If You Could Choose Any Education Option for Sept

[IDSNeighbour]

I'm getting so confused by what parents actually want to happen with schools right now (I'm not a parent, I'm a teacher). I want to know what home opinions my classes are going to be coming in from in Sept - whether they're likely to be nervous or confident, whether they will want to SD or not, etc.

I know parents aren't one hive mind but the 'loudest voice' seems to keep changing its mind. Or I hear different ones, idk.

I'm sure there used to be a board for polls and surveys but, if I wasn't imagining, I can't find it.

So, if you're up for an unscientific straw poll to help me gauge general feeling, can you post A, B, C, D or E in the thread (you can explain if you like, I don't mind!)
A - I want full time schooling as close to the old normal as is allowed
B - I want full time schooling but with safety measures such as social distancing and masks for all who can and are old enough.
C - I want blended learning (half in the classroom and half online)
D - I want to keep my child at home all the time, home school them and not be penalised (ie, I want my place back when I think it's safe)
E - I think schools should remain closed for most children for now.

@LaurieMarlow oh my you think this doesn't happen in teaching??!!

But it's ok to deny teacher's advice other school staff the right to a safe workplace?

Why’s that directed at me? I vote B.

[quote monkeytennis97]@MarshaBradyo I think he and I are teachers, we deserve a workplace with SD and mitigations like others. How it is organised it not our job to be honest! [/quote]
I get this. But if we’re talking about ignorance of posters I think it helps to understand if it’s even possible and how. Otherwise that could be lobbied at anyone who doesn’t think it through.

Lobbed

MarshaBradyo

Do they have smaller classes to SD?

Is SD the be all and end of this?

Year groups are segregated, (remember the magic bubbles?)
Dining halls are not being used for eating, only collecting.
One way systems are being used to stop pupils congregating and blocking corridors.
Group work is being reduced. If done at all
Practicals are not being done.
Classrooms where possible are being spaced out.
All children were possible are facing the front
Teachers are to remain at 2m from the pupils at all times 1 mtr if that is not possible.
Marking of books is being reduced.
Live marking is being removed for the moment
After school clubs are being stopped unless for specific year groups.
Lining up outside for lessons
Lining up in year groups for the bus.
and it goes on.

All forms of SD.

oh my you think this doesn't happen in teaching??!!

I’ve absolutely no idea, but there was a thread a few days ago where teachers were discussing their rights to take six months off on full pay.

Is SD the be all and end of this?

You chose B which states SD

If you don’t want that fine, a different story

A. I believe shielding people should have D as an option. I won't be able to work with C and our mortgage holiday is soon to run out so we'd lose our home.

I vote for C and then see how we go. I'd rather step back in cautiously. I don't think there should be a penalty for those who aren't ready yet.

@LaurieMarlow
Apologies - my mistake

Of your list no problem as long as you can take all students in class

I’ve read so many times teachers can’t SD with all in. I am not against that however

LaurieMarlow

You certainly don’t get to go off with stress in my sector. You get managed out.

If you mean forced it is illegal, But you should be able to go through all the due processes that protect you.
In teaching you get managed out. but its after you have been through all the required processes and eventually you will end up leaving due to a medical condition.

Ah we are supposed to work in the holidays?!

YES if there is a national crisis and the reason you didn't do anything in term time was because you hadn't had time to prepare.

LaurieMarlow

I’ve absolutely no idea, but there was a thread a few days ago where teachers were discussing their rights to take six months off on full pay.

This is due to their/our contract (in state schools) and refers to any long term illness.

B or/and C.

We really need to seperate primary and high school in our thinking.

I think bubbles in primary can work with common sense, and do wonder about appropriatness of face masks and SD for younger primary. So would tend more towards B for primary, masks as a option for older primary, but with defined bubbles and social distancing when possible.

