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.

[Dementedswan]

I'm my kids school they are going to be split into groups of 10 so will all need a member of staff supervising and will stay in their bubbles. Each bubble will practise social distancing, it's a small school, 30 child intake a year so after splitting the first intake they have no idea how to fit in years 2 to 5

[Destroyer]

They can't stop 4 and 5 year olds from playing. They can't keep them at desks. Letting them play normally within their bubbles has been working well. Her school have said they will be maintaining it for the reception children especially.

I’m sure it varies from school to school, but schools have been told to remove anything from that classrooms that can’t easily be cleaned (lots of reception toys) and they’ve been told they specifically can’t share such items as pencils... not sure how they can be allowed to share Lego etc then....

[Whaddyathinkofthis]

We don't have lunch breaks etc during the day with keyworker children - we're with them all day. Loo breaks aren't a problem because there are plenty of staff in to give us that chance and we do give each other 'sanity breaks', if required, so that we can go outside for 5 minutes or make phone calls to check on our own children at home etc but there isn't an official break and we eat in the same room as the children.

That will continue when we return but without the option of loo breaks or 5 minute sanity breaks.

I don't have a TA so I currently manage without going to the loo except for at lunchtime.

We've already been told that the staff room will be locked and off limits so nowhere to go for a break if we were able to have one anyway!

The intention is to give staff no reason/opportunity to mix, if at all possible, to reduce possible transmission.

But, hey, apparently Michael Gove has said schools will be fine to return so no problem...

[Cherrypie32]

I think we need to keep fingers crossed take up hovers at around 50% - then it might be doable.

[Whaddyathinkofthis]

I’m sure it varies from school to school, but schools have been told to remove anything from that classrooms that can’t easily be cleaned (lots of reception toys) and they’ve been told they specifically can’t share such items as pencils... not sure how they can be allowed to share Lego etc then....

I've already emptied my classroom. I'd share a photo if it werent identifiable. I can guarantee it's not a room parents would be happy for their children to spend 6 hours a day in!

I showed an ex teacher friend of mine and she cried.

It was horrible 😔

Reception and nursery are removing most of their toys. The lego point is a good one. Same goes for any construction toys, building blocks, cuddly toys, small world stuff, books, unified cubes, counting bears, dinosaurs, farms, colouring pencils... so pretty much everything in the Reception class then.

I think our starting point is standing at the front of the class directing, children completing worksheets. No collaborative work, no huddles sharing ideas, no opportunity to help children who are struggling from my teacher zone.

It's going to be horrible.

We'll do it, of course - I've reassured all.mu children and parents this week that their safety is my priority but I've a great number who have said they're not returning. And the ones who are because their parents need to work? Many are scared.

[Whaddyathinkofthis]

Unifix cubes! (Autocorrect...)

[FATEdestiny]

Any toys that can be washed, can be used.

So Lego, building blocks, construction toys, building blocks, counting bears, dinosaurs, farms, play food and pretty much everything that is hard and plastic. These are all fine.

Disinfect in a bucket of water at the end of the day - it's not rocket science.

If your reception room looks depressing Whaddyathinkofthis, can you think of ways to improve this? Posters, coloured wall displays, window drawings - all of the normal things that make classroom spaces look engaging.

What you're being asked to do is remove sore toys specifically. OK, that's not majorly a big deal.

Play dough can still be used. Paint, colouring - they can all be used you just need to set up individual stations for your 15. Books can still be read (Just not sent home).

Honestly, if you have a depressing classroom that is your lack of imagination creating that. It is not The Government.

[897654321abcvrufhfgg]

DanglingMod. Where I live all TA jobs are full time. I am the only part time TA in my school and I work till 2.30.

[CallmeAngelina]

It says quite specifically in the dfe guidance that Playdough is NOT to be used.

[Lougle]

I'm not sending DD3 in. I've sent my form back. It wasn't an easy decision, but she'll be sent home the same work that she would do in class and she won't be exposing others/exposed to risk.

I don't think she's hugely at risk as an individual, and I don't think she poses a risk to others at an individual level, but cumulatively, the risk builds, for her and everyone she comes into contact with.

Plus, DH already goes into 4 schools each week, so there is that to consider, too.

[FATEdestiny]

No it does not.

