1600 paediatricians have written to the prime minister

[havefunpeleton]

Demanding schools reopen or risk scarring a generation. Reported in Times today.

I am hoping this will be the push needed to ensure this madness ends and all our children can go back to school full time in September.

banjaxxed I really hope your right and the infection rates are much lower.
I have a year 10 daughter who I am extremely concerned about getting back into school.
My worry is if schools go back now with no social distancing and return to normal rates rise again.
We certainly need a plan for September though for all children to be included in. Let’s hope the government have one.

And there you go again. You crop up on every thread arguing against any hope of getting children back. Not once do you try and think of ways to get kids back. It’s not Pollyanna, it needs to happen and could if our disorganised crappy gov sat down with schools and worked with what we’ve got.

@AppleSaf

And there you go again. You crop up on every thread arguing against any hope of getting children back. Not once do you try and think of ways to get kids back. It’s not Pollyanna, it needs to happen and could if our disorganised crappy gov sat down with schools and worked with what we’ve got.

How do you propose it happens then given current government guidelines?

@JimmyGrimble I'm sure has her reasons for her posts...

AppleSaf

I don’t think some teachers do want children back. Amazingly I think some think it’s ok to WFH indefinitely.

I don't know any teachers that don't want to go back or don't want the children back, they are the best part of the job.

We all just want to go back in as safe a way as is possible.

The infection rates in schools are rising but they will do as more people go back in to schools.

This needs to be done carefully and in a controlled manner.

I think AppleSaf is saying that the government needs to work with schools regarding September. I’m not expecting the current guidelines to still apply then as we will hopefully be in a better position with the virus.

I agree with this. Time for proper planning from the government in conjunction with schools.

@AppleSaf

And there you go again. You crop up on every thread arguing against any hope of getting children back. Not once do you try and think of ways to get kids back. It’s not Pollyanna, it needs to happen and could if our disorganised crappy gov sat down with schools and worked with what we’ve got.

I have a right to comment. I’m desperately worried about some of my children. We’re visiting some of our most vulnerable kids three times a week, phoning many more and delivering food and other essentials (mostly donated by staff) every week. I’m setting work, marking it, staffing the kw bubble etc etc I volunteered for a bubble but we didn’t have the take up so I wasn’t needed. When I am needed I am there. I can’t wait to get back. I’m also staff governor. I know who is making the decisions and it’s not me. So do bugger off.

[quote havefunpeleton]@JimmyGrimble I'm sure has her reasons for her posts...[/quote]
Just spreading the love peleton

Schools will differ, ours could accommodate whole classes with 1 metre. Get rid of all furniture bar tables and chairs.They need to start sorting temp huts for those with outdoor space and looking at buildings in the local area for those without .At the very least having classes in for half day for core subjects then deep clean for second half. You could use long term supply in some way...

It sounds like you are stressed out which is making you angry. A lot of people are suffering during lockdown. I hope you have some support you can access.

@AppleSaf

Schools will differ, ours could accommodate whole classes with 1 metre. Get rid of all furniture bar tables and chairs.They need to start sorting temp huts for those with outdoor space and looking at buildings in the local area for those without .At the very least having classes in for half day for core subjects then deep clean for second half. You could use long term supply in some way...

How will parents feel about children only being in for half a day do you think?

There are 70 primary schools in my borough and nearly 30 secondary schools. I wonder how many suitable buildings there are in the area?

@mumneedswine I know they don't make the decisions and I am not blaming teachers for the decisions

However, it's clear from posters on here that are teachers that there is 'no it's not possible' 'no it's not safe', ' you want us all dead' vibe from some of them. It's very pessimistic and doesn't help your cause tbh.

AppleSaf

A high percentage of the issue with all of these solutions is money,

The government would have to stump up the cash and they have said that they won't do this for schools.

The response was something like
"you can do want you want to get more pupils in but at no extra cost"

Yet they are prepared to pay for "professional" tutors for summer camps.

@havefunpeleton

It sounds like you are stressed out which is making you angry. A lot of people are suffering during lockdown. I hope you have some support you can access.

Do you mean me? No, not stressed. I don’t get up till lunchtime, lazy brunch then a bit of light gardening, bit of telly, walk the dog, cook a lovely meal then relax for the rest of the day. I’m extremely refreshed!

banjaxxed

You can overcome alot with a "can do" attitude but it does change the fact that schools don't have the funds to do these ideas.

Wow this thread certainly developed!
It is interesting to notice how effectively the government has used the media to scare people beyond reason to aid compliance with the lockdown. Seems they did not fully anticipate the problems that would lead to when it came to pursuading some people to start to resume their daily lives.

If teachers taught wearing full face clear visors and were made a testing priority then all the students could go back. The biggest risk is not to children at all. The damage being done to the 12 to 15 year olds emotionally may be irreparable if the situation isn’t addressed before September.

No, not all the students can go back.

No proposed solutions for shielded students have yet been made.

