If you think schools shouldn't reopen yet, what would your plan be for the next twelve months?

[allthatmalarkey]

That sounds more goady than I mean. I know loads of people who say they won't send their kids in and I'm sympathetic to them and to teaching staff. I'm just wondering how you would manage things instead if you were in charge. What would be your ideal plan?

Personally I think we fucked up by not locking down much sooner, we could see what was going to happen and if we'd kept the number of cases much smaller like New Zealand or Germany (both run by women) we'd have bought valuable time and been in a much better position now. So I wouldn't start off from here. However, that's the past and it is what it is: so if you're thinking of keeping your kids away on 1 June, what is your long term plan and what would be your plan for schools over the next year if you were in charge?

[chickedeee]

The whole strategy is riddled with inconsistencies as is the way schools have approached it.

We are in the lap if the gods now heading for a second wave or sailing on through only time will tell how this ends up

Science has been used as an excuse and explanation and the public (staying alert) or the scientists will be scapegoated certainly not Boris and his cronies

[TheTigerKing]

@LemonPudding where do you think they will get those temporary classrooms from? There's only a limited amount in existence, not to mention all the groundwork's and utilities that have to take place. You can't just erect a box and expect it to be used as a classroom. Running water? Heat? Flat surface?

[0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h]

First, wait for the lag time associated with the auto immune response to pass and test extensively to get an idea if how rare it actually is. Use this time (it's needed anyway) to reduce transmission rate through lockdown to a figure low enough for trace and test to be highly effective (this number depends on our resources), be absolutely prepared to test and trace and then open on a voluntary basis with support ongoing for those still at home. Transparency and resources should be a priority in learning best practice from other countries in relation to social distancing in schools, including potential damaging psychological effects of both lockdown and social distancing at school.

If it's not feasible to get schools open very quickly, get regular welfare checks in place for children who are deemed unofficially vulnerable by schools but who don't meet the official threshold. Schools know exactly who they are. Furloughed TAs would be ideally placed to be trained for this role or a similar mentoring type role. It would not fix the problem but regular checks would get eyes on the ground and act as a lifeline for children who are at risk (as much as anything ever does-imperfectly).

[Qasd]

Even if smaller classes could happen a shortage of teachers would prevent every school doubling its qualified staff overnight! Classes of 15 do not work by September it would take years to achieve full time education on that basis for the majority of children.

[LemonPudding]

In the 60s it was an unusual school that didn't have a couple of terrapin classrooms. Plenty still have them today. Not hard to source.

[Cam77]

France has had to close 100+ schools after just one week of reopening.
Honestly, is it worth it? The U.K. government fucked up and are now not in a strong position to gamble with lives/2nd wave. Wait till September.

[SunlightBaby]

@lemonpudding if every school in the country suddenly requires terrain classrooms, they will indeed be extremely hard to source

[Bewareoftheblob]

@LemonPudding A couple maybe, but our average form/class has 30/32 students in it. We'd need another school building. Not to mention the lack of teachers mentioned above.

[strugglingwithdeciding]

@jewel1968 not sure if they did for a long period of time my Nan was telling me other day how her school was bombed one night and they had to them go to another one , but I know was eventually evacuated as well ??

[greathat]

Not sure who's going to be staffing the extra classrooms?

[strugglingwithdeciding]

Can't see how schools can open back to normal and implement social
Distancing in the long term but then in the long term I'm also not sure social distancing can last either ( certainly not forever ) I guess the hope is that cases become low schools go back and any cases are small and tested and isolated quickly ?? New Zealand have had very few cases so if you get to that number I wonder what there going back to school looks like ?

[strugglingwithdeciding]

And sticking a load of temp classrooms isn't possible in lots of schools as they simply don't have room plus kids still need to walk down corridors etc to get to these places

[Letseatgrandma]

The dilemma is...when we still need to socially distanced, masks are recommended and it’s not safe to go in anyone else’s house, why is it ok for schools to go back with no need for Social distancing or masks?

I would like to see a relax of SD in general first, before it’s deemed schools are fine to reopen.

I’d like to see the Track and Trace be up and running for a few weeks first, to see whether it’s working?

