What would you actually like the government to do on schools.

[StatisticalSense]

The demands on this site with regards to schooling are simply incompatible. Schools physically do not have the room or staff to reopen to their normal numbers of pupils with any form of social distancing in place, so it clearly isn't possible to get all kids back to school full time with social distancing in place.
What exactly would you like the government to be doing on schools that is actually feasible?

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/uk/schools-should-re-open-as-children-are-not-super-spreaders/amp/

I would like my children to receive an education at school, full time.
Why are schools still shut (in scotland). We have had zero covid deaths for two days. The virus has likely been here for months.

I am baffled.

What are your thoughts on the Southampton research silverstrawberry?

Professor of paediatric infectious diseases thinks schools should reopen.

Huge tepees/ tents on the fields ,use those for classrooms ,with a rota for playtime ,loos and dinner .

Track and trace working properly. Including using apple/google apps so people trust them.
PPE for whoever wants it. Washing hands (outdoor hand washing stations) extra cleaning Etc.
Vulnerable staff work from home running home learning.
Covered by extra staff

Year 10/12 back with masks. Maybe just do 9-1 to avoid lunch issues. Prioritise core subjects for year10.

Primary schools back on needs basis for this term. Need childcare/ children vulnerable. If space offer to those who want it. Priority to transition years.
Use all available space /eat lunch at desks.

Plan ahead for September. Any local church halls/community centres which could be used?

I'm appalled that you all think that children don't spread the virus at all. I don't know what the government is telling you but you might want to take a look at what other countries are doing (you know, the ones who are succesfully seriously sliwing down the sailu deaths). It seems to be that young children don't get it as bad, so don't cough and spread it but 10 yo and above do infect parents. That's a lot of children and a lot of parents who can start the second wave. You have to be careful with reintroducing secondary schooling.

And it won't help the economy of the country if the whole of Europe is doing well and the UK keeps having a high amount of covid deaths. It will affect trade and travel.

I think they will have to choose between two options in September - either abandon all attempts to socially distance or put all pupils on a part time rota to free up more space and teachers needed. Both are problematic, the first may be unpopular with teaching staff and some parents who fear a second wave and how little we actually know about the virus. Also may be difficult with shielding staff or absences for illness etc. The second will be difficult for working parents and a lot for the schools to juggle if they are teaching and also providing online material. I would personally prefer the second option but my son is only just starting reception and I am flexible with my time so it's not a problem for me.

Having visited a doctors surgery, pharmacy and supermarket this week and hearing of dentists not reopening, shops getting ready with Perspex screens and face shields etc, friends who work in offices being made to continue working from home as their offices can’t be made safe. It seems to me that all the workers I have encountered are protected by PPE or by allowing people in to surgeries/pharmacies/shops a few at a time.
Where are all the other work places that have scrapped social distancing and are just getting on with it? Or is it just teachers who are expected to do that?

How long till they go back to objecting to the hitting, swearing or wanting too much of the teacher's attention child shouldn't be there.

What about the vulnerable children who go in and get on with the work without this kind of behaviour?

Just to add, I am a teacher, I am glad to be at work, I have worked throughout this time including bank holidays and my Easter and half term holidays (leaving my year 7 & 9 children at home to manage their own school work.
Stop making out that teachers don’t want to teach. It’s just surprising to hear that so many think that in schools social distancing should be scrapped.

Take back bubbles of all year groups on the basis of need, eg key workers, two working parents, kids with additional needs.

We have yrR, yr1 yr6, keyworkers children. We also have brought back a lot of vulnerable children and families that are struggling, (some on a part time basis). We are at the limit for any kind of social distancing. I don't think we should scrap social distancing in school . No one else is. All shops, pubs etc are working hard to work out how to open with social distancing. It's just the sign of the times unfortunately. I also have children not at school who are desperate to go back before anyone flames me.

@OneJump

I would prefer my dd to be taught by an experienced qualified teacher

However that isn’t going to happen anytime soon, therfore I would prefer her to be taught by any competent adult with a dbs, hopefully overseen by a teacher setting the work, rather than not being taught at all.

