Right, we all want schools to open to everyone, and to stay open - so what do we need to do?

[cantkeepawayforever]

Whether we are parents, or teachers, or employers, we all want schools to open to all pupils, and then to stay open absolutely reliably for the next academic year.

We want all children to be present, and we want their regular teachers - class teachers or subject specialists - to be in front of them.

The question is how we achieve this. It is very difficult to imagine how schools, especially secondary schools, can be made fully Copvid-safe to prevent transmission within the school..

Therefore, there is a very obvious thing to do - and usefully, it is something we can all do immediately. We have to do our personal best to make sure that Covid doesn't come into the school. If we are parents, we do our best that it's not our child who brings it in; if we are teachers, we make certain as far as we can that we don't bring it in; as interested MN readers we can also do our bit.

I am not talking about shopping washing or permanent isolation. I am just saying that if everyone - absolutely everyone - does their level best to drive Covid out of the community surrounding their school, just by scrupulously following existing rules, it is more likely that that school will stay open.

So, for absolutely everyone in your household, make sure that you:

• Wash your hands properly, with soap, every time.
  
• Social distance properly - measure out 2 metres, and really get used to how far that is. Do this everywhere, with everyone. Step back from friends, remind family.
  
• Wear a mask properly, whenever and wherever 2 m distancing isn't possible, unless there is a reason that you can't.
  
• Teach your child, if of an appropriate age, to wear a mask properly. You have taught your child to wear pants, or a seatbelt. A mask isn't impossible.
  
• Follow the rules about meeting other people - no more than 6 households outside, no more than 2 inside, still following social distancing guidelines if the guidelines say so (or whatever is currently in force where you live)
  
• If you arrive at a place that turns out to be crowded, leave.
  
• If you arrive at a place which doesn't appear to have safe practices in place, leave.
  
• If invited to an occasion that doesn't match guidance, refuse the invitation.
  
• Leave your real name and number for track and trace.
  
• Follow instructions to isolate or quarantine if asked to. Support anyone who has to isolate or quarantine in any way you can, to make doing the right thing easy.
  
• Get a test if needed.
  

- If you are 'stretching the rules' at all, don't do it in the final two weeks before schools open.

If you are already doing all of this, then you could take it further by lobbying your MP for money for cleaning in schools and for increasing school transport to allow SD. But if EVERYONE does their absolute personal best to drive Covid out of the community surrounding their own school, just by scrupulously doing what they are meant to do and ensuring that their whole family is doing the same, then we will all be 'doing our best' and ensuring that schools will be able to open safely and stay open reliably.

[Morfin]

BTW I have nothing but respect for the teachers but I have lost faith in the government after reading the school guidelines. It was evidently written by someone who has never been in a state secondary.

The govt got it wrong with Border closures
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53654644

Got it wrong with care homes
www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-politics-53574265

And give me a month or two and I will have a link to how the got it wrong with schools.

[Morfin]

@Yetiyoga

it actually just baffles me when I still see poster's on here saying 'how are you supposed to know the difference between the coughs' like how obvious do the gov need to make it that testing is readily available? There are SO many drive through places and plenty of home testing kits. I had a test at 7:30pm ish and results by 10am the next day. That would be only 1 day off work!

Not strictly true. If child still had symptoms ie temperature/new cough they would still have to self isolate even if the test was negative so more than one day off work. Good luck to the school telling parents when they are yelling at the school they have a negative test so hot coughy kid should be admitted.

[Fedup21]

@Nobodyputsdaisyinthecorner

Totally agree with you op. I really want to feel confident to send my kids back despite us all having underlying issues.

I trust the school to do their best. It’s the many classmates I see having socially distanced play dates and trips to the local pub and days out with several diff groups each week that make me nervous.

Of course the school will do their best-the staff will be good people who care about their pupils’ health.

But if they have no additional money and aren’t allowed to make any decisions that make the environment safe, it’s just semantics. Schools aren’t remotely Covid-secure.

