Schools fubared till November?

[Clemmieandareallybigbunfight]

Disruption to schools could continue to November, MPs told www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52895640

Is this a dystopian joke?

Are we actually trying to fuck up our kids?

Schools need to be instructed to open fully five days a week with enhanced on day cleaning, increased buses to allow distancing, staggered start and finish, covered but open refuge areas allowing distancing whilst outside in all weathers for breaks and no assemblies. Relatively low investment needed, huge gain economically but more importantly for our kids education and mental health. Some of these kids will never get back to school if they are out for so long. Some will fail to achieve their potential. And all for an illness with a tiny mortality rate overall?

From the Guardian today. For those saying it's just right wing media who are getting at schools/unions:

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/03/two-in-five-schools-in-england-yet-to-reopen-to-any-more-pupils?CMP=ShareiOSAppp_Other

What crappy journalism.

Figures obtained by the Guardian showed that in large parts of the north-east not a single primary school opened to more pupils on Monday, the government’s target date for reopening after the 10-week lockdown.

Opening from the 8th or 15th depending on area.

A report in their own paper explained why.

The councils made that decision based on local data.

Sad times at the moment. Teaching profession isn't coming out of this well and have let down a generation

No, a decade of Tory austerity has let down your children by cutting funding to schools by £7 billion since 2011.

Explains all that here:

www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/30/london-doesnt-always-know-best-how-the-north-is-choosing-its-own-pace-out-of-lockdown

And the 1st of June was always the earliest a school could attempt to open.

From the 1st, not you must all open on the first.

Jesus, the lack of critical thinking here is shocking.

NeurotrashWarrior I agree. Instead of reasoned argument, it has degenerated into another goady, offensive, let's-attack-teachers thread. If I was a teacher reading this, I would seriously consider retraining. Why should I bother trying to educate the children of parents who have no respect for me, think I'm lazy and shit at my job and deserve to be sacked if I'm pregnant?

I agree with op. For children to be out of school for so long is damaging to their health and well being. I am abroad in a country taking CV very seriously. My children returned to school on Tuesday and are much much better for it. Many adaptations in place but it's so good for their mental health.

I posted that article in response to an earlier PP who said that it was only the RW media that was criticising schools and unions

Sorry snow, my rant is more directed at the article.

Papers and posters are trying to stir up bullshit for their own gains.

snowballer that was me. Where in that Guardian article does it 'blame ' the unions?

Teachers, in all seriousness do you think this will worsen the retention crisis? They must be feeling very demoralised and unmotivated surely? Will this be the final straw for many? I worked in a secondary school last year (pastoral). Everybody and I mean everybody hated their jobs, I have never in my life worked in such a toxic environment. I’m in FE now, and a lot of my colleagues love their jobs and the environment seems kinder. I know a few primary teachers and they hate their jobs bar one who is a HLTA and calls herself a teacher (gets offended if you say TA) has her own year 5 (she does)!!

I have one friend who is enjoying the break and has told me she hasn’t worked much (not goady, just truthful). She said she has felt like herself for the first time in years.

Off topic now but yes, this could potentially just break the whole system it was already bursting at the seams!

snowballer that was me. Where in that Guardian article does it 'blame ' the unions?

I didn't say it did. I just pointed out there was commentary from left wing media. But as it happens I wouldn't say the headline was particularly supportive, but I guess that's open to interpretation

I think for a few, yes. I know enough new nqts keen to get jobs though.

That will be the issue. Lack of expertise as the few who may leave have been well trained. Cpd is a mess.

Longer term, This may change education quite radically which may lead to greater retention.

For children to be out of school for so long is damaging to their health and well being.
if that's what being home does to them, there should be serious concerns and actions.

Sad times at the moment. Teaching profession isn't coming out of this well and have let down a generation

Sad times at the moment. Government isn't coming out of this well and have let down a generation

The GOVERNMENT closed schools, not teachers.

The GOVERNMENT will open then how/when they want.

We're (teachers) just doing as we're told.

And yes, of course there are individual teachers/schools letting kids/parents down by not setting/marking work etc. But that is them, not the entire profession.

LockdownLou My OH is one of those who switched to teacher later in life, so he is still in the honeymoon phase, but he has colleagues of 15+ standing who want out, because they are sick of the constant disparagement from parents who think they can do better. So go on, do better, because when this is all over the recruitment crisis is only going to get worse.

And the others should be being taught how to be resilient in the face of adversity.

Actually, a big issue going forward is how to get all the children who have had such awful experiences of learning and school back into school.

Two sides to all stories.

enhanced on day cleaning - who will pay for the cleaning staff? and when will it happen?

increased buses to allow distancing - again, who will pay for this?

staggered start and finish - it's what we are doing for the reopening, but does cause issues for both schools and parents, especially if they have siblings in more than one year group or at other schools

covered but open refuge areas allowing distancing whilst outside in all weathers for breaks and no assemblies - who will pay for the cover to be bought and installed? We are a concrete yard so not easy for staff to install. Playtimes and lunch are already being staggered as the yard isn't really large enough normally, made worse with the increased space needed. We aren't having assemblies at present anyway, though the head teacher does an online one once a week.

All of this costs money and needs space and staffing.

I assume that any vulnerable staff (not shielding but at greater risk) will have to go back to face to face in full classes with no protection, and just hope for the best.

I agree it is very important to get children back to school as soon as it is safe enough to do so. But whilst social distancing is needed in the UK, then obviously this will reduce how quickly all children can return full time.

Th only way we can go back to full time teaching for all is for all social distancing to be removed across society in the UK, to have all vulnerable (not shielded) back at work, to have full classes of 30 and no bubbles. Its simply impossible otherwise.

Sad times at the moment. Government isn't coming out of this well and have let down a generation

I agree. It is the government I think have mishandled this, not teachers. I am very impressed with what my primary school age child's teachers have been doing through lockdown.

Lockdown - I think a few close to retirement may go earlier than planned. For others it will be the proverbial straw.

But I don't think it will be massive.

Personally I want to go back because this version of teaching is teaching with all the fun sucked out (i.e. the actual bit with kids). But (a) that should only be when it's safe for the community as well as staff and (b) the government will decide not us

It's no coincidence that a large number of teachers are unschooling their own children btw. I'm half/ half.

Figures obtained by the Guardian showed that in large parts of the north-east not a single primary school opened to more pupils on Monday, the government’s target date for reopening after the 10-week lockdown.

We are not taking in any more children until the 15th June.
We were prepared to open to Reception on the 1st.
We are a maintained school and the council told us we cannot widen our access until that date. As a school we have to follow that instruction. As teaching staff we get no say whatsoever.

We are only able to take in reception, and not year 1, due to physical space.

We have 20% of our school coming in as KW or vulnerable. This takes up a fair amount of space.

Teaching profession isn't coming out of this well and have let down a generation

People with no critical thinking and an axe to grind are not coming out of this well.