Every child in every year group will return to school in September, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.

[itswhereitsat]

I didn't catch the briefing but read the above comment in the news. The big question is, did he say whether children returning would be part-time or full time? Or did he just gloss over that bit?

Full time. Bubbles of 30.

@DearJessie

Full time. Bubbles of 30.

Yep.

Hallelujah!

He didn't actually clarify this, when asked he specifically didn't say 'each child every day' which is very telling.

Although what was this flexibility he then we need to potentially have? Is this incase of a second wave?

We just need to scrap social distancing and be done with it really.

Full time, said there is a plan but won't share it for 2 weeks. Then said bubbles of 30, no mention of how that works in secondary. I think there is currently no plan and he was buying time...

Yeah assuming the social distancing is reduced and we don't get a massive rise in infections again!

Boris said it earlier in an interview with Skynews.

Be interesting to see what guidance they issue.

That works for primary but not secondary. At my dc school they are in different sets for each subject and of course gcse choices come into play from yr nine. Not so straight forward there.

Glossed over the full or part time bit if you ask me.

I’m not sure how he thinks that will work for secondary schools where you have children in different sets and taking different subjects, or lunch queues / toilets / break times.

We will just have to wait and see but I have a feeling they are being overly optimistic just to keep us quiet for a few months and so the pressure goes away about summer schools.

And I say that as a member of SLT in a huge school. We need direction and none of this 'make of it what you will' stuff that's been going on.

We can't get all year groups back with 1 metre social distancing due to tiny classrooms and scrap the SD and let us get on with it.

He could also have meant local lockdowns.

Also what happens to the schools who have 31-34 in KS2 classes. This isn't rare unfortunately...

but he hasn't really said this at all. He said it is the government's INTENTION that every child should return to school in September. He acknowledged there was currently no plan on how to do this, it is not decided what form this will take and it is not known if it will be full or part time. He said the over the next 2 weeks his department will START discussing with schools to enable them to draw up guidelines for September. Given that the last guidelines for returning primary years were re-written 42 times, bfore the government made a total U turn (before the unturning the U turn) and given that in many school the minimum suggested years have still not returned I hold out absolutely NO HOPE of children returning in a meaningful way in September sadly

He worded it very carefully. All pupils in every day. Is that 8:40-3:20 every day for ALL pupils?

@BertNErnie

Also what happens to the schools who have 31-34 in KS2 classes. This isn't rare unfortunately...

I suspect they’ll make those bubbles bigger.

@weepingwillow I fear you are right. I have NO faith in this government at all. Not that I did anyway, but this has taken it to new levels...

Am getting quite fed up with all this chat about bubbles given how irrelevant it is to secondary school. Also with "year 10 and 12 are going back" given that most have been offered a few hours of visiting at best

Secondary can’t be in bubbles of thirty! They all go off doing different subjects!

@3teens2cats I think a possible solution in high school could be the pupils stay in 1 class room (as much as possible) and the teachers move between classrooms rather than the other way around. Maybe not for all subjects like science/tech/art/computing that need equipment but certainly for desk written based lessons like English maths history geography RE languages

Completely agree @Weepinggreenwillow.

It’s a delay tactic. They have no plan and it will not be safe to have all children return as he intends, unless the virus disappears before then or everyone is vaccinated.

@Deelish75 I suspect you are right.

I am so cross this evening. Gavin basically didn't commit to anything and never actually really answered any questions. Yet again no plan at all.

They are going to START working with schools - what have they been doing for the last 12 weeks?!!! Surely they needed to have a working plan of some sorts earlier than this. September is looming and if we need to make changes before then we need to know now.

If summer school is also optional for schools as he seemed to suggest, I can't imagine many actually opening unless the government are going to pay teachers to come in daily. My day rate works out to around £250 - I've been teaching years so that's why but my school simply can't afford to pay staff to come in otherwise and we have already surveyed people and they have said no to coming in voluntarily.

Getting all kids back would be fantastic.
I suppose a lot depends on social distancing so, school layout, available staff and costs will all have to be factored in.

Getting all kids back would be fantastic.
I suppose a lot depends on social distancing so, school layout, available staff and costs will all have to be factored in.