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.

[Whaddyathinkofthis]

I don't believe you know what you're talking about.

Me neither.

[Destroyer]

Exactly. And we don’t even have soap in the classrooms!!

How much time DO you think teachers have?

Teaching all day
Creating and uploading home learning for those not at school
Eating with the children and taking breaks with them
Staying in contact with children who are home learning
Cleaning toilets

Now cleaning all the multiples of equipment each day (or more than once)

[FATEdestiny]

That's your Head's (bizzaire!) decision. The Guidance from DfE actively encourages book use:

"using appropriately matched reading books to practise reading" as suggested teaching to help pupils catch up.

The only recommendation in terms of books is that they shouldn't be taken home by either pupils or staff.

I can understand clearing library corner to create extra space. But that doesn't mean books can't be in the classroom and used (a lot!)

[Destroyer]

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.

Maybe she shouldn’t be going in if she won’t social distance. I can see why you might want her in, though.

[Destroyer]

^that sounded harsher than I meant. I mean it’s not fair on the staff to be put in a position that might go against their feelings of personal safety. I can understand why you might feel she’d be better in.

[FATEdestiny]

The virus lasts longer on hard, non-porous surfaces

If it's not cleaned.

Creating problems rather than thinking of solutions.

Who does the cleaning? DfE advises schoola use cleaners do the cleaning, which sounds like a perfectly reasonable solution to me.

[Spr1ngStitches]

Why do library books have to be quarantined if school books don’t? We won’t be able to hear readers.

[Danglingmod]

I'm wondering just how late at night the cleaners would have to stay to clean and dry every single toy in every single classroom - after doing all their usual cleaning (and to a higher standard than normal)? Midnight?

There was one cleaner at my son's small primary school.

[user1000000000000000001]

Because she's 5 and has zero concept or ability to social distance. She doesn't now and she won't I'm 6/12 months. She needs differentiated learning which cant be done at home. She's behind nearly 2.5 years in several areas and the gap is widening.

School have risk assessed her as being better in (fortuantly at least she isn't a biter/spitter but she is a runner/thrower/hitter) but she still needs physical handling frequently and she still needs 1-to-1 who she depends on to co-regulate.

I've not forced school to take her but if they have decided she needs to be in, which they have, then they need to ensure she is safe and not begrudged for being there.

[GrimmsFairytales]

There was one cleaner at my son's small primary school.

We only have 2.

[FATEdestiny]

I'm sure the head teacher at your son's school has the forethought to employ some extra cleaners. No need to worry. DfE have already advised Heads how to prepare things like this.

[user1000000000000000001]

And my daughter's usual one to one came up to me and gave me a hug on Friday so I have a feeling she isn't too worried about it. It's more difficult when it isn't her days but I know the head would never force anyone to 1-2-1 her if they weren't prepared to do so fully

[EachDubh]

FATEdestiny

I'm sure the head teacher at your son's school has the forethought to employ some extra cleaners. No need to worry. DfE have already advised Heads how to prepare things like this.

Out if interest, where is your super well funded school because most schools are run on nothing. They survive on please takes and staff buying resources.
We have cleaners in in the afternoon, they have 20 mins to clean each classroom. I can tell you now the cleaning required due to covid 19 takes 1h per classroom, which we teachera and support staff do. The cleaners do their normal cleaning. You are the only person I have heard say they have a budget for eqipment, supply staff, cleaners etc. If your school is well resourced, in good condition and doesn't get rid of experienced teachers in favour of cheaper nqts then I would have to question why you have ao much money whilst other schools fundraise for basics.

School staff are amazing at making the best from nothing, but we are aware of the hours we and others have available so we will resource bubbles with what we can keep clean. It's not a lack of imagination it's just that we, unlike the idiots producing shoddy information for governments actually know how things will work in real life. Take a look at other countries to get an idea of what it will look like, and remember most are better funded education systems.

[EachDubh]

1000000000000000001

Please know that as a staff we care deeply about our kids. I was in the hubs with my support staff and our kids can't do social distancing, they become distressed and get upset which may involve hurting themselves or others. We know that we havebto donour jobs and keep our kids safe. We encourage social diatancing fron the other kids but we are their emotional buffer and would never dream of not giving them the support they need. We do however hope their parents are keeping their social circle small, like us, to reduce risk to all. I am sure your dd school staff will feel the same.

