School re-opening under threat

[jomartin281271]

Headline in the London Evening Standard today that this new surge could threaten re-opening of schools. I'm not surprised. The government know that it's not safe to open schools under their current guidance. Cramming children, teachers and admin staff into those tiny spaces could cause a catastrophe. I feel sorry for teachers. Most of them are really committed to the job and their lives are being put at risk. Scary times.
www.standard.co.uk/news/health/coronavirus-second-wave-schools-september-a4511516.html

@lifeafter50

'Cases' is a red herring. It doesn't matter how many cases, but the severity of symptoms, For most people the risk is tiny.Evidence of statistical risk is become no more sophisticated every day. Schools must open, without any SD or mark nonsense. If people choose not to work in the reality of the environment they be need to look for alternative jobs, not try to use fearmongering to get things the way they have decided suits them. And for those who bleat 'but teachers have to give a term's notice, well I bet would surely be happy to see the back of a doom/monger as soon as possible. In these extraordinary times I sure you could leave right now. The real danger is those who don't want to put their salary where their mouth is but decide cynically to develop 'symptoms' for themselves or their DC to stay of work, or who decide yo 'go off with stress'. Think those are likely t ok be a tiny minority anyway, and will already be know malingerers so the leadership will already know who they are.

Breaking contracts is a big no-no in education.

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss the trouble with this Exactly. Handled well by parents, there’s no reason to believe an entire generation will be affected by a few months out of formal education. was fine back in March when we thought it was a few months. But now we are talking about 18 months/the new normal forever. It’s not sustainable for parents and it’s not acceptable for students as a level of education for the future. That’s why it’s going to impact mental health. If it was just that lockdown period yes they would bounce back. But if it’s a year 7 student who has an indefinite disruption to their secondary education that can and will have huge ramifications in future.

@lifeafter50 Are you advocating that teachers shouldn’t isolate with symptoms? I have taught for 20 years. I have taught through repeated tonsillitis (eventually had them removed 8 years ago), chest infections, usual winter viruses and rarely took a day off unless I physically couldn’t get out of bed. This academic year I will isolate every time I have the start of symptoms and test immediately. Other staff will do the same as that is what the government says we should do.

When were you last in a school?
I am a teacher so was physically few weeks ago helping my Lower 6th with their university application prep for September.
Before that have been delivery online timetable since schools shut Now working on making schemes of work agile for different delivery methods from September. Will not wear a mask in school and will.not work if the children are allowed to. So. along with colleagues, lobbying my school to do the sane thing rather now to the hysterical 'muzzle the filthy, dangerous kids' rhetoric which, strangely, only ever see on here. If n RL people seem much more inclined to follow science rather than superstition.

Interestingly, Scotland has pledged £75m for schools to cover the extra costs associated with re-opening, to recruit more teachers and pay for cleaning...

England.... some money for 'catch up tutoring', but none for cleaning or adaptations to allow schools to be more covid-safe....

"Breaking contracts is a big no-no in education"
Do you say that in relation to working notice? I have been teaching 11 years and have seen that rule relaxed many times when it suited the senior leadership team...

I would have preferred that £1bn to be for cleaning / safety measures.

[quote motherrunner]@lifeafter50 Are you advocating that teachers shouldn’t isolate with symptoms? I have taught for 20 years. I have taught through repeated tonsillitis (eventually had them removed 8 years ago), chest infections, usual winter viruses and rarely took a day off unless I physically couldn’t get out of bed. This academic year I will isolate every time I have the start of symptoms and test immediately. Other staff will do the same as that is what the government says we should do.[/quote]
Thank you! As a parent (if I ever decide to send them back) I will be e mailing the Head and (bcc’ing their insurers 🤔if needs be) every time they come home telling me “mummy x was at school today with a cough/sore throat etc or x came back early after being sick but still isn’t well”

I hope other parents do the same.

I am not sure who the FB group quip was aimed at but just in case the campaign to reopen schools without social distancing isn't a FB group and had backing of scientists and research:

Oh mate, we know exactly who you are. A lightweight group of busybodies who started with a position (‘won’t somebody think of the children’) and who are now cherry-picking scientists and research to suit that position.

Seriously don’t flatter yourselves with the idea that you have any respect around these parts.

Now working on making schemes of work agile for different delivery methods from September.

So you do believe that schools will be closed, and children will be absent, but do not want to do anything to stop the school closing?

And you believe that fellow-teachers who point out the risks of schools closing - which you are actively planning for, bizarrely - should resign?

Odd.

@lifeafter50

When were you last in a school? I am a teacher so was physically few weeks ago helping my Lower 6th with their university application prep for September. Before that have been delivery online timetable since schools shut Now working on making schemes of work agile for different delivery methods from September. Will not wear a mask in school and will.not work if the children are allowed to. So. along with colleagues, lobbying my school to do the sane thing rather now to the hysterical 'muzzle the filthy, dangerous kids' rhetoric which, strangely, only ever see on here. If n RL people seem much more inclined to follow science rather than superstition.