[Fedup21]

@Morfin

BTW I have nothing but respect for the teachers but I have lost faith in the government after reading the school guidelines. It was evidently written by someone who has never been in a state secondary.

The govt got it wrong with Border closures
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53654644

Got it wrong with care homes
www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-politics-53574265

And give me a month or two and I will have a link to how the got it wrong with schools.

Yup-I agree-I nodded through your post.

[ceeveebee]

Totally agree

Unfortunately the main problem in my area is teenagers who are of course invincible and don’t actually care if schools all open or not...

One other thought - if testing capacity will soon be 500,000 per day - why not insist that all pupils and teachers are tested 1-2 weeks before school returns. It won’t be foolproof but could prevent a lot of virus transmission

[canigooutyet]

How can parents avoid crowds when they themselves have to get to work? Not everyone can walk/cycle to work as government suggested.

First day back in September on London buses/tubes you will have all the key workers, store workers, those going to appointments, school staff and pupils all crammed together. Tfl can only provide so much transport because of their staffing levels. Other areas will have similar issues.

Not all companies are doing staggered starts/finishes. Not all schools are either.

Catchment schools here that have small areas, lea have said normal start/finishes as everyone should be living in walking distance.

Those who rely on school transport for sn, check with the company/school, some are issuing reusable masks for pupils for the journey if the student of course isn't exempt. Just of course, if you can provide them yourself please do.

Maybe that's what we could all do. Make proper reusable masks to donate to schools. Not all families will have the resources etc to make them even if they do become compulsory.

Although can we also have a word with media outlets. I am fed up with the spotify ad from the bus driver who implies those unable to wear them are simply refusing to do so. (yea I've contacted spotify, public transport and mp's)

[ineedaholidaynow]

As a governor I will have sit in a meeting in a couple of weeks and sign off whether our local schools can open. All guidelines have been followed (for what they are worth), huge reams of risk assessments have been prepared and all teachers want to be back, but it is going to be a hard meeting.

[canigooutyet]

@Morfin

Completly agree *@ineedaholidaynow
Blended learning, especially for secondary schools is probably the way forward. Being in school on a rota and those not in school learning remotely. This will need funding especially in respect of technology. Not the mythical laptops provided by the Government.* this could definitely have been funded instead of giving adults free meals.

What a fuck up that is.
Countless schools have requested a large number because their pupils meet all the criteria, they've been delivered a handful and told tough, that's all your getting.

Yup how much billion to feed adults that will come back and bite us all in the ass through taxes. Slow hand clap there.

[ChaBishkoot]

I don’t want to fully disclose where I am. But New England. (Aka not in Arizona or Florida!) Our school opening plans will get final confirmation later this week. We are one of the few states that locked down hard, reopened slowly and hasn’t seen a second wave (so far).
Interestingly in California schools will be shut for fall but schools that can meet very stringent criteria can apply for a waiver to reopen. And pretty much only private schools can meet that criteria which is going to cause an even bigger educational divide.

The thing is that school reopening requires: investment in education and public health and sensible behaviour from parents (don’t send sick kids in, get them tested, encourage kids to be masked and be masked yourself).

There’s zero point banging on about a right to education while doing nothing personally to ensure that children can exercise that right. If you are not following guidelines or trying to sneak your way round them then don’t be surprised if a second wave shuts down schools (or doesn’t let them open).

[Noextremes2017]

What do we need to do?

Well those people still suffering from CoronaPhobia needs a dose of common sense and a reality check.

Unfortunately that includes the Government and the members of SAGE.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

Why wouldn’t people have Coronaphobia? Just because you don’t, doesn’t mean it’s safe to open schools.

[cantkeepawayforever]

There’s zero point banging on about a right to education while doing nothing personally to ensure that children can exercise that right. If you are not following guidelines or trying to sneak your way round them then don’t be surprised if a second wave shuts down schools (or doesn’t let them open).

Thank you, that is entirely the point I am making.

