Schools to remain closed until October half term?

[stopcollaborateandlisten]

Lots and lots coming out in the news how schools will finally be re-opening - anyone else think it might get pushed back at the last minute to after the October half term?

Yeah, it’s the same in UK

How do I look at students work from the front of the classroom?
find another way to monitor e.g. answers on mini whiteboards lifted up, peer assessment pending distancing, arms folded when finished, monitor three books brought to you at random (warn pupils you will be doing this before task) - some children do not respond at all well to teachers monitoring closely/near desks
Some students respond badly to public correction of behaviour, how do I do this from the front?
non-verbal communication or writing names on board without comment
How do I hand out any worksheets/resources from the front?
stack on desk, each pupil picks one up as they come in, means pupil doesn't have to hand out either

@FaiIWorseAgain

How do I look at students work from the front of the classroom? find another way to monitor e.g. answers on mini whiteboards lifted up, peer assessment pending distancing, arms folded when finished, monitor three books brought to you at random (warn pupils you will be doing this before task) - some children do not respond at all well to teachers monitoring closely/near desks Some students respond badly to public correction of behaviour, how do I do this from the front? non-verbal communication or writing names on board without comment How do I hand out any worksheets/resources from the front? stack on desk, each pupil picks one up as they come in, means pupil doesn't have to hand out either

We're not allowed whiteboards, or at least I can use them once a day if I clean them myself afterschool. Peer assessment not allowed as they're not allowed to share resources. Random is good but doesn't solve the problem of 'Miss, what have I done wrong here?' which is mainly what I'm talking about. Yes, I know some don't like close monitoring, which is why I wouldn't do it to everyone but there's always some in every class who will only work if they know you're going to hover at some point. Of course NVC is used but it's part not all of the solution. How will a child who's talking and not paying attention notice I've written their name on the board? Quite apart from the fact that it's public? Resources, fair enough.

Yes, I know, I'm making excuses. Actually, I'll be there in September, I'll even plaster a smile on my face. But you haven't answered my main question: why everyone else deserves a COVID secure workplace?

I work in education for an LA.
Yes schools will open, yes the governments 'safety measures' are not fit for purpose but schools will open.
However, none of us can control the virus. Schools remaining open consistently will be affected by how the virus reacts over time.
We don't have extra funding for cleaning ( or cleaners), supply teachers are costly and will be in short supply, children will be sent home every time they have symptoms. Teachers will be ill and children will not be able to attend because of staff shortage. Lack of buses adds to the transfer of the virus as children are going to be together travelling (often from more than one school).
The government has committed to reopening schools but with their fingers in their ears and a "Lalala" and they will continue to say "schools are open" even though this may not always be the case.

@IndiaPlace

I work in education for an LA. Yes schools will open, yes the governments 'safety measures' are not fit for purpose but schools will open. However, none of us can control the virus. Schools remaining open consistently will be affected by how the virus reacts over time. We don't have extra funding for cleaning ( or cleaners), supply teachers are costly and will be in short supply, children will be sent home every time they have symptoms. Teachers will be ill and children will not be able to attend because of staff shortage. Lack of buses adds to the transfer of the virus as children are going to be together travelling (often from more than one school). The government has committed to reopening schools but with their fingers in their ears and a "Lalala" and they will continue to say "schools are open" even though this may not always be the case.

How true. It will be disastrous.

transmission is on the rise even here in Scotland. News is just in that Aberdeen are having to lock down! Will schools go back there? Who knows. Nicola Sturgeon said re-opening of schools was dependent on the covid cases in the wider community being low. Covid is now showing signs of community transmission there. How long before it is in Glasgow etc. Very concerning.

@Lemons1571 where did you hear that about ofqual ?
I contacted them to find out what next years plans are and was told it was being discussed and we shpuld know soon ( despite being told by goverment i think that we would know before schools broke up )
Stand to loose a lot of money on a holiday with there stupid delay of 2 weeks or so , my sons missed approx 12 weeks with no guarantee it wont be more , I really think next year should of been teacher assessments again just incase we endure further shutdowns

Disastrous is true.

I don’t think the government have any idea of the shitstorm about to explode. Nor have all those people screeching that teachers are lazy and schools should have stayed open for all.

Been think of an analogy. Only thing l can come up with us WW1. No one had any idea what would happen then either, but it was disastrous.

This obviously won’t be like WW1. But the total lack of planning, forethought or duty of care is.

What is the answer to schools. Well they could have done things so much better.
1.Over the months that schools have been closed, they should have been looking at other creative ways of ensuring children were educated. This could have been done by using online platforms, opening up other suitable spaces etc. ensuring no child should be disadvantaged. They should have put money where their mouth is.

1. Still having children in a % of the time. Small numbers as planned but clearly social distancing and other mitigations firmly in place so that education was maintained throughout this whole situation.

What we now have is a shit blended learning plan not much better than the one we had before if things go wrong in school. Headless chickens as it was in March.

