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Original poster

What changes do you think the updated school guidance will announce on 11th August?

144 replies

Lemons1571 · 06/08/2020 17:14

I think masks for secondary kids. Not sure if they’ll also go for masks in some primary years. Hopefully also optional ppe for school staff.

OP posts:
FrippEnos · 07/08/2020 18:34

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@KatherineOfGaunt do you think your families will be more cautious outside of school so hopefully not bringing the virus into school as they know no SD/masks will be possible in school?[/quote]
I know its not aimed at me but

I expect some of the parents will do what they always do with illness.
Whether its flu, colds, vomiting.

The kids will be dosed up with calpol to hide any symptoms and sent in.

toohot200 · 07/08/2020 19:38

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@KatherineOfGaunt do you think your families will be more cautious outside of school so hopefully not bringing the virus into school as they know no SD/masks will be possible in school?[/quote]
Also not aimed at me but my son is in a specialist school and I know we live a more cautious life by nature of needing quiet, outdoors life for him (autism). I did a thread earlier about how I never wear a mask because I don't go anywhere that needs one. I think we're fairly low risk bar my job in a hospital but hospitals are really low risk environments now.

He did his first year in this school which has 8 to a big classroom and lots of outdoor learning and sensory breaks and he went the whole year without a single cough or cold.

monkeytennis97 · 07/08/2020 19:58

@pontypridd

I think teachers should be protected. But I can't hear anyone when they speak in a mask. Can you?

I've noticed - more importantly - that my secondary aged child can hear and understand even less than me when we're out and about and someone speaks to her through a mask. We're always within 2 metres distance at those times too.

Kids won't be able to hear or understand if teachers wear masks. There'll be no point in them going to school.

What they will experience at school will be a lot different to before, education will not be the priority but national babysitting will be. If they can wear masks in other countries at secondary level we should be able to over here.
Judystilldreamsofhorses · 08/08/2020 00:32

I teach in FE in Scotland and today (we are still on holiday) an email came out saying face coverings are to be worn by everyone - unless medical exemptions - on campus. When we broke up I was told I would be teaching remotely, but that may have changed, in which case I hope we can wear visors like retail staff.

echt · 08/08/2020 03:06

If they can wear masks in other countries at secondary level we should be able to over here

Quite. Here in Melbourne, before the latest lockdown, students had to wear masks, as did teachers outside the classroom. Exemptions were available for those who had reasons not to wear a mask.

Staff had the option to remove the mask to teach if they wished. Being next to a student for closer work was 10 minutes max.

One of our very lovely tech teachers churned out visors for teachers using the 3-D printer. Smile

Ickabog · 08/08/2020 15:03

@cantkeepawayforever

I expect there will be no new guidance on the 11th.

I expect that the existing version of the guidance (released without warning or notification on 27th July) will be updated frequently, and randomly, often late at night, in the weeks between 11th and the start of term.

I then expect schools to be working with very different versions of the guidance, unsuspectingly, because they will now know when it has been changed.

I anticipate that the end of august will see an announcement from boris about hopw great everyone being in school will be, promising / threatening at least 3 things that have never ben mentioned in the guidance and are impossible in practical term.

i then expect another version of the guidance 3 days later from the DfE, who will have tried to square the circle between existing guidance and what BJ has said, creating something even more inconsistent thereby.

I then expect schools to open, with mixed success. Those who have interpreted the guidance in a way that turns out to be 'successful' will be praised, and others who have quite at random interpreted it in another will be vilified for 'failing children'.

Schools will start cliosing again within a fortnight, and we may have a workable version of guidance for the rest of the year (blended learning with smaller classes) by half term.

Another one who thinks this is exactly what will happen.
Barnardcastleeyetest · 08/08/2020 15:50

"@KatherineOfGaunt do you think your families will be more cautious outside of school so hopefully not bringing the virus into school as they know no SD/masks will be possible in"

Ds attends a special school and we are being very careful not that we can much socialising normally. I hope the staff are also being careful.