[HorsesDoovers]

Fuck me. I'm sorry but TAs cleaning the toilets with no PPE and taking a group of 15 all day without a toilet break. Most TAs earn less than cleaners. This is just wrong, I cannot even begin to tell you how relieved I am to have handed in my notice when this all started. Poor TAs, I wonder how many will put up with it.

[user1000000000000000001]

@EachDubh thank you, that's reassuring.

To be fair school do know that I literally only leave the house to do school run. Our food shopping is delivered etc so if DD catches it it will be from it already being in school. I genuinely don't think the head would ever make a member of staff be her 1-2-1 if they weren't happy to but it worries me that she is seen as an issue right now.

[SionnachRua]

Tbf I don't think anyone is saying your child is an issue. There are many others out there who will be problematic and while it isn't a pleasant topic, schools need to think carefully about what to do with those children. They've the right to an education but staff and other students have the right to safety.

Being honest here the consensus on the other forum was that schools will do little about it!

[Bignet182]

They want to open the schools when there isn’t even enough PPE in hospitals or care homes. If teachers and children don’t need PPE why do the nurses and doctors need them?

[Flatwhite32]

I'm a teacher, and we will be deep cleaning at the end of the day, along with TAs. No PPE. We will be given PPE if a pupil starts showing symptoms and we have to self isolate with them while we wait for them to be picked up. Cleaners will still be working, and will be doing areas like toilets.

[L1eLand]

No PPE, are they all really expecting us to clean without it?

I’d like to know about 121 children and children at danger to themselves and others. When are we going to be told about that?Are staff expected to ignoring social distancing? I’d also like to know how we’re supposed to teach without getting close enough to mark exercise books and hear children read. Also what is happening about books- reading, text and exercise? You hear one thing saying books are germ ridden enough to deem a necessity for library closures and the next minute apparently kids can share them willy nilly. Which is it?

[Nonotthatdr]

@Tanith dump all the hard plastic in a bucket of Milton every evening? And fish it out the next morning and leave to air dry for a bit. Can’t see why this wouldn’t work.

Soft toys can go round the washing machine at 60 so you could have half one day and then wash and dry them them and use the other half.

Lots of “disposable” toys (god I hate that as I’m as eco as can be) but using pasta etc as play/craft material and then destroy

Get them outside for as much as the day as possible

Loads of singing

Really what’s the alternative other than to make this work? Until there is a vaccine I don’t think that the old normality will be able to return, children’s lives have to continue.

Children in resource poor counties still enjoy school as did children in the UK before today’s more toy filled classrooms became the norm. Yes it’s not what there used to but what they are used to isn’t going to be an option so best to get in with it.

Also a phased return (so a gradual easing of lockdown) has to involved some kids first and then some later. So some groups were always going to have to be second

[L1eLand]

How do you split up a small box of Duplo/ Lego between 15 kids, ditto resources to go with PlayDough, maths play resources, trains etc. They’d all have a couple of items each making most unable to fulfil the point of them being put out.

The above is the least of our problems- how are we going to be dealing with 121childen, children at risk to themselves and others, injuries, wet pants, cleaning without PPE etc.

It won’t be government officials,Academy chain leaders or management dealing with it all will it? The gov waffles and never answers the question so could somebody on here?

[reefedsail]

I teach children who can be violent as part of their behavioural profile. Some who target violence at specific individuals with intent to harm rather than over-stimulated lashing out (that staff can just step away from).

We have decided that, during an incident, keeping the child and others around them is a higher priority than social distancing so we will follow their individual plan as we usually would. We are giving thought to whether seclusion should now come lower down the response 'ladder' than restrictive physical intervention. Possibly not though, because within the 'bubble' we are sharing the virus anyway- I'm not sure RPI would make any difference.

[ElizabethMainwaring]

@Nonotthatdr
You recommend 'lots of singing'.
Group singing has been widely discouraged. All that exhaling and inhaling.
It's been reported that almost an entire amateur choir became ill.

[L1eLand]

So basically there will be no social distancing for adults in these scenarios. The lowest paid will be at the highest risk. PP seems to work for cleaners and staff in hospitals on wards which are a kind of bubble.