However for highschool In a ideal world B would work, but with over crowded class rooms I really think we either need to properly implement B with adequate measures for high schoolers (masks, SD, because really at what point are you physically developed enough to spread as a adult and its a joke expecting teachers to be comfortable in a classroom with 30 teenagers when they cant even stand one meter away never mind two with no mitigation in place) and with a effective planning for C if cases do rise either nationally or locally. That would mean children still get some social interaction with peers, we could hopefully stop cases going high enough that we would have to be fully online, so everyone would win. If planned effectively it could also be planned that younger years eg year 7 would have more classroom time whereas sixth-form (who would be expected to study independently within a year in university) could have more home learning with classroom based sessions prioritised when they would be most beneficial (lab experiments, complex practical maths/statistics sessions, art studios, music studios, where distance learning really wouldnt be effective.).

Instead if we all rush back and we have to have localised lockdowns it may mean that exam years miss out of face to face sessions when they are most critical. Another benefit of full C over B in highschool is that it would allow for smaller class groups and distancing, and make it easier to shut down any outbreaks within the school. However it is a logistical nightmare.

I also think if we chose to go C in highschools it would make it much easier for D for those who desperately need to be more cautious either for the child's or a adult in the households sake. Most highschoolers I know if living with a very vulnerable adult are terrified of bringing it home, and frankly the damage of feeling responsible for a family members death/long term complications would be much more damaging then continued social distancing. Tbh if a good mixture of C with B including SD and masks was used then potential those who would come under D might be able to access the few sessions on site with less fear or it would be easier to cater for D.
However I do think D wouldn't be able to be a choice of anyone deciding to not go back, otherwise the most vulnerable students who need to be back due to difficult home lives may end up being off, when medically there is no increased danger. So I think D would have to be carefully monitored with potentially evidence/explanation of why that child would fall under D, with increased welfare checks and communication to support that student to make sure they don't fall through the cracks, and prevent truants and those with difficult home lives taking advantage. Eg if a child who was agreed to be home went with contact/submitting work/checking in, then they would be treated as truant and fines/investigation by relevant agencies would be triggered.
It sounds evasive, but really the duty of care would need to take priority over individual feelings.

@MarshaBradyo yes if the government organised ' Nightingale schools' in advance with supply staff, tried to get teacher leavers back, upped the numbers of TAs, perhaps uni leavers or 3rd year uni students on BEd courses. I could say retired teachers like they did with the NHS but I think they tried that and got a two fingers from the retired teachers, many of whom@LaurieMarlow have been managed out by the way as they are expensive at 40k for an experienced class teacher... but there has been no foresight. What the DfE has done to the A level kids this week is what they have been doing to us for YEARS so no wonder nothing was going to happen which might make 'B' work well, because they really couldn't give a toss about joe public's kids.

C & F = half a school day (4 hours max) and children given reasonable amount of homework to support learning/ topics at school. Some can be online but feel that primary school is better off with old fashioned pen & paper.

(Reasnoble would be 1-2 hours in primary and around 2.5 -3 hours for secondary. )

This would give Scools a chance to clean and have social distancing measures in place.

Monkey I suggested this at one point and got required so many times by posts from teachers telling me no extra staff.

Sadly.

"Key worker children could be full time - where necessary- but I think key worker definition was laughable tbh."

Vulnerable children including those with an ehcp should also have the option of being full time.

@notevenat20

Ah we are supposed to work in the holidays?!

YES if there is a national crisis and the reason you didn't do anything in term time was because you hadn't had time to prepare.

?? I don't know anyone who wasn't setting lessons/recording lessons and doing live lessons in my state school. I don't really understand your point here, sorry.

MarshaBradyo

Most teachers I know are happy with what their schools are providing.
Some schools (whispers) are even allowing masks (sshh, its a secret)

Others have also included other things not in the OP's list.

What they are not happy with is the lack of sensible guidance from the government.

Such as 'schools will not close again' leading to a complete lack of a plan. Can you imagine what that would be like?

Luckily enough you don't have to because we have already seen it.

Thankfully it’s time to end division between provision. All students same access to education.

A

Extra teachers needed to be funded. At the moment Government have stipulated no extra funding for schools re COVID

@MarshaBradyo

Monkey I suggested this at one point and got required so many times by posts from teachers telling me no extra staff.

Sadly.

If the GOVERNMENT had organised it perhaps it could have worked (although DBS checks take a while so that could be problematic). There aren't enough teachers to go around really doubling up but perhaps it could have been organised for the secondary sector... I don't know, I'm just a lowly classroom teacher.