Wow. muzzle the filthy dangerous kids - Who is saying that? The problem with 'following the science' though is that 'the science' is inconclusive and confusing, and it could lead to schools being shut down often and disrupting learning even further. You sound like a wonderful supportive colleague!

@cantkeepawayforever

Interestingly, Scotland has pledged £75m for schools to cover the extra costs associated with re-opening, to recruit more teachers and pay for cleaning...

England.... some money for 'catch up tutoring', but none for cleaning or adaptations to allow schools to be more covid-safe....

And Ireland had been promised €375 and the Unions are fighting for more!

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/plans-to-reopen-schools-will-be-massively-complex-1.4315164%3fmode=amp

€375m

The trouble with this is with all things- everyone is so quick to criticise (not unreasonably) and say why it won’t work. But what’s the solution? Lots of Scottish people were up in arms when they said blended teaching would be the case from September as ‘it won’t work’ as parents work etc and they have multiple kids. Many teachers also criticised part time blended learning.

There is no good solution. They’re all crap. None of them work well. It’s the best of a terrible bunch but at least this way it gives parents a hope of returning to work and supporting their families.

£1bn was a good amount in comparison. If only it went towards the right thing.

By that comment I was meaning pupils who are sent in sick 😂

Oh @Oaktree55 don’t be that parent. How do you know they won’t have had a negative covid test? People can’t be off all winter with every cold. That headteacher will be blocking your emails 🤦🏼‍♀️

A lightweight group of busybodies who started with a position (‘won’t somebody think of the children’) and who are now cherry-picking scientists and research to suit that position.

Seriously don’t flatter yourselves with the idea that you have any respect around these parts.

That ship is long sailed and over the blue horizon casting credibility to the wind as it goes.

There is no good solution. They’re all crap. None of them work well. It’s the best of a terrible bunch but at least this way it gives parents a hope of returning to work and supporting their families.

Temporarily.

It means that every parent at work, every day, will be at the mercy of a school calling and saying 'your child is ill, please come and get them to take them to be tested' or 'two cases have been detected in your child's bubble, please come and collect them and isolate them for 14 days' or 'sorry, but the school is closing as part of a local lockdown, please come and collect your child, who will be at home for the foreseeable future' or 'sorry, the school isn't open to your child's age group today - too many staff are off and we can't get any supply due to the pandemic'.

@Jrobhatch29

"Breaking contracts is a big no-no in education" Do you say that in relation to working notice? I have been teaching 11 years and have seen that rule relaxed many times when it suited the senior leadership team...

Yes schools and working notice. I was SLT in my last two schools and there was no way we would let anyone walk away mid-term unless it was for a medical issue.

My current school is an independent and, if you want to walk away, then you have to pay for the cover until a suitable recruit starts.

@Napqueen1234

Oh *@Oaktree55* don’t be that parent. How do you know they won’t have had a negative covid test? People can’t be off all winter with every cold. That headteacher will be blocking your emails 🤦🏼‍♀️

You aren’t meant to be in school following a negative Covid test if still ill. So if they have obvious symptoms post Covid test then yes I will. Covid tests are on average reporting 20-38% false negatives (often higher in kids who are harder to test). That’s why the nhs state to continue to isolate if you feel ill even with a negative test. They aren’t reliable.

[quote Lua]**@motherrunner* - Exactly. I challenge anyone here, saying that school return plans are safe to provide appropriate ratios of toilets to kids, or to tell me the policy that will be used....(including how often during the day such toilets will be cleaned)*

DC school is actually being very positive about the return, but mentioned that as of today they have been unable to increase the number of buses..... That means a bunch of teenagers packed as sardines in and out....[/quote]
I'm in a rural county. The County Council ships in 18,000 DCs a day on buses to (presumably mainly) secondary schools. During the last few months, with only very limited year groups in, and these for only 25% of "normal" days, they have had around 1,000 on buses each day - and even then have struggled to find enough buses to maintain any form of SD.

Message from the Council seems to be for parents to find alternative transport if at all possible, so given the distance the 18,000 would travel I presume they mean parents drive them in.

I only have one DC left at school, heading into Y13, and fortunately for him its just over a mile to walk (which he has always done)

although I'm wondering from some of the posts up thread whether the school leaving age has in fact been dropped to 15 from September

@cantkeepawayforever temporarily is better than not at all.

but at least this way it gives parents a hope of returning to work and supporting their families.

In theory. The reality will be taking multiple days off work to collect a child who has symptoms, take them for a test, wait for the results and then either send them back to school if negative, or take more time off to look after them if positive. If you have 2 or 3 children, this could be repeated several times a month.

That's before you take into account the others in their bubble. Who could test positive and lead to your child having to isolate, and you needing to WFH, or take even more time off to look after them.

I am shocked that a poster thinks that we are trying 'muzzle the filthy, dangerous kids'. That's not appropriate