Huffpost - leak on School Guidance

[PatriciaHolm]

www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/school-reopening-whole-year-bubbles-full-guidance-covid_uk_5ef9dd4ac5b6ca97091288e4?oo9&guccounter=1

Full document due this week, but some "highlights"...(I use the word advisedly)

• secondary bubbles of up to 240 children (essentially a year group) -No in-class social distancing requirement for primary pupils, with secondary pupils advised to stay 1m apart but not at all times -Teachers advised to keep 2m away from pupils, at the front of the class, and away from colleagues as much as possible as if in a supermarket

• Compulsory engagement with the NHS Test and Trace system, with whole classes or year groups liable to be sent home if a pupil tests positive, but whole school closure not seen as generally necessary

-No face coverings for pupils or teachers, on Public Health England advice, as they “interfere” with teaching and learning -Children seated facing forwards in same direction and not at circular tables, with pupils wearing normal uniform and washing hands throughout the day -Teachers advised to spend no more than 15 minutes at any one time closer than 1m to anyone - Fines of up to £120 for parents whose children fail to attend school. In contrast with the “softly softly” approach taken during full lockdown the message will be “education is not optional”

• Heads told not to put in any staff rota or physical distancing that would require extra space or make it impossible for all pupils to return full-time.

- Contingency plans for some or all of the school being put in local lockdown and any temporary return to “remote” teaching needing to be of a high quality -Some subjects for some or all pupils may have to be suspended for two terms to allow catch-up on core subjects such as English and maths, with a full spread of subjects returning in the summer term of of 2021 -Some pupils may have to drop some GSCEs altogether in Year 11 to allow them to catch up and achieve better grades in English and maths. GCSEs and A-levels to take place as planned next summer but with some “adaptations” - First year pupils at secondary school may have to be re-taught English and maths from their final year syllabus at primary level

@BatSegundo

@Reastie

I’m confused about the self isolating if been in contact with someone with covid point. I thought those in a school bubble had to all stay home and self isolate until the result was given as a precaution if someone had any of the three main symptoms. If it’s only for a positive case then there’s the time students will be mixing within their year groups whilst the sick person is off school getting and awaiting test results where the virus may be spreading further around the bubble and staff.

Tbh, with secondary especially, there is no easy answer to this as it’s a total logistical nightmare to get all children back full time. This sounds a bit like ‘send them in, tell them to wash their hands and keep distance when they can, do a bit of time staggering, and hope for the best’. I’m a teacher in a secondary school teaching a practical subject where from a H&S POV I need to get within 1 m of students regularly in lessons. I presume the guidance means I’ll have to continue to do this because I’m not within 1 m of the same student for more than 15 minutes. I’m really not sure how I feel about this. I’m frustrated if I had another job I would be more protected with covid secure measures whereas as a teacher I’m not able to have these measures fulfilled because children apparently don’t get or spread it as much between them. I wonder what the unions will make of it.

In the positive, I’m glad they’re giving the guidelines now with time for schools etc to prepare for September.

No, it's only for a positive test. The child in question has to self isolate until they get a negative result, along with members of their family, but the bubble only isolates if one of them gets a positive test.

Schools have been open throughout. Key worker kids have been in school. They're higher risk as their parents are often in contact with CV-19 patients. At primary pupils generally aren't social distancing.

But there haven't been big school outbreaks. Time after time paediatricians have said kids don't seem to spread this.

Adult factory workers at meat processing plants on the other hand...

We're looking in the wrong places.

I'm a primary ta, last year I was between 4 classes, for September I'm linked to one class, but in the afternoon I do year group interventions of 6 children at a time. I can have up to 4 of these interventions a day.l, plus walking children to and from class. Potentially having 5 or more bubbles a day, all different children, from all year group classes. Clearly that's not a safe bubble, the kids will need the interventions more than ever when we go back. If I come down ill I could potentially close the whole year group.

Helloitsmemargaret

Time after time paediatricians have said kids don't seem to spread this.

Then why are various schools closing again due to Covid?

Because it’s guidance not law, and it says “as far as possible”.
Seems like some teachers don't read the whole question and underline key words before rushing to answer it. Poor technique.
It is guidance, not rules.
If there are places the guidance cannot be followed then it can't. But better to have some places following it than none.
I agree with previous posters that it would be better simple to say all schools go back as normal and then remind pupils and teachers to wash their hands.
And very likely that will be the situation by September. But those who triumphantly say -'ha I've not got 2m between me and the kids /gotcha!' are really getting old now. Too bad -if it's not there, clearly you can't follow the guidelines. But you are not breaking rules.
And an experienced teacher, if they are any good at teaching - instead of just having a degree in a subject they like - can teach S78 English and or Maths. Many do. If you are too rigid and set on your ways even to bother then hardly have an acceptable mindset for teaching anything.

