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?

But numbers still driven by the risk assessment? Still with shielded staff?

@Jkslays

This is fantastic news and a big relief.

Your naivety is quite touching.

I am disappointed that none of the journalists asked what happened to BJ's announcement last week that there was going to be a 'massive summer catch up plan'!

On the possibility of bubbles in secondary schools, I think it could be possible to establish larger bubbles of around 100 pupils - not ideal I know, but better than not being in school.

Secondary schools usually have 2 bands in each year group who are timetabled separately and this continues in KS4 (Yrs 10 and 11). So in a school with 1000 pupils, 5 year groups of 200 and 100 in each band who would be moving around school but not sitting in classrooms with any of the other 900.

Although pupils would be in close proximity during lesson changeover this would only be for a few minutes (and therefore wouldn't exceed the close contact definition which is something like within 2m for 15 mins I think). Lunch and break times would be a bit of an issue though. Going to and from school less so as they would be outside (although not great for those using public transport).

I am a secondary school teaching assistant and am trying to think positively about how we can get our children back into school as it is so desperately important for both their education and wellbeing.

@Jkslays

This is fantastic news and a big relief.

not sure you've read the thread or actually watched the briefing....or if you did you must have heard something very different to me!!

This government has shown just how shocking it is at making plans. The current shielding guidelines end on 30th June and they haven't told us what's happening yet so I'm not surprised that they haven't given firm plans to schools. They seem to be doing everything on the fly.

They'll probably string everyone along until the last minute and then blame schools when they can't immediately re open under whatever weird and wonderful rules they impose.

He has said everything and nothing in that statement.
"Every child returning to school in September" is NOT him saying "back to normal." Also, Boris said it was his "ambition."

More holes than Swiss cheese.

I’m not really sure what the point in secondary bubbles would be when there are hundreds of kids using school transport and inevitably they’d be mixing in a confined space with children outside of their bubble.

Even for primary, a bubble sounds fine in theory but if wrap around care is still banned, working parents will still have an issue and I imagine schools would still have some logistical challenges of lunches, drop-off, breaks etc.

Not sure how it will be possible to keep staff safe though, as they will be mixing with many more pupils as they move between bubbles - maybe we will end up needing to use ppe.

working parents will still have an issue
They're not the key consideration, however.

Our local secondary has already told parents that only yr7 & yr11 will be back in Sept and that's on a PT blended learning basis with only core subjects taught.

Back to the drawing board for them I guess.

Our LA has been at pains to tell us all the way through that school has the final decision and everything is driven by the risk assessment, so back to the drawing board for them too. Or maybe not.

We still have 15% of staff too vulnerable or too anxious to come in.

Some people are going to be really disappointed. Words were chosen well.

Nothing about them being in school all at the same time. Because that won't happen.

No plan at all. The government really do not have a clue.

No plan at all. The government really do not have a clue.

Bubbles of 30 is unhelpful in ks2 where many classes are 30+

He said there would be no guidance issued in 2 weeks with regards to September

I want to get back I really do but it won’t be as simple as just increasing the bubbles. Adults will need to be able to cross bubbles , otherwise how will PPA / interventions / Teaching assistants work! How will the planned catch up sessions work?

I am desperate for things to be normal, but even at primary it is not as simple as first seems, unless we are literally all back as normals mixing etc I don’t understand the science enough to know if that is ok.

Someone said earlier phonics could happen but wouldn’t be as good, how will that work if we are supposed to be catching up? I can see the complaints already ! ( understandable having been sold a billion pound catch up programme and then been provided with someone less good than before!)

I’m sure everyone will enjoy their 4-6 weeks back before they have to close again
But then it’ll be winter and there will be seasonal illnesses to contend with too

@Italiandreams *it's going to be awful.

I want to get back I really do but it won’t be as simple as just increasing the bubbles. Adults will need to be able to cross bubbles , otherwise how will PPA / interventions / Teaching assistants work! How will the planned catch up sessions work?

Same. Bubbles of 30 don't work in mixed age group classes where you can stream for phonics or maths, I don't have LSA support for next year, but have a runner - how can anyone else deal with that child? How can children attend SEND bases in schools? How will it work for PRUs, when children only attend part time?

Timetabling hell. Learning is going to be tricky apart from for the most average middle of the road child.

Was there a mention of shielding children or the children of shielding parents?

I'm trying to work out if it's worth leaving and just doing tutoring for a year. I'd make more difference that way. This way is just going to be endless firefighting.

Nothing about shielding although a journalist asked.

Back to the drawing board for them I guess.

You answered that in your own post. If it's up to the school and the school's risk assessment, then it's irrelevant what the guidance is.

twitter.com/borisjohnson/status/1273990567572189184?s=21

Easy to make things as normal as possible apparently

@flamingochill

Nothing about shielding although a journalist asked.

Thank you. I’m hoping we will find out when the new shielding guidances comes out - if it’s trustworthy or sensible will be a whole other issue.

ohthegoats, that's what I meant, if Gav's plan is to happen the LA's advice needs to change drastically.

With the news that rate is dropping 4% a day that means in a few weeks we will be at 0%. So maybe that is why they are saying they are going to be talking to techers in 2 weeks time.

Have some patience, summer holidays haven't even started yet and there are some months to go until September.