I don't understand this idea of all the teachers going into school to look after the YR, Y1 & Y6 children

[UndertheCedartree]

The DC will want to be in their classroom, with their teacher. Otherwise I see little point. Aside from the purely childcare point. But I mean in terms of the benefit to the DC.

Surely it makes more sense for the DC to go in maybe one week in, one week off with a thorough clean at the weekend. The survey at my school suggests around a third of parents won't send their DC in so schools may be able to get away with splitting classes in half.

That's without even considering where will all the extra classrooms come from considering the vulnerable and keyworker DC will still be in? And that the teachers of other year groups will still be sending home work and supporting their usual classes.

[GrimmsFairytales]

That pretty much sums it up Destroyer

[ineedaholidaynow]

@Destroyer that’s about it! And parents wonder why teachers aren’t happy.

Our schools are expecting children to eat a packed lunch in their bubble classroom and using the dining hall as an additional classroom.

[SallyLovesCheese]

Other countries are trying to get children back to school. If nothing suggested can possibly work, has anybody got any brilliant ideas on how children can not lose out on education where parents can’t or won’t facilitate homelearning and/or don’t have the luxury of whether to go back to work or not if they want to house and feed their children?

Why don't we just use what these other countries are doing?

• have bubbles of 6-8 children max
• allow PPE for staff
• children over age of 7 in school only
• allow children to walk to school on their own so no parents mixing
• children to play in designated individual squares in the playground only
• all schools to have lots of outdoor space to allow for lots of outdoor learning
• all primary schools to have some bubbles at local secondary sites so they can use the empty secondary classrooms

These are just some of the ways other countries are managing to get children back in.

They won't work here.

We really want to find the ways that will work in England. Us teachers really do. We want to be in school teaching. It's the best part of the job.

[teaandajammydodger]

@cabbageking
No there is no additional budget for cleaning. Only if there is a confirmed case of the virus and only if the school can’t pay for it from existing budget.

[angstridden2]

sally loves cheese
so if teachers really want to be back in the classroom why are there so many ‘it won’t work’ responses and virtually no constructive suggestions. Ex teacher myself and although things like rigorous hand washing will be very tedious, it’s totally doable.

[user1000000000000000001]

I'm worried about keeping my SEN child safe 🤷‍♀️

[ineedaholidaynow]

Many schools have come up with ideas and then the Government release new guidelines usually late at night which scupper those ideas!

Also many of the ideas that would really work involve money which schools don’t have.

[thunderthighsohwoe]

@SionnachRua It won’t be for clsss teachers to decide who’s in their bubble, it will be SLT making those decisions.

[SallyLovesCheese]

Because the things we are putting forward - smaller bubbles, PPE, money for supply staff, perhaps use of different buildings, external handwashing facilities etc. - are not being listened to by the Government.

We don't have the power here, whatever people might think.

[lazylinguist]

so if teachers really want to be back in the classroom why are there so many ‘it won’t work’ responses and virtually no constructive suggestions.

Because it won't work and people can't think of any constructive suggestions that would work?

[antipodalpizza]

My DCs school are using an area for a classroom and then the two year groups + keyworker children will all use it for lunch - I can't see how it will be cleaned adequately in the time the adults have when they will be supervising the children who are supposed to eat and then go outside unless one adult is supervising the children outside while the other does all the cleaning.
The schools need financial support to put in place additional adults to clean up.

[Peapod29]

I don’t want to send my reception dc back unless they are with their teacher. If they can’t play/interact with their peers and might not even have a teacher I really don’t see the point in sending them, other than for childcare if parents need to work. They need to work out how to create a stimulating learning environment for younger children with as much social distancing as possible. A very difficult task.

[Danglingmod]

It'll have to be the Headteacher doing the toilet cleaning, won't it? Schools don't have cleaners or caretakers on site during the day. Teachers/TAs can't do it with children in tow. There will be no spare teachers/TAs once the keyworker children in other year groups are also cared for.

I can only think that leaves the HT - providing it's not a small school where they also teach?

[LadyPenelope68]

@destroyer

Absolutely this, the parents wonder why we are angry about going back so early and in such an unplanned way.☹

[notchickenagain]

Us TAs have already been told we are cleaning during our lunch break. So 5 hours teaching, 1 hour cleaning each day for the next x number of months. I expect a lot of parents won't be happy their child is not with the teacher. I and others like me who are living with vulnerable (but not extreme) family are all considering resigning as 11k pa is really not worth it.

[Danglingmod]

But how can you get a lunch break...you're supposed to stay with the children in your bubble for the whole day? Certainly not supposed to have them supervised by another member of staff in the middle?

(Still not sure how the teacher or TA is supposed to go to the toilet themselves...)

Does your school have loads of spare TAs?

[ineedaholidaynow]

The teacher/TA will eat with their bubble. So no lunch break

[Notsafetogo]

My nursery class Of 53 will be split into 3 bubbles, each bubble will only have 15 children as some are part time so can share a place.
Group A will be in my classroom with a year 4 teacher. I will have group B in the school hall (using Y2 boys toilets 🤮) and group C will be in the reception classroom with a teacher from Y3.
Reception will be split between year one and year two classroom, one group with their normal teacher and one with Y2 teacher.
It goes on like that.
Keyworker kids in interventions room.
When year 2,3 and 4 come back we’ll have to go back to our original classes. I will then be teaching 53 kids over the week.
Bonkers!

[GrimmsFairytales]

Still not sure how the teacher or TA is supposed to go to the toilet themselves...

A few posters and I were discussing this on a different thread the other day. In response a poster suggested we were just being over the top, and why couldn't we just leave the class on their own for 5 minutes.

[notchickenagain]

Re lunch break, I'm assuming the TAs will be in the classrooms next to the toilets so they can supervise lunch and clean at the same time! 🤔

[FATEdestiny]

Our school is:

● purchasing temporary partition walls - to split rooms and create extra classrooms
● employing their usual team of 8 cleaners full time (instead of before/after school shifts).
● purchasing portable washing facilities that can be moved between classes (by cleaners) on a hand washing Rota and disinfected between classes
● purchasing portaloos
● All usual classes (of 30 ish) have 1 teacher and 1TA. So split into 2×15 bubbles will be lead by usual teacher and TA.
● Supply teachers and supply TA's (who are getting no work so are thankful and keen to be employed) used as extras and to replace any self isolating adults. Also have a bank of casually employed cleaners who can be called if needed (most of these are our usual dinner ladies).
● Non teaching staff to "man" the toilets so adults with each bubble don't need to supervise.

[HeadOfHomeschool]

Write to your MP if you don't think schools should open:

https://neu.org.uk/write-your-mp?sp_ref=636485791.392.206812.f.0.2

[ineedaholidaynow]

@FATEdestiny can I have your magic money tree?

[GrimmsFairytales]

FATEdestiny

I'm jealous you have 8 cleaners. We have 2.

[notchickenagain]

Lol, yes it does sound good! Maybe that's the model the government were basing their ideas on