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?

Smaller classes surely would be better for teaching anyway. I considered private as my child is behind developmentally and due to start school in September. I would like smaller class for him. I haven't chosen private as the general feeling I got was they aren't good with additional needs.

I understand schools don't have space but they could forest school it part of the day?

I understand schools don't have space but they could forest school it part of the day?

I was about to do the Forest school training just before lockdown-it was very expensive and required a lot of work for me and a TA.

The government would need to produce an awful lot of cash, free up huge numbers of staff to be trained and provide schools with safe outdoor spaces for this to work.

I’m sure I’m just not showing a ‘can do’ attitude though...

@zafferana

Do a massive Recruitment drive like they did with the nhs to get old teachers back.

Maybe because the teachers that left did so for a reason and won't go back?

Surely the nurses, doctors and other medical staff who came back in the country's hour of need also left for good reasons?

What’s the harm in asking and seeing what the response is?

I’m sure I’m just not showing a ‘can do’ attitude though...

Quite

I also left nursing for a good reason. Not for all the money in the world would I ever go back.

Treat people badly for years, don't be surprised if they walk away and don't look back.

What’s the harm in asking and seeing what the response is?

No harm at all-would love to see the outcome.

I would be interested to know Gav’s reasons for not having done it already.

I would be interested to know Gav’s reasons for not having done it already.

I'm guessing he can't face the proverbial two fingered salute.

All of the teachers that I know who have left teaching have left to go into other professions so wouldn't be available or want to go back into schools. Why would they?

I'm guessing he can't face the proverbial two fingered salute.

I would almost guarantee that, yes!

@Appuskidu ok well maybe not full forest school due to the training, but a more outdoor approach to learning? I think could be a problem in winter with kids not having appropriate clothing though.

I'm ok with the schools going back as normal. However generally I would like smaller classes than 30 and bums off seats stuff included past reception.

Schools to reopen now.

Primary school children to stay within their classes including eating lunch. Separate playtimes/ areas for playtimes.

As much time outside as possible with the expectation that children will bring a coat/ hat every day.

Supply teachers to cover teachers who are shielding. PPE where required/ wanted. Outdoor area separated off for staff to use for lunch/ breaks where the weather is ok. No work expected of staff so that they can go home for lunch if they want to avoid crowded staff rooms.

No assemblies/ concerts/ sports days with parents.

Staggered start and finish times. Older children encouraged to walk home or meet their parents somewhere safe away from school.

No uniform to allow for clean clothes every day.

Children given an individual desk where possible and separate pencil case containing everything they’ll need. Funding for schools to provide this. No sharing of equipment.

Regular hand washing and talks about keeping safe, not hugging etc.

Make it very clear that children who display any symptoms of illness will not be able to stay at school. No fines for poor/ no attendance but checks on children who do not attend to find out why.

Year 6 to move up to high school now to allow for transition and free up teachers and classrooms while year 11 and 13 are not in.

In high schools they could even have perspex screens around teachers’ desks.

Children could be expected to use cleaning wipes to wipe down their own desks before use (wipes provided by school).

Additional hand washing stations would be required as high school toilets tend to be disgusting and few and far between.

Again, regular lessons on cleaning, health, symptoms, not hugging during PSHE lessons.

Unfortunately, no practical work where sharing is required at the moment.

Increased time outside in nice weather.

So finding a way to reduce class sizes, reduce child stress and distress has go to be a useful by product of this chaos

I agree that the whole education system is long overdue an overhaul, but the only way to achieve smaller class sizes is by having more teachers (and more classrooms). Where is the money going to come from to pay for those? And in the case of more teachers, who is going to want to teach?

People suggesting a massive recruitment drive... The things that have steadily driven teachers out of the profession haven't gone away. And add to that the complications of the job during a pandemic, plus presumably even less money available than usual to (vainly) try to attract people to the profession... It just isn't going to happen.

As for the suggestions of random people teaching classes in village halls, unsupervised by qualified teachers. The mind boggles, frankly.

CoronaisComing good list

Another vote to scrap social distancing and get our children and young people back in education full time from September.

Open now. A requirement. No social distancing.

Allow families to make their own choices on attendance to protect vulnerable family members etc.

Members of staff who have a valid and proven reason for not attending - vulnerable immediate family, vulnerable themselves or other risk - don’t have to work in school. But others do.

You don't necessarily need more teachers for smaller classes, more staff yes, but not more teachers. If they're working with smaller groups they could cover the curriculum more quickly and the rest of the day is childcare, provided by cheaper staff, for those who need it.

In high schools they could even have perspex screens around teachers’ desks.

Walkingwounded, now I'm going to sound like all those I've objected to but you'd be amazed how many school staff are either vulnerable or live with someone who is. It's one of the reasons schools were closing before they were officially closed and (IMO) why the government closed them earlier than they planned.

Hearhoovesthinkzebras, why is that so funny, it's exactly what they've done in Switzerland, been open since mid May with a 2m exclusion zone around the teacher's desk. I know, what about students who don't comply? You treat it the same as any other behaviour breach around dangerous behaviour and exclude if necessary.

Because in the UK teachers don't stand at the front and lecture. They walk around classrooms, talk to students, look at work, explain on a one to one basis, intervene in disputes.

Plus, unless you hermetically seal the perspex box the teachers are still breathing the same air as the students.

Maybe you could adapt all of the schools that don't have opening windows to allow for fresh air ventilation?

There aren't enough temporary classrooms or portacabins in the country to do the job.

I don't think the people who ask for 'use of other spaces / temporary classrooms) have quite grasped the scale of what would beneeded.

In primaries with no social distancing but bubbles of 15 (make no mistake, 15 is FAR too many for 2m distance, so any children back in classes of 15 are already not doing social distancing), a temporary space is needed for every single existing classroom, as the vast majority of classes are 30.

So for a 7 class school, you need 7 portacabins or other spaces. For a typical 2 form entry school, you need at least 14. For a 3 form entry, you need 21. Each with toilets, hot and cold running water, storage space, WiFi,basic ICT setup and furniture.

In secondary, 2m social distancing is currently being employed as the main safety measure, meaning that all but the largest rooms will take 6-8 and thus only a quarter of children can attend at a time. So THREE FULL SCHOOL-SIZED sets of classrooms would be needed for every secondary.

Just in the area I work in - unremarkable leafy area of a moderate-sized town, largely suburban with few large offices or big buildings - you are looking at a couple of hundred temporary classrooms to accommodate the single secondary school and the 4 forms'-worth of primary level schools....

Erm, the virus is not airborne, how can people still not know that?

I think a lot of secondary teachers don't move too far from their desk and maybe, those that do could consider working differently, short term?

WowLucky

Erm, I know it isn't airborne in the definition of airborne disease but maybe have a look at the research to see how far virus particles travel.

And teachers don't walk around classrooms - really? That's not what I've observed.

I think a lot of secondary teachers don't move too far from their desk

WowLucky are you really SLT? In a school, I mean?

If the screens protect supermarket workers, why not teachers? The droplets can't travel upwards, so if the teacher is behind a screen how with they reach them?

I work in a secondary PRU HipTight

Ah. FYI secondary teachers do not sit behind desks.