Herc

I'm not denying this requires extra teachers at extra cost.
But the government have found money for furlough, money for Nightingale hospitals. If the extra teachers can be found (no I don't know where from) then the government should (whether it does is another matter) provide extra funding.

@tisaginthing

More or less what I was expecting. How do we get round the issue that some parents will send their children in, knowing that they have symptoms? We have a child who has been off school for the last 2 weeks. Her dad rang the school and said she had a temperature. When he was told that he couldn't send her in for 2 weeks, he then tried to say it was a headache/that she was fine/that her mum was ill, not her! I don't know if she was ill or if they just wanted a day off, but it is worrying.

Why didn't get just get her tested? She doesn't have to stay off once she has a negative test. My ds had a fever 2 weeks ago. He was tested that evening, and the following morning I rang the school and said he wouldn't be in until the test result came back. The result was back mid afternoon, and the only reason he wasn't back the following day was that he wasn't well enough (tonsillitis). Maybe the student at your school really is unwell, otherwise, there's really no reason for her to be off 🤷‍♀️

@FrippEnos are they closing because there is an outbreak or closing because one person has tested positive? They are very different things.

Adults can contract Coronaviruses but it seems that it's not likely they'll contract this from the children in the school.

OK, so my school doesn't have years 7 and 8 but I presume this means I can teach GCSE?

You know that actually is not allowed in Scotland, right?

but it seems that it's not likely they'll contract this from the children in the school. Evidence for this?

*@Icecreamsandthebeach

The pertinent word there is "seems" maybe they could do more research before they throw an entire profession in as a test case.

@TeenPlusTwenties

Herc

I'm not denying this requires extra teachers at extra cost.
But the government have found money for furlough, money for Nightingale hospitals. If the extra teachers can be found (no I don't know where from) then the government should (whether it does is another matter) provide extra funding.

Comments like this are common, but strike me as very naive.

Government money is from taxes. Far fewer taxes are being paid because the economy is tanking. We've also spent a lot of it - on furlough, hospitals, etc...

So it's no surprise that schools have already been warned that budgets will almost certainly not be increasing (outside of headline-grabbing initiatives)

@Helloitsmemargaret

Try again

The pertinent word there is "seems" maybe they could do more research before they throw an entire profession in as a test case.

Apologies @Icecreamsandthebeach

@TuckMyWin I honestly don't know why her family didn't get her tested! It is strange. My concern is that some parents will send them in with symptoms anyway. Something that Boris/Gavin needs to consider as it does happen with other illnesses.

Glad your son is feeling better!

Here you go: dontforgetthebubbles.com/

The reason there isn't more research is because there aren't enough cases of child to adult or child to child infections. Admittedly we're not tracking but other countries are. Infections have topped I think 10m now. If it was happening it would be obvious. Like it is with norovirus or flu.

I could teach yr7 English, but wouldn't be as good as a specialist. I worked my backside off the year I had to teach Geography, just to make sure I understood all the concepts. I just wouldn't have the confidence for maths and isn't that necessary?

A child in my school was in today. Just found out her mum tested positive over the weekend 😡

And an experienced teacher, if they are any good at teaching - instead of just having a degree in a subject they like - can teach S78 English and or Maths. Many do. If you are too rigid and set on your ways even to bother then hardly have an acceptable mindset for teaching anything.

Absolute BS. To be good at teaching Maths, you need experience of teaching maths. Not just experience of teaching. You could probably do an OK job of a one off lesson. You'd make a hash of a terms worth with no training. I'd do a terrible job of delivering an English unit of work, I don't know the subject beyond being able to read and write.

If the extra teachers can be found (no I don't know where from)

They can't be found. We don't have enough maths teachers as it is, let alone covering extra lessons.

Thank you @TuckMyWin . I know a school where all bubble children isolate if one has a fever but presumably they are being over cautious.

@SqidgeBum

I didn't say that it would be a good lesson,

I stated what is likely to happen and would happen in my school.

@FrippEnos dontforgetthebubbles.com/

[quote Whysomanyexcuses]@MilesJuppIsMyBitch

That would mean children being unable to go near their parent - possibly for months. This is unsustainable and cruel.

So then home school the children of people in the very vulnerable category only (not the fit and scared lot though) and if the family of the very, vulnerable choose to continue to shield in the family bubble fair enough. You cannot have it every which way and the whole of society cannot stop forever. Shielding ends in August.

There has always been people in society that due to treatments/diseases eg cancer and chemo that have to be extra, extra careful - in the past no one worried (cared) and suggested that children couldn't go to school... etc etc so why is this different?

The vast majority have to return to some form of normality.[/quote]
I don't think going to school as is being proposed is a return to normality. What is being proposed is a new situation with a lot more serious illness than we are accustomed to.

What doesn't get discussed much are all the people who are now living with long term illness. Must be tens and tens of thousands now?

So why have the number of outbreaks in English schools tripled in the last few weeks Margaret? Why were there 23 cases in one nursery school?

They cannot base research on locked down countries.