Possible naive question about schools returning in full September

[Uhoh2020]

So today Boris announced that all schools will return in full in September........is this a definite ? (Obviously not if numbers rise again) or is this another empty statement like the last one about schools opening before summer and likely to get rebuffed later down the line.

I know one of the main reasons schools didn't open In full was because the safety guidelines made it practically impossible to do so. Are all guidelines now scrapped as the 2m rule won't apply then ? Is it business as normal by September?

PLEASE NO TEACHER BASHING I THINK THERE HAS BEEN ENOUGH OF THAT ALREADY

I don't think the distance will apply in schools. The bubbles could be made larger. This will get all children back albeit to a rather dry educational experience especially in early years and KS1.

I interpreted it as assuming cases continue to fall and we deal with the virus as predicted, that schools can definitely reopen in September. However, the virus is unpredictable so it’s not guaranteed. It’s also not guaranteed schools will remain open from September either.

This is literally being discussed in another thread about 2 above this one.

I think the 2m rule never applied in schools (as young children can't stick to it) so instead they had the idea of self contained bubbles. But yes I assume those will be scrapped by Sept as there's no way to keep them in place and have all children back full time.

I presume that if infections and death rates continue to fall, social distancing will be scrapped in schools and all back as normal. I think it will be dependent on what happens over the summer though.

I think it will be a compulsory return to education and so it should be! 6 months out of education will impact on our children.

@Angelonia sorry yes don't know why I said the 2m rule wont apply when it doesnt apply now in schools 🤦‍♀️I guess I mean will "bubbles" still continue?

@wherestheotherone yes I also think it should be compulsory

Yes I agree it needs to be compulsory from September or you homeschool. We need to get back to normal teaching and assessment ASAP, not just a bit of babysitting until the worried well run out of money. What lots of parents don't get is that the bubbles do get the children off your hands but they don't give the children their full entitlement to learning, so if you are serious about getting children's education properly back on track you need to be ready to push for the assemblies, trips, celebrations and performances to come back as soon as reasonably possible as well. And some decent child centred pedagogy in the lower years where they can actually share equipment and work cooperatively. The bubbles are a stop gap. We don't want them hanging around any longer than we need them to.

As a teacher (on mat leave) I really hope schools can go back as normal without restrictions. Seeing photographs from my secondary school since y10 have been in is horrible. It looks dystopian.

What the govt can't do is say everyone back as normal but with lots of unenforceable measures. I'd be concerned that when schools inevitably aren't able to stick to them, then they become responsible for any outbreaks.

Schools are practising social distancing as per government advice 'where possible'.
I think it will probably end in September, but if it does it will have to end everywhere.

They’ve never said full time though have they. They just keep saying “in full” and “full return”. So that could mean all kids part time.