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?

pfrench so you don’t think schools should return until a vaccine or until covid infections reach zero? should we scrap the 2020-2021 school year with teachers on full pay? Genuinely interested on the proposal here

For everyone who is suggesting portakabins... hire more teachers... use church halls...

There are 32770 schools in the UK.

How many portakabins... extra teachers... church halls... do you think are going spare?

I would happily have my children socialise in a park. Open the sodding toilets, make it legal and I’d happily group up with a few parents, spend a couple of hours at the park each day and have the kids do “Forest school” type stuff. Unfortunately, it’s not legal. The only way my three year old can be within 2 metres of his peers is in preschool or nursery, who currently can’t fit him in. Bloody ridiculous but there you go.

Everyone in primary should have returned part-time.

More thought should have gone into secondary - especially y10 and y12. Even if they pass exams they may need the missed knowledge later so easier exams are a band-aid solution. Y12 will be doing UCAS forms in the autumn. Have government discussed this with the universities who obviously can't have open days yet?

All pupils have at least one day a week in school now and everyone back to full time education in September.

I wish priority had been given to years 10 - 12. Nothing at all for them. So much so government forgot about most of the secondary years.

But unfortunatly like people have been saying since before the last lot of budget cuts, education is vastly underinvested.

Technology has been vastly underinvested.

Ideally I would like to see the end to the ridiculous amounts of tests for the government.

A reduction in paperwork.

Let teachers do their job and teach the curriculum not the basics they should be learning at home.

And if they have a drive like nhs to get me back after I quit a couple of years ago, I'd rather get myself sectioned even though it's strongly advised again for me lol. (sorry about mistakes, keyboard is playing up)

Send all the schools back tomorrow. No social distancing. If people are unwilling/unable to send their children for whatever reason have a decent online school they can attend. That's what I would like to happen.

For primaries "bubble" them all in 30 kid bubbles. No assemblies. Lots of cleaning. Seperate lunches. Ditch the 2m. Let teachers have ppe if they want it!

Secondaries? No bloody idea but they need to go back so again Ppe and sack off the 2m.

I'm an ex teacher - it would not be tempting to return to teaching at the current moment and I think many ex and retired teachers would say the same. Teaching has had a recruitment problem for years and I don't think is going to suddenly Become more popular during a pandemic so not sure where all these extra teachers are coming from

Open the doors let them in! Teachers do have PPE (gloves/aprons) already for any personal or medical care they may need to give.

Pretty sure most schools donated PPE, science goggles and made face shields for the NHS so won't have any right now.

No bloody idea but they need to go back

Pretty much sums up feeling here!

Thankfully the teaching unions have made some useful suggestions and the ball is in Boris's court.

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/jun/09/johnson-urged-to-set-out-recovery-plan-for-schools-in-england

Why do we need many extra teachers? Unless the 2.5 million shielding are all teachers? Ok some will be, or will be a carer for someone who is shielding. Everyone else should just return to work, surely?

Could face educational poverty?

That boat sailed years ago.

@Spirallingleaves we have to split classes into groups of no more than 15. We also need extra classrooms too until social distancing requirements are dropped.

@GreenTulips where is the evidence that children can’t spread? The government clearly aren’t 100% on this otherwise they would be sending them all back now surely?

@Spirallingleaves because classes are halved in size so schools need double the rooms and double the staff, it’s not difficult really

Teachers are not supposed to mix bubbles so that if somebody in the bubble gets symptoms then it minimizes the number of children who have to self isolate.

A lot of bubbles are currently being headed by a TA. Not a bashing thread but TAs aren't teachers

The shielding thing is weird. Someone on here was saying that a third of her school staff were shielding which just can’t be right. My company employs 1200 staff, 7 are shielding.

Do schools have their own different definition?

Plus you need teachers for those online and of course something suitable in place with no access and those with 1-2-1's etc.

And doesn't each additional staff member in the class reduce the number of pupils who can be in the room?

Let all kids back in on a part time basis even if it’s just a couple of mornings a week to allow cleaning and smaller classes .

Yes, I know that. Why do we need more if we drop social distancing? People talk On other threads as though half the staff at their schools are shielding so even in normal classes more teachers are needed. I don’t get why.

Why do we need many extra teachers?

If you have a model where classes are split, what happens to the other part of the class while that teacher is teaching? When do they design the online stuff, which I can assure you is not the same as face-to-face?

They'll need more teachers. And rooms.

Sorry not read thread.

Full time no social distancing for primary.

Secondary - Full time yr 7 and 8. Part time (alternative weeks) for yr 9-13. Give them enough work to cover the week they are at home. Portacabins on site to allow for more space if needed.

PPE for staff. Shield clinically vulnerable staff. Gov provide direct funding for cover for shielding staff.

Nope but school staff vary from teachers to support staff many of which work around caring responsibilities elsewhere, usually someone within their home and so need to shield.

I agree Ta's are not teachers and many will be pushed into that awkward position, and when parents realise this I can see the outrage now. Forgetting this has been happening for years.

Government needs to pay school cleaning bills. School budgets were already tight without needing to double (triple?) cleaning costs.

In March there were a lot of schools without loo roll and soap. I hope that schools have these basics as well as hand sanitizers ready for September