WTAF schools...

[SoberCurious]

My friend who works for the DfE says they are planning for kids to go back to school in December 😭😭😭

Teacher trainees will have to be fast-tracked through.

It takes two years to get to NQT (even via Teach First). There is a shortage of teachers now.

Boris has just said that they are hoping all pupils will be back in September.

Are the decision makers considering a wide range of options eg using community centres, church halls, building portacabins, using parent volunteers, extending the school day etc? Are individual schools allowed to come up with proposals, or is it a 'top down' thing?

For those of us not involved in education it seems all we see on the news are head teachers standing in classrooms holding tape measures.

@lyralalala thank you for your post, interesting reading. It is a very difficult situation. But I still don't see why schools can't use the premises that they already have and alternate year groups coming in. That way all children will at least be in for some of the time.

@OverTheRainbowLiesOz

Teacher trainees will have to be fast-tracked through.

It takes two years to get to NQT (even via Teach First). There is a shortage of teachers now.

One year if you do a PGCE.

Ey up StaffAssociationRepresentative you look different. Have you dyed your hair?

@ineedaholidaynow I didn't see it, did he say back full time?

Outside areas are also a possibility. Maybe not in the midst of winter but certainly now. Make use of playground space.

The problem is that buildings like churches would need to be paid for and schools don't have the budget. Other buildings like community halls and libraries are also being sought after by multiple schools.

The government found the money for the Nightingales, they should find the money for this.

Two schools could use the same spaces if the day were extended. One school 8 - 2 and another 3 - 9.

Two schools could use the same spaces if the day were extended. One school 8 - 2 and another 3 - 9.

Hahaha you nearly had me there.

Wait... that was a joke, right?

One year if you do a PGCE.

I'm guessing these are at full capacity, so extra teachers would have to go via alternative schemes. However the schools would have no budget for extra teachers or resources.

There are plenty of ideas. I don't believe for one minute that these have been properly investigated by the government. They are just lying low knowing summer holidays are around the corner.

Children could have and should have been back after May half term in one form or another. Even if just a day/week for each child would be better than nothing.

@PenfoldsFive

Are the decision makers considering a wide range of options eg using community centres, church halls, building portacabins, using parent volunteers, extending the school day etc? Are individual schools allowed to come up with proposals, or is it a 'top down' thing?

For those of us not involved in education it seems all we see on the news are head teachers standing in classrooms holding tape measures.

All of the schools that I've worked in in the last 5 years have been in touch with me (I worked in learning support) to see if I'd be interested in working. DS and DD's school has been in touch with all regular parent helpers for the same reason.

Also I chair a volunteer-led group that runs after-school care, breakfast club and holiday playschemes and I've been contacted by both the local authority and also individual Head Teachers to discuss various options.

I know that locally the HT's of the two primaries and the high school are both working on individual plans for their schools and also co-ordinating together to see how using community centres and other local spaces could work. The primary HT's have also been discussing the possibilities of keeping the key worker children in the joint hub bubble/unit to share the responsibility even though they've been told by the LA that won't happen.

They're making plans A-G and then new ones every time new guidance comes out from the government

@Waxonwaxoff0 he is still waffling on. Didn't mention full-time and put in caveat depending on R value etc

[quote bendmeoverbackwards]**@lyralalala thank you for your post, interesting reading. It is a very difficult situation. But I still don't see why schools can't use the premises that they already have and alternate year groups coming in. That way all children will at least be in for some of the time.[/quote]
That's also being discussed, and imo is the most likely option.

The problem with that is that some schools, especially new ones, have very limited space so the time in school would be extremely limited. Whereas if they had extended space they could hopefully at least offer half the time in class and half at home.

@PenfoldsFive

The problem is that buildings like churches would need to be paid for and schools don't have the budget. Other buildings like community halls and libraries are also being sought after by multiple schools.

The government found the money for the Nightingales, they should find the money for this.

Two schools could use the same spaces if the day were extended. One school 8 - 2 and another 3 - 9.

Even if having children at school until 9pm wasn't madness, how do you properly clean all those spaces between 2 and 3?

@HipTightOnions

Two schools could use the same spaces if the day were extended. One school 8 - 2 and another 3 - 9.

Hahaha you nearly had me there.

Wait... that was a joke, right?

Nope, plenty of people have to adjust their work hours/lives due to circumstances. Surely it could work for schools too.

They could be cleaned by the cleaners that the government should pay for.

There is already a big retention problem with teachers. Higher paid jobs in other countries, early retirement, long hours / constant changes / criticism, driving teachers out of the profession.

@PenfoldsFive

They could be cleaned by the cleaners that the government should pay for.

Where are you going to find all of these people who are available to clean mass spaces in a short space of time?

Plus they'll also have to clean them at 9pm as well.

It's completely unrealistic.

This really isn't the time for pointless ideas imo. You can't have school children in classes until 9pm at night. That's just silly. Let alone all the other issues with cleaning and staffing.

The problem with that is that some schools, especially new ones, have very limited space so the time in school would be extremely limited

Any teaching is better than nothing. Think about how much time at school is spent on non core subjects and things like assembly, PE etc. If they could get even a couple of hours each week doing Maths and English that would be much better than now.

@HipTightOnions

Two schools could use the same spaces if the day were extended. One school 8 - 2 and another 3 - 9.

Hahaha you nearly had me there.

Wait... that was a joke, right?

In Turkey they do something like 7am-12 with one set of pupils and one set of staff. Then 12:30-5:30 with another set of pupils and another set of staff. Same SLT. It gets round the space issue. How it could be staffed is the big problem. Could the government entice back teachers who have left the profession? I’ve just resigned. I would take a lot of convincing.

The problem is we're trying to replicate what we had before ie 9 - 3.15. It doesn't need to be that. It could be a few half days each week per child. On a rotation basis.

I still don't see why reception/Year 1/Year 2 need to be in full time while other years get nothing. What's the logic there? What about Year 5s who are preparing for 11+ exams?

Oh and the schools were filthy in Turkey!

Totally agree with you about receptions & Y1!!!@bendmeoverbackwards