This protective ‘bubble’ of small groups in schools. How will it work in secondary schools?

[Reastie]

I just don’t get it. I understand the logic of primary schools where children can spend their whole school day with one teacher for all lessons. I see the government are using language like ‘bubble’ and ‘family’ to build confidence with parents to encourage their children to go back to school when they reopen.

What I don’t get is how their main protective mechanism of keeping small groups of school children separate from each other to stop spread could possibly work at secondary where they have a different teacher for each subject and move around school for each subject. I see that they could reduce spread by each group staying in the same classroom and having teachers come to them to teach rather than they go to the teachers in their rooms, but logistically this will be impossible with different children in different sets and different options for different GCSE subjects meaning they have many different groups of students for different subjects.

So is the school bubble thing at secondary just a load of air to help parents feel better? Will students have core lessons in school in September in the same groups and option subjects taught at home online? Will they just continue to move around schools and narrow school corridors to different subjects but it’s ok because they know they need to wash their hands? Genuinely wondering how this protective bubble mechanism they are so keen to sell will work at secondary.

I agree with @Cathpot that any increase in staff time in secondary schools must not come at the expense of the quality of remote provision.

That's why there should be LA and school discretion rather than government directive, as schools will know best how their students are doing with the remote work being provided and be able to find that balance more appropriately.

I'm not certain 7/8 would be the right side of the risk/reward balance for me in terms of health and education. But other schools may be different on this.

I think your programme sounds sensible madame. Unfortunately it does not sound like what most secondary heads are planning.

There is definitely due to be specific guidance for secondary 'in the coming weeks', so maybe 31st May!

My headteacher is totally brilliant, piggy. I have absolute confidence that however we end up opening, in June and then in September, it will be with the safety of staff and students as the priority.
We are currently planning for how we adapt to socially-distanced schooling with larger numbers of pupils in September. It’s been made very clear to all staff that, unless something very substantial changes over the summer, that students will be part time in September to limit the number in school and make social distancing possible.

The Govt, right from the start, put a protective arm/bubble around Care homes, so really, we have nothing to worry about. @jasjas1973 this is what worries me!

It’s not supposed to work. Government has given up. We’re all just expected to get it and hope for the best now. @pontypridd I think you’re right, but the R number is already close to 1. Are they planning to just let head teachers sort something out on the assumption they will continually have to shut when there are cases.

@MadamMinimes that would make a lot of sense. If it’s the case why don’t they just say that?!

We’ve been looking at the logistics in our school. Classrooms are too small for groups of 10 children. They need 2m of space not just to the sides of them, but in front and behind. Including the teacher, some of our classrooms would do well to fit 8 children.
Part time is looking necessary, which is going to cause problems for working parents. I know and understand because as well as being a teacher, I am also a working parent.
The worst thing for me would be the staggered times and early finishes. My son’s school is 20 miles away. How can I give him lifts when I’m in work myself?

It’s an absolute nightmare. I almost want to say, oh just fuck it. Let’s go back to normal.

My classroomis huge. But the desks are very heavy and there are no windows, so no ventilation.

The future for options subjects with practical elements or multimedia requirements is looking tenuous.

Another point to consider - classes staying put and teachers moving would surely be "hot desking" which is banned in the guidance for all other workplaces?
You'd be using a desk/computer/resources that at least 5 or 6 other adults per day have used...

We have been advised that largely online provision will continue until summer and small groups of y10/12 might be invited in for some mentoring/additional assistance if needed ... it's a shambles that has been left for individual headteachers to interpret as they can for their own schools ... which I'm sure will infuriate some parents whose school is doing something different than X, Y and Z down the road!

Social distancing will be gone as soon as kids are back to school.
Secondary will be worse than primary as will want to be with mates not in one bubble.
Lord knows how boarding schools will manage, we were told september at the earliest could be January.
But there really is no change for them as everything is online, and has been since mid march.

I think the gov have raised parental expectations. Despite the careful use of 'face to face contact' and no mention of teaching, parents will be expecting a full timetable. When it turns out to be far short of that, plus different schools seem to be offering different versions of it, there will be lots more moaning and teacher bashing.

Although lots of parents haven't engaged very much in online learning and left it to the kids and school, they don't like to think there inequality of provision. Some kids in private schools have had a full live teaching timetable with regular marking, exams and everything. Others have had little more than a few worksheets or direction to websites. Others have been offered much more but not engaged with it and haven't had the maturity to make progress without face to face regular contact with their teachers.

The trouble is that parents hope for something very close to the school experience or close to what private schools offer. They don't seem to realise the limits to remote learning of IT, safeguarding, the need for adult input or child engagement...or that what is possible for many children in many circumstances just is very very different and cannot be replicated in a remote environment or in a school which needs to adhere to significant social distancing. It won't stop the criticising though.

I think government has realised the limits of what is possible. Their use of 'some face to face contact' is very carefully chosen and deliberately not spelled out - leaving schools to work out what the gov already knew, but leaving schools to take the flack instead of government.

Spot on wombat.

They don't seem to realise the limits to remote learning of IT, safeguarding, the need for adult input or child engagement...

Unfortunately I dont think this I'd a issue limited to just school children, talking to a friend in HE, who mentioned that although they have been running a full timetable with live lectures or recorded sessions and email for questions, barely any students have actively engaged, turned up or even opened the content. So if adults struggle to get engaged with online content, I'm not sure why parents think there school age children will magically get involved without some parental supervision/routine/nudging.. if we are being realistic.

I know at if I was still in school I would not engage with online content without my poor mother pestering and supervising me too!

Hotdesking point is a good one!

This was a secondary school in Bristol. One teacher infected and the impact is far reaching and when only a small number of pupils attending. For a government whose aim is to keep the transmission rate down they are jumping the gun somewhat with talk of secondary schools opening. Has the contact tracing system even been put into place in all areas yet?

Is that Bristol thing legit? Why do 20 colleagues need to isolate? Surely there wouldn't have been that many staff in at once. It is secondary school, most children in are vulnerable (SEND) so not necessarily keyworker families.

Just because it is on SM doesn't make it true.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-52635611

The one I was referring to is a secondary academy school. The infected teacher is legit and all staff and pupils who came into contact have been advised to call 111. I haven't fact checked every detail and yes not all parents who now have to quarantine may be healthcare workers I accept.

Thank you GreenTulips

So whilst the actual story is true, it seems that has been lost somewhere in translation to the person who wrote the screenshot.

It happens, but at this time it is important that it is the actual story that is being passed on and not the Chinese whispers version.

www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/teacher-tests-positive-coronavirus-secondary-4130810

This is the case I was referring to. The article you thanked GreenTulips for refers to a special needs school.

Thanks mrshoho

It does seem that the two schools have been mushed together though, (especially given they are in the same area)

We've been told now it will be half of Y10 each week on a two week rota, split into groups of 15 and just until lunchtime each day. So each student will get 3 and a half weeks in school.

What ate they actually doing in that time rose??

2hr blocks of lessons. So 2 subjects per day

Are they moving around from room to room??

How does setting and options work? How is remote teaching happening at the same time?

Sorry for all questions but I find a living example intriguing!

They are staying in 1 room and we (the teachers) are moving.
They are all mixed ability classes anyway. I'm not sure about all options. I know for triple I am setting work online and won't be seeing them separately. I have to continue to set work online for all classes, including Y10 (as some won't attend, plus as the Y10s are only there every other week, I will be setting work each week for the class at home).