I agree with @Morfin - what I have put in my OP is not remotely sufficient for schools to be open safely.

However, given the number of parents who shout about how necessary schools are and that there is zero risk to teachers so it is just laziness on the part of teachers that is the problem [and there are any number of such posts on MN], then I was pointing out that there is something that everyone can do to make school opening safer and more likely to be sustainable. I completely agree that it may not be enough, but it is a way that everyone who cares about education can help.

[ineedaholidaynow]

@Noextremes2017 so you think it should be back to school as normal then?

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

I find ‘Coronaphobia’ is on a sliding scale related to age. Either that or stupidity

[cantkeepawayforever]

@canigooutyet

*If you arrive at a place which doesn't appear to have safe practices in place, leave.

• If invited to an occasion that doesn't match guidance, refuse the invitation.*

If I told my teen this he would say awesome, no school.

I am somewhat inclined to say the same, as my workplace - a school - will be obviously dangerous, and so I have every right to withdraw my labour, as do all of my colleagues:

"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)."

[mrshoho]

@Noextremes2017

What do we need to do?

Well those people still suffering from CoronaPhobia needs a dose of common sense and a reality check.

Unfortunately that includes the Government and the members of SAGE.

Well why don't you tell us all how it's all going to work to put our minds at rest? If there's nothing to worry about and coronavirus infections are not going to spread can I ask is this just in school buildings that it will disappear or everywhere?

[labyrinthloafer]

The suggestions in the OP would really help - the only problem is our current rate of community transmission is too high for this to be enough.

It isn't down to us, people should be doing all you say but it simply isn't enough.

Track and trace is absolutely pathetic, they are paying thirty thousand people to make almost no calls.

Quarantine is unenforced.

Statutory Sick Pay is pathetic meaning people can't afford to isolate.

England just isn't in a good place. We wasted lockdown, came out too soon a d have done a lot of things to drive cases up.

I do everything on the OPs list - it isn't enough.

[Rosehip10]

@Noextremes2017 Anyone who uses the daily mail promoted term "coronaphobia" needs a dose of common sense.

[labyrinthloafer]

And agree with pp who referenced her teen about 'not going to places that don't seem safe' - top of that list would be school as there will be no SD

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

I think those not suffering g from Coronaphobia need a dose of common sense and a reality check tbh.

I guess that means all the other countries doing lockdowns and the like must be suffering from it too🙄

Funny that isn’t it?

[canigooutyet]

How about fining parents/carers who knowingly send in their dc's ill? Of course there will be those who still flout it, but it will give the majority something to think about as they stand with the bottle of calpol before school.

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

I agree with that Canlgoutyet!! My thoughts exactly.

[LangClegsInSpace]

@nellodee

Sack Dido Harding, stop paying tax payers money to Boris Johnson's school buddies, hand the money to local health authorities and create a locally based test and trace system that actually works.

This.

Also provide proper support for people who need to isolate. Not just money (although that's very important) but also employment protection and at least the option to isolate away from the rest of your household.

[cantkeepawayforever]

In my authoritarian moments, I would want every parent, every day, to sign to say that their child had had no symptoms, no medication other than anything they take for a pre-existing condition, and had not been in any other home or had close contact with anyone outside their immediate household except in home-school transport - and for there to be fines for anyone making a false declaration - then for this requirement to be only gradually dropped (one careful condition at a time) as time went by and case numbers dropped or schools were shown to be reasonably safe.

However I do know that's not going to happen, and would further disadvantage already vulnerable children. But i think it occasionally, in my dreams.

[Hearhoovesthinkzebras]

@Fedup21

If schools rely on the ops plans to stay open then we are all going to hell in a hand cart. LegoMaus plans would give schools a chance to open, continuing as if we can open schools as they were before covid is delusional.

I agree. It is delusional.

But as the government won’t fund anything different happening, schools will be closing left tight and centre.

How is the ops plan delusional? It's basically just reiterating what we are all supposed to be doing now anyway. What's so impossible about it?