I firmly believe the government saying ‘Oh, T+T will be in place by June 1st so schools are fine to go back’ is not good enough. Let it roll for a few weeks and see how it goes, then send a few year groups back for a month before the summer.

[TheABC]

Realistically, even if we have a vaccine by September, it's still going time to set up and distribute.

In the mean time, check kids temperature when they come into school and practice good hygiene. Social distancing is unworkable, so a better solution would be to monitor the R rate within a defined area and shut down or open schools according to an agreed risk level.

Of course, that means tracking, testing and organisation on a large level.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Schools were last to shut so I want everything reopened 3 weeks before they do.

So we can see if there's a spike in cases.

It's a massive ball ache to open and shut schools and constantly get IT equipment out to people so when they open I want them to be able to stay open

[TuckMyWin]

@Cam77 do you have a source for that? The articles I've read suggest that France has had 70 cases linked to schools, that were likely infected before schools reopened, and that of the 40,000 schools and pre schools that reopened, +150,000 secondary school pupils, they've closed 7 schools in Northern France. Because of 70 infections that pre-date the schools reopening. I can't find anything that mentions hundreds of schools.
On the other hand, I have seen reports that there have been no spikes in the 22 other EU countries that have reopened schools.

[randomsabreuse]

I'm in Scotland so not back until August anyway, but I think it would be better to prepare a robust plan for September, integrating online teaching with part time face to face school.

Realistically most schools/areas will hit a second or subsequent lockdown (or have many pupils required to self isolate following symptoms) so having an integrated system would help to limit the disruption.

Work out what tech is required to allow all pupils to access non face to face teaching.

Liaise with out of school childcare providers and parents so that they can plan how they can work from August.

Dream world would see some 'holiday club' provision in place, subsidised where possible to allow children back into the swing of listening and co-operation in a group before they are back at work.

Holiday childcare is necessary anyway to allow parents to work, and although I'm currently a SAHM I'd be keen for my reception age DC to get some time with peers.

TLDR starting back in a rush is a waste of time and effort - get sorted for September with a plan that should work for a year of rubbish attendance, some children forced to work remotely and some more time in lockdown!

[0v9c99f9g9d939d9f9g9h8h]

Laurie

You've totally missed the point. They're opening them mainly for the purposes of opening businesses. Open businesses without schools and the government would struggle to see the point.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Yes, I don't agree with the government - not missed the point

It's very difficult to keep opening and shutting schools so we need to open everything else first and check that there isn't a spike

[TuckMyWin]

But how will you reopen everything else when the schools are shut? Only part of the workforce can go back to work in shops, leisure facilities etc as long as children remain at home to be cared for. That's why schools closed last.

[LaurieFairyCake]

Well since there's many more working from home now and in a poll in Dh's secondary school only 80 out of 1400 were going to go back on 1st June I assume they may mostly manage

They shouldn't open schools until they can definitely stay open. Opening them then having to close because staff or kids get sick is incredibly disruptive.

Hundreds of the above kids travel on London buses to get to school - they could seriously increase the infection

[Goatymcgoaty]

Work out what tech is required to allow all pupils to access non face to face teaching

This is a significant barrier. Our academy of schools have been allocated 7 laptops from the government scheme. To be spread across children from 5 schools that need them. Maybe they can each have a turn once a fortnight

[TuckMyWin]

But we're not talking about the people working from home- they've been working until now anyway, there is nothing to change there. You're suggesting opening the shops, leisure facilities, restaurants etc before the schools. So all the shop staff, and leisure facility staff, and the waiters and waitresses, who can't work from home, who are currently furloughed, will have to go back, and who will look after their children?

Schools will need to close on a localised basis, for a week or two at a time, potentially for months, even years to come, as outbreaks happen. That isn't suddenly not going to be the case in September. Or October, or January.

[Mumoftwo0357]

Wait until contact track and trace has been running long enough to have been proven to be effective.

Wait until the infection rates and deaths are stably As low as Denmarj (which is far lower than us).

Wait for our government to fund measures such as changes to classrooms and installation of playground sink bays.

Send them back.

[Mumoftwo0357]

By effective I don’t mean this method is scientifically because we know it is effective.

I mean that our governments track and trace is up to scratch and competent.