These are the most vulnerable, most isolated pupils (so all year groups from R-13) and they deserve education too, and announcements for arrangements for them need to be made at the same time as the general ones.

They must not just be left languishing and overlooked

Acknowledging that not all schools are equal in commitment, that children can not control their home life, there are vulnerable children, and there is not a solution with no risk. For some in the government and the union children are not the priority. I have seen the best in teaching, my DD teachers have gone full out to ensure home learning is working. I have seen terrible communication, DS2 special school (management) have destroyed years of goodwill among the parents. DS2 will not be offered a place until all social distancing is removed. It’s a myth that vulnerable (ECHP) children are looked after. His education plan is a five minute call and I have been informed that my social worker is best if I am struggling and homeschooling can be found on bbc bite size.
The discussion is far too polarised, I understand that teachers want to protect their profession but I know that teachers will have worked for crap heads, lazy colleagues, yes they are the minority but they exist and parents on the receiving end have a right to complain. Children’s mental health is a society concern and needs to be addressed, if you are a teacher that believes this not schools concern then I would be disappointed.

Our school are allowing year 5s back in as well as reception and y1 and 6. I'm extremely happy.

My children are in the keyworker group but will be merging into the reception and y5 class. They need it hopefully all schools follow suit.

Good job by the shower of a government. They've managed to get us all pissed off. Parents aren't happy, kids aren't happy, teachers aren't happy, the unions aren't happy.

We're all on the same side here. Everyone wants to have the kids back at school. Everyone wants to have the kids safely back at school. I'm going to assume that everybody wants staff to be safe in school too.

We should all be lobbying for permanent classes of 15 with 2 adults frankly. We should all by lobbying for children to have enough food to eat. We shouldn't be spending a billion pounds on tutoring to sort out 10 weeks worth of missed education (classes of 15 with 2 adults will smash that in half a term), we should be spending that on technology and Wi-Fi for vulnerable families to open up their worlds.

I'm glad everyone is seeing the chaos that is the DfE and lack of funding right in your faces. We get bashed for moaning all the time, but this is the reality of education in the UK. Underfunded and bottom of the pile. The Tories want an under educated people, it allows them to manipulate. Which is what is happening right now.

And of course, the longer everyone argues and hurls blame about, the closer the gov't will be able to edge towards just abandoning Social Distancing and getting classes of 30 back in, and to hell with it.

Except, social distancing will still be vital for other workers. That's fine and we must respect it. Just not for schools.

@AppleSaf

I don’t think some teachers do want children back. Amazingly I think some think it’s ok to WFH indefinitely. It really isn’t and has to stop in September. Not once on these threads do you ever see thought or suggestions of ways to get all children back, not once. Just endless going over of every reason not to.

It stinks. Children are being let down by everybody. .

That's just not true. I have seen several suggestions of how to get all children back from teachers. I made one myself several times.

Lying really is no substitute for reasoned discussion.

I don’t think some teachers do want children back. Amazingly I think some think it’s ok to WFH indefinitely.

I can't wait to be able to go back. I miss the kids. I miss seeing my colleagues. I miss the general atmosphere being at work in a school.

Most of our staff are now ft in school. Many never stopped being at school. There are some who have now been dropped from the vulnerable lists, such as those with milder asthma, who have now returned too as they were so keen to get back. We still have 1 SLT, 3 teachers and 3 TAs working from home due to health issues. The lunch staff are not yet back but I do know some of those won't be able,to return yet.

I am clinically vulnerable ( not shielded) and cant yet return. As it happens my role means that even if I could I'm actually still better placed to be doing the job of overseeing hl online and supporting the other wfh staff with that anyway, plus my internet and WiFi is far better at home than working in the staff workroom.

I go in once a week for a couple of how to,check specific stuff and support in certain ways. I see my colleagues from a distance and get chance to chat in person. I get to wave to the kids from the doorway and they tell me their latest news.

I'm not scared of dying of Covid. I know it's incredibly unlikely. I am concerned about becoming seriously ill and having a very long recovery. I've had pneumonia several years back, before I my health condition developed and before I was taking medication which damages my immunity. Back then I was in hospital, I missed 7 weeks of work and it took around a year to feel back to normal. It worries me what I would be like now if I had a similar illness, such as Covid. It worries my family too.

As it is, of and when I go back to working in school I will require a serious chat with the hospital consultant about the best way forward. Do I continue as normal and risk the illness, or do I stop the worst (the Ken making me more,vulnerable) of the medication and risk the condition developing and potentially causing flare ups or, more concerning, long term damage which could lead to disability in later life.

I don't know any teaching staff in RL who isn't missing being at work.

None want to wfh for ever.
But they do want to be safe to return and the risk of being ill to be as low as it can be.

ohthegoats one of my very over optimistic hopes is that there is a tiny chance we could end up with long term smaller class sizes - would be so much better for kids and teachers with or without the virus!
We can but dream that this crisis could finally change things and money could be thrown at schools and health for once .