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

We definitely have lots of pupils who have struggled without tech. Many others have phones, but very, small with no data. Not ideal and don't run PowerPoint with voiceover well for example.

Marsha, the issue is 'tech suitable to do - and submit - school work on'.

While most secondary pupils are likely to have access to a phone, and many may have access to gaming consoles, it is access to devices that allow access to e.g. Teams or narrated Powerpoints (including appropriate internet bandwidth), and allow work to be submitted in teacher-readable forms, that is the issue.

Fair point!

I still think it’s the wrong focus. Catch up and laptop money that is. Use it for cleaning and PPE and those pay rises instead. More if necessary.

I’d like to see numbers on screen time in deprived areas, well all areas, but since people are saying some children don’t have enough tech

I think by far the majority have access to some relevant tech in their home - a phone or laptop or tablet of some kind. The issue is whether there is a stable internet connection with an unlimited package because if you're having to download audio lessons through a phone with limited data, it's not going to be particularly helpful.

A laptop is a bandaid to make people think the issue has gone away. It might resolve bandwidth issues but it is still better to focus on getting all students back in school. If the money goes towards that instead then that’s better.

Go over to google classroom. It’s totally compatible with phones thankfully. I am looking at ways to use it in the classroom in normal times. Trouble is they’re not allowed phones out and trying to book a set of chrome books is like trying to book a flight to Ireland on Christmas Eve. Even then a quarter won’t be working.

I’d kill to teach in a 21st century environment and plan to work in international schools when ds leaves home.

I think it has to be both technology AND in school arrangements.

Why are private schools said to have done this 'better'? Because both pupils and teachers have, almost from the point of lockdown, had instant and consistent access to the technology that has allowed 'remote lessons' to continue in whatever form.

They are also likely to be least affected by 'in and out' due to infections because the classes are smaller. There is also likely to be more funding available from fees for at least basic cleaning.

We need to be able to replicate both these aspects if we can, as it seems very unlikely that whatever we do we will achieve full time in school teaching for all, so we need remote teaching to be able to swing into action seamlessly for all too.

That's something that might be useful - perhaps even emergency conversion of closed down shops into free, distanced versions of the old internet cafes - with DBS checked staff, to provide hubs for students to go to who perhaps don't have good internet access at home.

They could then log in to online lessons, or do some self-study, which would keep library places free for people needing to look for work etc.

Not ideal, and definitely not without all sorts of other educational provision, but just one of lots of measures to try to keep things running.

I draw the line at a catheter and bag system though. - LOL honeybear! That is an idea I have not thought about it....

But seriously... the limited number bathrooms is a huge problem for alll, and especially at secondary.

I have asked some friends that work in primary school about how bathrooms work with the bubbles, and they shrugged their shoulders... As we know all year6s are masters in hygiene so I am sure it will be fine....

Now, consider highschool! Their bathrooms are disgusting pits of germs.... and there is no way to increase the ratio of bathrooms per students ... that would be the virus swap central....

It needs service providers to dig in and offer kids unlimited data during covid. God knows they make enough profit out of teenagers.

I think the current Greater Manchester situation has given us a really clear view of the future - a rapid, no notice change in what people can and can't do over a wide geographical area - and in a 'hope for the best, prepare for the worst' scenario, we need to think 'If this was term time, and schools were closed by such an announcement, how can we deliver seamless education to every child in that area from Monday morning?'

I’m not the only parent willing and able to homeschool temporarily. The Government should allow those who want to temporarily withdraw to do so. I understand the concern for the most vulnerable but I’m pretty sure fines will be tested in Court and not stand up. Therefore surely those kids won’t attend anyway.

Without wanting to create additional work if schools were willing to put a list of topics covered for each Term then this would help.

I removed my kids a week before lockdown and almost a third of the class then followed. What people aren’t realising is that when cases increase in an area or there are more horrific stories of PIMMS in papers some parents will remove kids. This will lead to a class with many falling behind unless there’s a blended approach.

I know it’s a complex problem with no easy solution but there needs to be flexibility and there won’t be any perfect solutions. Some kids will lose out.

If I was in charge I'd have different guidance for primary, secondary and post-16.

Primary: in for education 4.5 days a week, strictly in class bubbles with at least 2 members of staff per bubble (extra if SEN children need it) - staff cover each others breaks. Extra funding to staff this, no movement of staff between bubbles, normal PPA cover teacher assigned to a bubble as a member of staff. Final half day for teacher PPA, parents asked if childcare needed - if so children cared for by TA in bubble but not education, can stick on CBeebies if they wanted, as long as children are safe it is fine. Each bubble had own toilet and sink area.

Secondary - blended learning, may look different dependent on school and children. Lots of extra funding to toilets, sinks and extra cleaners.

Post-16 - most learning online, but with some face-to-face contact each week. Contact can be increased if students struggling at home, area provided for students to use school technology if needed.

(Especially because the upturn in cases there is unlikely to be immediately reversed and the summer holidays wear away - it begins to seem really quite likely that areas like these will not be in a position to open schools safely to all at the start of September, just a month away)

I’m not against state schools getting better at seamless delivery, more in tune with private.

But the drivers in homes can be markedly different, so yes I’d do it in case of sudden closure rather than permanent part time.

Each bubble had own toilet and sink area.

Exactly this. And this is what we should be seeing in schools all over the country at the moment - a dramatic push to build more toilet and sink blocks, funded by the Government.

@cantkeepawayforever

I think the current Greater Manchester situation has given us a really clear view of the future - a rapid, no notice change in what people can and can't do over a wide geographical area - and in a 'hope for the best, prepare for the worst' scenario, we need to think 'If this was term time, and schools were closed by such an announcement, how can we deliver seamless education to every child in that area from Monday morning?'

This in bucket loads. We are only at the beginning of the UK opening back up. Parents at the very least need to be prepared for the possibility of disruption. This is what the government should be telling us instead of the brazen message that all schools will be open for all students in September.

(The primary I work in would need 3 completely new toilets and 4 boys' toilets converted to unisex if we went for '1 unisex toilet area per bubble.')

@Ickabog

We are constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Depressingly true.

Which is appalling at the best of times but now that Peter is almost bankrupt it's even worse.

@TheHoneyBadger

It needs service providers to dig in and offer kids unlimited data during covid. God knows they make enough profit out of teenagers.

^ This. One provider has done it for NHS workers, they now need to do it for more, our home internet has taken a real bashing with the amount of streaming of videos to support school work (recommended links by teachers and ones I have found myself) that has been going on.

@MarshaBradyo

I think if people want to not send their dc back that’s a good way to go. Not sure if the de-registering part applies.

I really hope not - imagine it would have massive issues for funding if people start deregistering in any type of volume.

normal PPA cover teacher assigned to a bubble as a member of staff.

I agree with lots of what you said, but did smile at this. We haven’t had an actual teacher to teach PPA for over 10 years in my school. First, we had HLTAs doing it-now, it’s any old body who can be persuaded. Usually TAs who’ve only just started.

Which is appalling at the best of times but now that Peter is almost bankrupt it's even worse.

Isn't it just. Even more depressing is that schools would still be blamed. Cries of they had a pay rise, they should have budgeted better, they didn't need XYZ and so on. It won't be the government who get the blame.

Many of us won’t get it because are schools are going bankrupt on hand sanitiser and signage and cleaning
@TheHoneyBadger are they able to refuse to give you a government mandated pay rise? It’s insane that they aren’t providing the money to fund it and it has to come from the existing budget which is already stretched by Covid.