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

@havefunpeleton

Ha ha

I guess it just showed the country was behind us and appreciate us. Isn't that what teachers need too when they go back?

Because no it won't be 'safe'. No job is. But every teacher is making a massive difference to children's futures despite this.

I do think actually this should be celebrated

I guess it just showed the country was behind us and appreciate us. Isn't that what teachers need too when they go back?

Some of us haven't been away - we've been working full time either in school/a mix of school and teaching from home/full time teaching from home. I don't know of any teacher who hasn't done any work at all.

I saw a picture (on Facebook) this morning of the year 10s at DD2s school sitting, socially distanced, at desks. I drove passed the school at the end of the school day and the year 10s where walking together in groups without any social distancing. The school worked really hard to risk asses and then it was all dismissed as soon as the girls left the school grounds. I can understand why the government are planning year group bubbles but it doesn’t feel safe.

I agree

But it seems from what I've read on here that teachers seem most concerned about going back 'to normal' in September. Will be different from small keyworker groups or WFH. So let's show our appreciation.

I’ve been in on keyworker school again today.

It is absolutely not safe. And because of that I cannot see my elderly parents. I spent all day reminding kids about social distancing.

They think it is one big joke.

I’m actually furious about these guidelines. They mean I won’t be able to see any of my elderly family in real life until there is vaccine or I quit my job.

I know. It's rubbish. I know many nhs workers didn't see their kids for weeks because of work. I'm assuming they have all relaxed about this now. Not sure

@havefunpeleton

That is shit. But don’t those NHS workers have PPE? Both my SILs are NHS workers and they get priority testing and are provided with PPE. Both have had Covid tests and antibody tests fairly regularly.

Is that was teachers are being offered?

This government cannot be bothered to draw up a sustainable LONG TERM plan that would provide continuity to students.

What they’re doing is trying to pretend nothing has happened and that opening school won’t help contribute to rolling local lockdowns.

All in from September is going to cost children further weeks of schooling and make parents lives impossible.

Part time bubbles with additional online resources is a much better long term plan while we all work out what is going to happen.

NHS follow phe guidance as teachers will have to as well. Phe guidance on ppe is mainly dependent on availability. The ppe most in nhs are provided with doesn't protect us. This is why so many have been infected.

However nhs staff are looking after covid positive patients. It will be rare teachers are. Plus children seem not to transmit.

I'm sure teachers will be at no higher risk in school than in community as lockdown eases

Remember the risk is being within 2 m of a covid positive case for more than 15 minutes. Not just brushing past on a corridor.

Plus realistically unless this person was actively coughing- air borne transmission over 2 m is very unlikely

That is shit. But don’t those NHS workers have PPE? Both my SILs are NHS workers and they get priority testing and are provided with PPE. Both have had Covid tests and antibody tests fairly regularly

Yes, my NHS siblings get the same.

I’m sure in schools we won’t be facing the numbers of people with covid that are in hospital, by nature of the job, but it’s concerning that the government seem to be suggesting that school staff go back as before with no social distancing and no masks.

Remember the risk is being within 2 m of a covid positive case for more than 15 minutes

Indeed, that is what teachers are concerned about, given that they’ll be teaching a series of different kids crammed into small classrooms for hours.

If we were just brushing past them in the corridor....

Plus children seem not to transmit

Really? Why have they just shut down the schools in Leicester then?

I wonder how long the virus remains airborne? I’m guessing when one class leaves all their air borne droplets are still wafting around the classroom? And then more children come in, and then more more children come in after that?

Sorry teachers are potentially exposed to airborne droplets all day?

@noblegiraffe SD is being reduced to 1 m soon anyway. Being within 1 m of someone is quite intimate.

Would you notice if a pupil was coughing and sneezing. Just breathing normally and not touching I really can't imagine you'd be at risk. Unless very close for 15 minutes or more. Unlikely for any teacher though.

Being within 1 m of someone is quite intimate.

Again, have you seen the size of classrooms?

Or the corridors which are like mosh pits.

Try standing within 1m of someone. It's uncomfortable.

Corridors you won't be exposed for more than 15 minutes

There is never zero risk. It's about managing the risk

havefunpeleton I am currently working 1m away from all the children on the front row of my class and that’s having 15 children in the room while trying to remain a short distance away from one another. I am with them for the whole school day including lunchtimes.

Plus children seem not to transmit.

Love the way that the word "seem" is just thrown as if it some sort of protection against this.

Schools have been shutdown after opening in France, China, Korea and now Leicester, but its OK because children don't seem to spread it.

Try standing within 1m of someone. It's uncomfortable.

I don’t think I could get from my desk to the door without coming within 20cm of a kid let alone a metre.

@FrippEnos I believe it's impossible to prove a negative. Only a positive.

Is there evidence children do transmit?

@noblegiraffe 20cm face time face? Are you being serious? If you are telling me teachers spend more than 15 minutes 20 cm face to face with pupils... I'm calling the daily fail

havefun

It’s 1m plus mitigation, yes?

Here’s the government guidance

The following mitigations should be applied across all settings to reduce risk:

maintain 2m where viable
an unambiguous message to staff to stay home when symptomatic, or if a member of their household is symptomatic, and to get tested to allow contact tracing of positive cases
staff minimising duration of contact at less than 2m with people outside their household
maintaining hand hygiene and cough etiquette
thorough and regular cleaning of shared areas, including toilets
wearing face coverings when distances of 2m cannot be kept in indoor environments where possible
recording staff contact details and working patterns to support test and trace

So your trite cheery messages that it’s all fine aren’t endorsed by the government.

havefunpeleton

The scientists that research this have disagree on whether they do or don't.

I would like something more than "seem" to not spread it.

I know the guidance. It's guidance. You tell me it won't work in your place of employment. It doesn't in many. No point arguing about it on mumsnet.

The kids you teach will be genuinely grateful to have you back.

Some teachers I'm sure will resign. Those who need to work won't. They will adapt and realise this is a new normal as everyone else has done.

Be cheerful or be miserable. Won't change much

You tell me it won't work in your place of employment.

WE’VE BEEN TOLD NOT TO WEAR MASKS BY THE GOVERNMENT AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT’S OWN GUIDANCE.

Jesus.