"For younger children, the resources made available for child-initiated learning should be carefully considered. For example, malleable resources, such as play dough, should not be shared and consideration should be given to their safe use, depending on circumstances"



Honestly, I despair at the lack of resourcefulness.

[user1000000000000000001]

Lego and anything plastic is easy to be washed and is fine.

You can play lots of games outside. School doesn't need to look drastically different in terms of being able to play within their bubbles.

Playdoh is an obvious one to avoid.

[FATEdestiny]

CallmeAngelina if you have a reception class is suggest getting a massive vat of play dough made, divided into 40 (or whatever) with child's name on each tub.

Voila - play dough for everyone

[pfrench]

I've been in with KW children, and there is none of this cleaning going on. It's going to be weird for them to have to start doing it! We started off cleaning down pens etc, but that hasn't continued. They have been together all along, little change in their 'bubble'. Use lego daily that isn't cleaned, junk modelling stuff, art equipment, cooking stuff and so on. We've also obviously had to do things like put plasters on knees, I put ice packs on the heads of two children on Friday, we have had the parachute out from the PE shed and skipping ropes etc.

It's sort of impossible to do it all in reality. The government know that. The risk assessment for us going back on 8th June (head has said no to 1st), isn't worth the paper it's written on.

I'm 'fine' with going back with a bubble of kids, even though I know that it's probably not safe. Not for the kids, they'll be fine, it'll be adults and community spread that centres on the school.

[ineedaholidaynow]

If children don't need to be social distancing how would you stop them sharing play dough?

[FATEdestiny]

Are you finding problems instead of solutions there ineedaholidaynow?

Can you, as a professional and experienced teacher, not think of practices to put in place to stop sharing of play dough if it's in a named container?

I mean really?

Do your children share coats or are they encourages to wear their own? What about shoes? PE kit?

Our EYFS have a tooth brushing policy (normally, not now). That involves named tooth brushes which are strictly never ever shared.

Professionals can usually manage this kind of behaviour.

[Danglingmod]

8976 - that's brilliant then that your school has that budget. Just not affordable around here to have afternoon support (but we are in one of the worst funded areas in the country).

At secondary our TAs are alnost all full time, because, of course, core subjects are all over the day, not morning only, but we have very few of these full stop. Example: 1200 pupil secondary - 4 TAs.

[ineedaholidaynow]

I'm not a teacher!

[FATEdestiny]

Phew! I thought you were just being a will fully ignorant professional. My apologies. In that case:

Fear Not! Teachers can allow children to play with stuff and not share. They are quite good at managing behaviour through routines and structure.

[pfrench]

I'm very concerned about some of our SEMH children and their behaviour. Selfishly, I don't need to worry about it personally, because I'm not a teacher of R, 1 or 6, so I won't get the children who rely on relationships as part of their structure etc, but gah. I hope that most of them don't come back in. Which is awful. But we need time to sort out the logistics.

[user1000000000000000001]

My DD is 5 and a SEMH student with really challenging fight/flight behaviour when deregulated. She needs 1-to-1. I really hope none of her supporting staff think the same way.

[pfrench]

So do I.

[Whaddyathinkofthis]

If your reception room looks depressingWhaddyathinkofthis, can you think of ways to improve this? Posters, coloured wall displays, window drawings - all of thenormal thingsthat make classroom spaces look engaging.

Sorry, I wasn't clear - I'm ks2, not reception, and I'm sure they'll do everything they can to make it look engaging. But what are the children going to do all day every day until the end of term?

I've removed all books, exercise books and learning resources from my room. Still have posters and children's work up, etc but it's just very sterile and uninviting.

[Whaddyathinkofthis]

Books can still be read (Just not sent home).

We've been instructed to remove everything.

I don't make the rules- I'm just following them.

[Tanith]

"So Lego, building blocks, construction toys, building blocks, counting bears, dinosaurs, farms, play food and pretty much everything that is hard and plastic. These are all fine."

No they are not!! The virus lasts longer on hard, non-porous surfaces - up to 72 hours. Cleaning lego etc. thoroughly every night, especially in the way you suggest, creates its own problems: who is going to ensure it's completely dried?
Who is expected to do all this cleaning? I've been open for keyworker children ever since we locked down and I'm telling you the cleaning takes hours to do properly.
Simply disinfecting isn't enough. I don't believe you know what you're talking about.