As to getting those that recently left the profession back, with drs and nurses the government just reinstated their registrations (it didn’t ask if you wanted to be reinstated it just did it) and people were then offered work. There has been a huge response because people realised it is their duty - excepting those that cannot work on health grounds - there has been work to get those people wfh on the covid hotlines etc

Take on lots of extra staff. Hire extra buildings. Have half class sizes

Half class sizes means twice as many teachers. That’s another half a million teachers required by September.

And twice as many classrooms. There are 32770 schools.

People are not appreciating the scale of this problem.

As Davis Blunkett wrote today. "Use the same imagination and drive as they did with hospitals".

It feels right now as though they're waiting for a miracle in September.

Throw some money at it? Utilise empty buildings, there are community centres, library's and church halls sitting empty. Part time timetables, maybe portacabins. .

Not saying it would be straightforward or one size fits all. But right now it seems as though many just aren't that bothered.

We are going to feel the aftershock of this for years if we don't act now.

I'm in Scotland, and the plan here seems to be reopening to all year groups in August but on a part time basis. Don't know for sure yet but most likely seems to be half the kids go Monday and Tuesday, deep clean on Wed other half of kids go Thursday and Friday.

A number of authorities have already published their plans come August - what’s on offer is 10 hours of education offered across 2 days so shortened school days eg 9-2, primary children will be in school either Monday and Tuesday or Wednesday and Thursday, they haven’t said what will be happening on Fridays. High schools will be identified by year group with S1&2 in for 2 days, S3&4 in for 2 days and S5&6 in for 1.5 days - primary schools will be split alphabetically to keep children in the same family at school together.

That’s certainly the plan in North Lanarkshire, Glasgow - someone else posted West Lothian who were pretty similar.

Totally agree. It’s bullshit. My neighbours children can go in because they are adopted. Their school is allowing all adopted children back in regardless of year group. With one parent saying how much they have enjoyed having the break. V unfair

I am despairing over the situation here in Scotland. There were under 20 new cases yesterday. At this rate we may have next to none by August and yet they still want to do this part-time school thing. I have one starting P1 and he will not learn well at home at all, he doesn't even like to sit and draw with me for more than 5 minutes. He needs that peer pressure of being around other 5 year olds.

Education is long overdue a complete overhaul. It's too expensive in it's current form and not good enough, even before Covid 19.

This is an excellent opportunity and the sector should be completely reviewing it's working practices, like so many other sectors are. I am SLT in a school after years in industry, every workplace has some who are resistant to change but I've never experienced anything like long standing teachers and their unions.

I really feel for young enthusiastic teachers who want to get things done for the benefit of students, they have so many barriers put in their way at every turn.

A massive amount of money thrown at it.

Outdoor handwashing troughs to be used before school.
Current toilet and handwashing facilities upgraded and SOAP in secondary toilets.
Extra portacabins to allow for smaller class sizes. It's all very well teaching outside under gazebos now but it won't work come the end of September.
More teachers, summer school would be great if there are teachers who are willing to be paid. No one should be forced to teach.

Absolutely agree wow.

Year 10 and 12 to all return full time now. Plan for all returning in September. Hygiene measures in place such as adding outdoor hand washing sinks, alcohol gel dispensers at classroom doors, just making sure that toilets have soap and hand dryers. Strict guidelines of when pupils are required to be kept away from school (high temp, coughs etc) and acceptance of this but work set for completing at home for when they are well but quarantined. Vulnerable staff could be responsible for the online/ home learning rather than face to face teaching.

The risk to a child of dying of Covid is one in 3.5million. The risk from kids not being in school, especially those poor and disadvantaged is many times that, including being abused.

The teaching unions have acted disgracefully through this, although I suppose not a surprise. What I am disappointed about is Keir Starmer using it for political points when he said he wouldn't.

What the government should be doing is also looking to Europe and how they are managing....the evidence that we need two metre distancing is becoming increasingly weak, especially when the viral load is probably looking like 10% of what it was

So what were the improvements which your “young enthusiastic” teachers supported but “long-standing” teachers blocked?

(Nice bit of casual ageism, by the way.)

The risk to a child of dying of Covid is one in 3.5million.

Where has this come from?