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.

@ineedaholidaynow

I still don't think people who voted A have answered the question what do they think will happen if a large number of staff go off sick or have to self isolate?

Yup.

A, definitely. All of the evidence points to schools being safe. These kids have had a rubbish year, give them some normality.

@LaurieMarlow

Fripp that list is great. I don’t understand why any parent wouldn’t support it.

If there was this kind of clarity about what teachers are looking for I think parental support would be easier to achieve.

Because the government has called it nitpicking.

This is the type of thing that is on the list from the unions.

It is much more detailed and includes things like making sure that teachers that are still breast feeding have somewhere private to do so.

Most of the list is just protecting rights that affect all workers.

A.
And if a large number have to go off sick/self isolate, all priority should be given and resources redirected to maintaining as much stability and maximum input for the year 11 and 13's. Even if this is at the expense of other year groups

Why would a large number of staff go sick? Self isolating may be a worry, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try for some normality for our kids who have been disproportionately affected by this whole situation.

All of the evidence points to schools being safe.

Great joke. It was a joke, right...

A

A - children are at low risk from the virus, vulnerable children are at high risk if this situation continues any longer and all children will suffer if they aren’t allowed back to school. We should be aiming to mitigate risk, not eliminate it. This virus is here to stay, I don’t think many people want to stay locked away for ever, so we need to learn to live with the virus.

@Dfishcake

A, definitely. All of the evidence points to schools being safe. These kids have had a rubbish year, give them some normality.

Does it?

Even the PHE report that has not been released yet and cherry picked that says over tens can spread this at the same rate as adults?
and that masks should be considered for older pupils?

This is the report that the scientists had to come out and say that it was being misrepresented by the government.

There should be no isolation. Unless someone has symptoms they should be at work or at school. And symptoms that prevent them from working not minor symptoms, or people would be off all the time.

children are at low risk from the virus, vulnerable children are at high risk if this situation continues any longer and all children will suffer if they aren’t allowed back to school

So children who are vulnerable to the virus don’t matter? Children who live with vulnerable adults have to miss school or risk carrying the virus to their parents? Do they not matter?

I don't know anyone who wasn't setting lessons/recording lessons and doing live lessons in my state school.

That sounds like a great school. At the primary level our local schools gave print outs you could find on the web once a week and that was it until July. At the secondary level they gave proper homework but then never looked at it if a child submitted their work. One the reasons given was the shielding teachers. It could make your blood boil.

A number of schools were struggling with staffing levels days before schools were ‘closed’. Some even had to close as they couldn’t maintain the correct ratios

I don’t believe that will happen. All the evidence suggests that children don’t transmit the virus very readily. Also, that hasn’t been the case in other countries where schools have reopened. The only outlier is Israel, and that was apparently caused by high transmission rates in then community, particularly at large gatherings such as weddings, which then brought the virus into schools. Israel opened too many things at once; if community rates start to rise we should close pubs first and schools last.

C as I think this will be safer and is a good compromise

Cambridgechick

All the evidence suggests that children don’t transmit the virus very readily.

Except that is doesn't.

It suggests that children under ten may not spread the virus readily but those over ten may spread it at the same rate as adults.

A

@Cambridgechick

I don’t believe that will happen. All the evidence suggests that children don’t transmit the virus very readily. Also, that hasn’t been the case in other countries where schools have reopened. The only outlier is Israel, and that was apparently caused by high transmission rates in then community, particularly at large gatherings such as weddings, which then brought the virus into schools. Israel opened too many things at once; if community rates start to rise we should close pubs first and schools last.

Do you not think we have opened up too much, too fast? Today we have had more openings! 2 weeks before we go back to school.

My son had one live maths lesson per week, attended by 40 children, no possibility to interact with the teacher and covering old ground, nothing new. Absolute chaos. Also, no work he did was marked. This is at a supposedly Ofsted outstanding secondary, one of the leading state schools in the country.

B for primary (or C if B isn't possible)
C for secondary
D if the situation worsens, although it would mean losing my job 🙁.

Parent of 3 secondary & 1 primary dc, youngest has been shielding.

I'd pick C for my 2 sixth formers, but I think they would both prefer A. Any blended option may need some funding made availble to ensure all kids have some sort of laptop for home working. Maybe some space at school could be made available for the very small number of kids without access to wifi.
Primary age mix in a much smaller bubble so could possibly get away with A.
Secondary a lot harder. My kids inner city secondary has no space to social distance on a rainy lunchtime. Sixth form has about 500 kids in a converted office block, all sharing a common room. I think they are re- jigging the timetable with more double lessons, so they move around a bit less, and will be encouraged to go home if they have free periods at the start or end of the day.

@Cambridgechick

My son had one live maths lesson per week, attended by 40 children, no possibility to interact with the teacher and covering old ground, nothing new. Absolute chaos. Also, no work he did was marked. This is at a supposedly Ofsted outstanding secondary, one of the leading state schools in the country.

Did you raise this with the Head of Year/Deputy Head or Head?

D for us. We're awaiting lung surgeries with partial removal. Once recovery is established id be happy to send them back but at the moment the oncologist has told the whole household told sheild. Id rather listen to medical professionals to keep our particular household safe rather than anything johnson says.

d

They do matter, but they are the minority. Appropriate and separate provision will need to be made for them.