can make ourselves?
Is the problem with the materials? Something we need to import?
We shouldn't have been at the back of the queue for it. That we are is a failing of our government.

It just seems at the moment that everything is the fault of a teacher and therefore we are blamed for it all even if it's nothing to do with us.

We don't want schools to reopen fully until it is safe - even though the government has effectively said the same thing in terms of schools potentially having to stay closed depending on the R rate etc?......It's the teachers fault! They are only thinking about themselves!

We risk assess and have to put in a part time timetable to ensure that safety of our children meaning it's more difficult for those working from home or are being asked to go back to work....it's the teachers fault! I can't work from home and school my child at the same time!

We can't open breakfast or after school club as no way to socially distance to keep groups of children together even though we are following the guidelines given to us?......it's the teachers fault! My employer isn't happy about me having to come in later and leave earlier to pick my son up. It's the teachers fault!

If everyone is in agreement thay the government themselves has said potentially schools won't reopen if it isn't safe - why all the teacher basking for those of us who are saying the same thing?

It really baffles me.

And if my kids can't see their own nan why would i risk them being at school if they are safer with me. Pure madness

I believe the government are wanting to shift blame away from them and on to schools.

I think that's why Boris didn't mention that school places wouldn't be full-time.