"When faced with a dangerous working environment which cannot reasonably be averted, every employee has the right not to suffer detriment if they leave, or refuse to attend their place of work (or take other appropriate steps) in circumstances where they reasonably believe there is a risk of being exposed to serious and imminent danger (section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996)."

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

Disastrous is true.

I don’t think the government have any idea of the shitstorm about to explode. Nor have all those people screeching that teachers are lazy and schools should have stayed open for all.

Been think of an analogy. Only thing l can come up with us WW1. No one had any idea what would happen then either, but it was disastrous.

This obviously won’t be like WW1. But the total lack of planning, forethought or duty of care is.

I don't think they know either. I read the article about the situation in Israel. Very alarming.

@cantkeepawayforever

"When faced with a dangerous working environment which cannot reasonably be averted, every employee has the right not to suffer detriment if they leave, or refuse to attend their place of work (or take other appropriate steps) in circumstances where they reasonably believe there is a risk of being exposed to serious and imminent danger (section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996)."

Absolutely. I take it that this is from ACAS. We have been told to take this out collectively by the union though and not individually. The trouble is, lots of the teachers wont. They will just get on with it for fear that they will be looked upon as trouble makers and hamper their career prospects.

@Notfeelinggreattoday - it’s on gov.uk - google this and it should come up

Consultation outcome
Proposed changes to the assessment of GCSEs, AS and A levels in 2021

But you haven't answered my main question: why everyone else deserves a COVID secure workplace?

This is key, isn't it? Why, when all the evidence is suggesting that opening schools will do nothing other than transmit the virus at alarming levels, do school staff not deserve the protection afforded in all other workplaces across the country?

@Enoughnowstop

But you haven't answered my main question: why everyone else deserves a COVID secure workplace?

This is key, isn't it? Why, when all the evidence is suggesting that opening schools will do nothing other than transmit the virus at alarming levels, do school staff not deserve the protection afforded in all other workplaces across the country?

I guess because other than nurseries most other workplaces are full of (just) adults where the transmission is more likely?

@Lemons1571 thank you found it didnt realise anything new had come out
My ds does take history so slight change there and english lit he was due to take this year so being teacher assessed so hopefully we get a pass
Still no decisions on the timings though , and supposedly contigency plans , hopefully they release all this info asap

I work in education for an LA.
Yes schools will open, yes the governments 'safety measures' are not fit for purpose but schools will open
So teachers know it’s not safe. The people in charge (LEA) agree it’s not safe. Yet they’re still pushing ahead. How is this anything other than reckless endangerment of teachers and pupils?!

When faced with a dangerous working environment which cannot reasonably be averted, every employee has the right not to suffer detriment if they leave, or refuse to attend their place of work (or take other appropriate steps) in circumstances where they reasonably believe there is a risk of being exposed to serious and imminent danger (section 44 of the Employment Rights Act 1996)
Thanks for that. This sounds like teachers can simply refuse to go to work, regardless of whether that breaches their contract. They don’t have to give 3 months notice - it’s unsafe so they can just walk out.

Having read this, I’d like to know what’s different in the U.K. I’ve worked in plenty of schools (nursery-college & special schools) here but I’ve no idea how different Israel is. Their classes are slightly bigger and it mentions AC which is a spreader but I can’t see much else.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/middleeast/coronavirus-israel-schools-reopen.html#click=t.co/QYQKN3Vmu8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/middleeast/coronavirus-israel-schools-reopen.html#click=t.co/QYQKN3Vmu8

I guess because other than nurseries most other workplaces are full of (just) adults where the transmission is more likely?

Biologically, in virus terms, I think the vast majority of secondary school pupils are essentially the same as adults - in fact some studies showed children 10-19 as being able to transmit more effectively than adults.

So a secondary school of 1,500 secondary pupils (plus assocuated staff) is, from a virus point of view, pretty much exactly the same as 1,500 adults. And i am not aware of any adult workplace where close-packed groups of 30+, in poorly ventilated rooms, sit close together for an hour, then circulate to join another group of30+ in a different room (via crowded shared areas) at least 4x per day?

Absolutely. I take it that this is from ACAS.

Unison, but i think the legal basis is universal.

[quote TheDrsDocMartens]Having read this, I’d like to know what’s different in the U.K. I’ve worked in plenty of schools (nursery-college & special schools) here but I’ve no idea how different Israel is. Their classes are slightly bigger and it mentions AC which is a spreader but I can’t see much else.

<a class="break-all" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/middleeast/coronavirus-israel-schools-reopen.html#click=t.co/QYQKN3Vmu8" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.nytimes.com/2020/08/04/world/middleeast/coronavirus-israel-schools-reopen.html#click=t.co/QYQKN3Vmu8[/quote]
That article is an eye-opener!

This bit was interesting...

Israel’s advice for other countries?

“They definitely should not do what we have done,” said Eli Waxman, a professor at the Weizmann Institute of Science and chairman of the team advising Israel’s National Security Council on the pandemic. “It was a major failure.”

It’s not like our government hasn’t been warned.

That’s my thoughts.
I’m hoping there’s something I’m missing (or missed from the article ).

What were infection rates like in Israel before schools opened?