KatherineOfGaunt · 08/08/2020 16:04

[quote ineedaholidaynow]@KatherineOfGaunt do you think your families will be more cautious outside of school so hopefully not bringing the virus into school as they know no SD/masks will be possible in school?[/quote]
I think the SEN families will do what they can. We only had about a quarter of my pupils in from Easter, despite the fact they all have EHCPs, the parents were generally keen to keep them home.

But the families of the other 100+ pupils in each of their bubbles? No idea.

cantkeepawayforever · 08/08/2020 16:04

Randomly, the advice was updated yesterday.

I am unable to work out where the changes are..... the list of 'what we have updated' at the start seems to be the same as the 27th July update. I think. Or maybe not....

ineedaholidaynow · 08/08/2020 16:22

Have you a link @cantkeepawayforever?

Ickabog · 08/08/2020 16:27

@ineedaholidaynow

Have you a link *@cantkeepawayforever*?
www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools

Assuming cantkeepawayforever means this

Devlesko · 08/08/2020 16:29

We've several emails giving instruction on what they can and can't do.
With secondary it's daft anyway as there's groups of them everywhere.
I've seen groups of up to 12 in our local park.
It makes for interesting reading. Mine is a boarder, wind player and vocalist though, so much more to consider, ito prevention of spreading. .

Appuskidu · 08/08/2020 16:30

Why on earth don’t they highlight the new bits in a different colour?

ineedaholidaynow · 08/08/2020 16:38

Thank you @Ickabog.

That would be so helpful if they did @Appuskidu, probably why they don’t!

cantkeepawayforever · 08/08/2020 16:46

I think the complete over-writing of the old version with the new, and no highlighting of changes, is deliberate - it enables a complete lack of accountability for the Government.

FrippEnos · 10/08/2020 12:45

I wouldn't be surprised if with all of the BS in the newspapers etc. if they ditch a lot of it and tell us to go back as normal.

Appuskidu · 10/08/2020 12:53

@FrippEnos

I wouldn't be surprised if with all of the BS in the newspapers etc. if they ditch a lot of it and tell us to go back as normal.
Probably!

Yet, I can’t take my pet to the vet and actually speak to the vet in person, even with masks, I can’t have my contraceptive device removed as the GP won’t see me, I can’t take my kids to try on uniform as the uniform shop won’t allow it and my dentist is charging £80 extra per visit for additional cleaning.

But it’s ‘back to normal’ for schools!

year5teacher · 10/08/2020 12:57

I would like for there to be some clear guidance for lunchtimes, because over lockdown I had to eat my lunch in with my bubble of kids as well as supervise them outside so I didn’t get any break all day. It was fine then, but won’t be fine when I start teaching in earnest again.

FrippEnos · 10/08/2020 13:01

Appuskidu

I feel your pain.

My 'had to be paid in advance' dentist appointment which was on the 21st March, has been moved twice as my Dentist is still only open for emergencies.

Appuskidu · 10/08/2020 13:20

It’s bonkers.

So do we know what to expect tomorrow? Is it a new set of guidance? An update? An announcement?

Ickabog · 10/08/2020 13:23

@Appuskidu

It’s bonkers.

So do we know what to expect tomorrow? Is it a new set of guidance? An update? An announcement?

I don't believe they've confirmed what will be released. The cynic in me thinks that's because if they haven't announced anything, they don't look like they're backtracking.
Sossen · 10/08/2020 17:20

I really hope that kids do not to need to wear face masks in school. It would be such a miserable experience for them, at least it would be for my kids.

Elsa8 · 10/08/2020 17:23

I suspect they’ll encourage the use of face masks for students at secondary and all staff, but won’t make it mandatory as they won’t want to fund it! I also suspect lots of woolly statements about bubbles, teachers 2m away where possible, washing hands as frequently as you can etc.

FrippEnos · 10/08/2020 17:33

Sossen Elsa8

Given the amount of spin that has been pushed in the newspapers and online during the last week or so and the huge amount of BS that the the virus doesn't spread in schools (even with all of the scientific data that proves that it does at various levels in both secondary and primary) I suspect that we won't see anything about using ppe in schools, just the usual it is not required.