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.

[L1eLand]

I just want the gov to own it. Either they expect social distancing to absolutely happen and are convinced staff will be safe or they know it won’t and are just hoping for the best in which case they need to stop saying schools will be safe and admit that they’re not.

[Notsafetogo]

I’m wondering how many of the “just get on with it and stop thinking of problems” brigade have a) taught in a nursery with 2, 3 and 4 year olds and b) ever tried to get a box of Lego, which has been soaking overnight in cold water, dry.
It’s not about creating problems. It’s about planning for all eventualities. It’s about having 5 bubbles to resource in EYFS, so having to split resources (only the ones we’re allowed to use) 5 ways. It’s about my bubble having to be in the hall. It’s about my toilet training 2 year olds having to use year two boys toilets. It’s about not having anywhere to change nappies. It’s about where actually are the nearly 100 named pilots for play dough actually going to come from?
It will be ok, we will do it because we’ve no choice. But some of the flippant, oh so positive, stop whinging, posts on here are annoying.
We need to have a place where we can talk through how we’re going to manage this without people popping up to tell us to stop moaning.

[Appuskidu]

We need to have a place where we can talk through how we’re going to manage this without people popping up to tell us to stop moaning

Come over to the staffroom board and start a new post about EYFS practicalities-lots of us feel the same way.

[L1eLand]

I’d also like to know what measures are going to be put in place to protect staff who don’t keep to social distancing from complaints. I guarantee there will be complaints from some parents saying Johnny said Mrs so and so didn’t keep 2 metres away..

[GrimmsFairytales]

We need to have a place where we can talk through how we’re going to manage this without people popping up to tell us to stop moaning.

I agree with this. It's ok to want to moan about the situation, it's ok to have questions about XYZ. Not all schools have money to throw at the problem, and even for those who do money won't solve all the problems.

I worry about some of the SLT and Governors who are so dismissive of these concerns and worries. When the time comes we will all get on with it the best we can. However, those who feel like they can have a moan and express their worries, will be able to cope with the situation more easily than those who have been made to feel like having concerns makes them an incompetent member of staff.

[careerchange456]

Extra cleaners!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Some people actually think schools can afford to do this? We didn't even have paper to send out work packs before closure!

[tapdancingmum]

I'm a preschool and we are at the beginning of the second week and we are still awaiting our guidelines to be published. We have been lumped in with a few lines in the schools guidance.

We can't split into bubbles so are thinking of capping how many come in a day and having them as a bubble. They will then be able to access all of preschool similar to before (with lots of resources removed and restrictions on others).

We will then have to clean the whole setting at the end of a session ready for the next day. This is fine whilst we are the sole users but once the other users start coming back can we guarantee the cleaning is up to spec?

[CallmeAngelina]

Johnny said Mrs so and so didn’t keep 2 metres away..
And the "Johnny" in question is highly likely to be someone who wouldn't know a metre if it came up and shook hands (safely).

[ineedaholidaynow]

As a governor I would be very concerned if other governors weren’t challenging the guidance and who weren’t listening to staff concerns.

We had a Governors’ meeting last week, we very much listened to staff concerns and how the school were going to interpret the guidance. Another meeting is scheduled this week. There certainly weren’t any shouts of ‘it’s in the guidance just get on with it’.

I feel for every member of staff in the schools I am responsible for, and am as concerned for their wellbeing and safety as I am for the pupils’.

It’s actually quite an overwhelming position to be in when you are just a volunteer.

[stayingaliveisawayoflife]

As a teacher I am concerned by the practicalities of all this. I have Crohn's disease so I can not be cleaning toilets at all. Also I need to know I can have a toilet break when needed as the results would be horrendous. I want to be back at work but these directives are a nightmare for me. I have been in for key worker children but we have had a team so there is always someone to call on. This won't be the same.

[user1000000000000000001]

The simple solution to complaints about teachers not sticking to social distancing is that is made abundantly clear to parents beforehand that she to the nature of school that it can not be guaranteed and they are sending their children knowing that and that is their choice.

[mrswhiplington]

Somebody mentioned teachers and TAs not getting a lunch break. I am a midday assistant and will be going in as normal to cover lunch breaks so teachers etc can eat their lunch in peace. I have been doing this since the start of lockdown for the key workers children as well. I am sure other schools will be doing this as well.

[SionnachRua]

Is that not breaking the bubble approach though? Or are you just covering one class per day?

[mrswhiplington]

Yes, we are sticking with the same class every day so not breaking the bubble. But at least the teachers and TAs get to eat lunch and empty their bladders.

[ineedaholidaynow]

I did wonder whether MTAs could be used but I thought you were meant to restrict to one adult where possible.

[antipodalpizza]

What are MTAs?

[ineedaholidaynow]

Meal time assistant (Used to be known as dinner ladies when I was at school many years ago)

[antipodalpizza]

Oh, lunch time supervisors! Never heard of MTAs here.

[cabbageking]

Can I ask the person with Crohns why you are going back and are not considered to be at risk? I would expect you to stay at home?

There is additional funding for cleaning the toilets and areas of risk throughout the day. Staff shouldn't need to be doing this.

[stayingaliveisawayoflife]

Crohn's is not on the list as I am not on immunosuppressant drugs.
We have 1 separate mds and all the rest are TAs as well some of whom will not be in. We have teachers and TAs who will not be coming back because they are shielding or living with someone who is shielding. We will not have full staff.

It is awful to be hoping for few children so we can manage.

[cabbageking]

Have you done a personal health risk assessment?
www.crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/news/covid-19-check-your-risk-level