Schools - I'm confused!

[Ilikefresias]

This is not a debate on whether or not schools should reopen but why are primaries having 3 year groups in, 4 if they have a nursery and secondaries having only 1/4 of year 10 / 12? I know they have significantly larger year groups, but they have more space too, plus those youngsters are better able to social distance. I just don't understand...

The evidence of the safety of children over 10 is shaky to say the least.

1/4 of year 10 and 12 at any one time is a significant number of children in school.
But your right we are expecting half of our school returning on the 1st as we have a nursery on site. So 4 year groups in school.

Secondary students don’t all do the same subjects. You can’t split a class in half and put them in a bubble of the same children and single teacher. Even Yr 7 have some lessons with different groupings.

Because they will be in small groups of between 6/10 depending on class size with a babysitter.

They don’t have that many classrooms.

Read so of the other threads in here

When 7 8 9 go back it’ll be part time for all

The studies that link lower spreading and children usually say under 10s. Also school buses are more of a logistical challenge at secondary and although the students can social distance in school, a lot of them won't before and after school (which ruins the bubbles).

Me neither - it was a huge disappointment when the government didn't prioritise those years first. After the chaos from this years GCSE and A levels you'd think they'd do what they can to ensure next years go ahead. If Y10 and 12s aren't fully back by September our head says the government will have to make some adjustments to the grading system as so many will fall too far behind.

Yep its transport/restarting the economy (so childcare) and how on earth it works with bubbles and only having one teacher

Im guessing different classes so unable to keep them in smaller bubbles, plus travel to school on cram packed school buses would be a nightmare.

It’s about keeping people in bubbles. One teacher spends the whole supervising one group of 15 children. That wouldn’t work in secondary schools.

Is it official that some secondary yeargroups will be part time in September?

There are a few reasons.

1. secondary pupils do different subjects so impossible to keep them in ‘bubbles’
2. older children have wider social circles outside of school, so more opportunity for spread.
3. younger children are less likely to contract coronavirus
4. it is easier for secondary pupils to learn from home... you can’t sit a 4/5 year old in front of Zoom all day for virtual lessons
5. secondary pupils need less parental input for home learning, so parents are able to work from home alongside their children doing school work.

Thanks for the helpful replies, I genuinely wasn't being goady, I was just surprised at the difference in numbers expected in site. It's slightly clearer now.

What I'm unsure about is how primaries will manage once they are expected to have more year groups in. All of the ones I know are splitting year groups so maybe using 6 classrooms for 3 classes. That can't continue can it once they are told to have 2,3,4 and 5 in?

Neither are teachers! The government have said they will issue more guidance but yes how they will magic up twice as many classrooms is a question which could be more easily solved by using community centre and libraries but how they can double the number of teachers without any additIonal budget remains a mystery.

That's the next great mystery to be figured. Ours can't even open for eyfs, year 1 and 6 let alone the whole school. I reckon they will do this for 3 weeks and then schools will be expected to go back fully

Interesting other year groups didn’t get mentioned today. As you say we will be utilising every available space to have the four year groups back and also every member of staff.
Hopefully they will give us more guidance on how we fit the rest of the school back in in the next week or so.

Jenny Harries did also explain about social interactions on the way to and from school which cannot be controlled with teens.

Once teens are out and about their social interactions can't be controlled anyway, it's irrelevant whether they are on their way to school or not.

Are they planning to keep teens locked up at home forever?