Teachers could be superspreaders due to lack of mitigation measures admits Matt Hancock

[noblegiraffe]

Ok, he didn’t say it outright, but he admitted that what was hoped to stop coronavirus spreading in schools was teachers maintaining 2m distance from pupils at all times.

Teachers have been saying for months that this is impossible due to small classrooms where there just isn’t enough space to be 2m away from your front row of students. It’s also impossible to support a child from 2m away when you need to see what they are doing, but literally zero thought has been given to this.

But that’s it. That’s all the protection that will be given to teachers - an impossible directive to social distance.

Matt Hancock said this morning “The principle is that we want to keep certain teachers socially distanced from the pupils because there are all sorts of circumstances where a teacher might need to teach classes that are in different bubbles within the school.”

Secondary teachers will routinely be teaching all year groups in a school. Supply teachers will be going between schools.

“My answer to you is that it is the social distancing between the teacher and pupils which is the goal here, but our total focus is on getting the schools back”

Getting the schools back. Not getting them back safely. Not ensuring that they stay open and that staff and pupils stay safe.

www.tes.com/news/hancock-keep-supply-teachers-distanced-pupils

When If it goes tits-up, I want it to be remembered that it was both predictable, and preventable.

The government will try to point the finger at anyone but themselves, but you can see from what Hancock said, they know.

Or you could send out flying drones to catch any cheaters rufus

That would be awesome 😀

@noblegiraffe

When If it goes tits-up, I want it to be remembered that it was both predictable, and preventable.

The government will try to point the finger at anyone but themselves, but you can see from what Hancock said, they know.

Of course they know @noblegiraffe, they wouldn’t need a ‘back to school safely’ campaign otherwise.

This isn’t just politics. They are messing with people’s lives.

Maybe I'm optimistic or naive but I think that with the hygiene measures, however much social distancing we can manage and a bit of creativity we will be fine.

It will be fine 😊

@TwoCupsOfLemonTea apologies if you’ve made the answer to this clear but are you a teacher?

Yes (though the shocking SPaG in that post would bely this!)

That's it, I'm hiding all the SCHOOLS DOOM AND GLOOM COVID threads.

@TwoCupsOfLemonTea

Maybe I'm optimistic or naive but I think that with the hygiene measures, however much social distancing we can manage and a bit of creativity we will be fine.

It will be fine 😊

Are you serious? With an airborne virus? Ok, so in my secondary teachers are moving every lesson, and so are year 9s upwards, and year 8 for sets. Every hour there will mostly be a new mix of people breathing in the last hours worth plus of breathing. BECAUSE THERE IS NO VENTILATION. Windows open a crack, if at all. Due to the risk of students jumping out or just because they've been glued/painted shut to stop leaks. Classrooms in my school are tiny and over crowded. There will be rows of teenagers literally shoulder to shoulder with one narrow central aisle. There is no way to have more than 1 m from the first row without making it impossible for the students to get into their chairs. The rooms were designed for about 25 kids, and we have 30+. It will be like being stuck on crowded tube carriages for an hour at a time. With no masks. Just a bit of hand gel until it runs out, gets nicked or some fool tries to drink it.

@TwoCupsOfLemonTea share with me your creatively ideas. I’m looking for ways to keep myself and my unborn child safe in a badly ventilated room with 30 children and as well as other adults.

Creativity!

@yeOldeTrout

That's it, I'm hiding all the SCHOOLS DOOM AND GLOOM COVID threads.

That's fine, you're at the denial stage, I'm at the anger stage.

@TwoCupsOfLemonTea

Maybe I'm optimistic or naive but I think that with the hygiene measures, however much social distancing we can manage and a bit of creativity we will be fine.

It will be fine 😊

I really hope you're right, Lemon (although your taste in tea is appalling!)

This government's track record in education during lockdown isn't filling me with confidence though.

Ooh I've got an idea! The window snorkel!

Maybe, just maybe, if you teach in a nice airy school, with large classrooms, and windows that open, high ceilings - it would be doable?
But my school is not like that. It's bad enough worrying about the bloody asbestos everywhere and now we have an airborne novel virus!

Maybe the leak in my room that lets the rain in will count as ventilation.

@WhyNotMe40

I'm sorry ☺️ your situation sounds very different to mine, I'm primary. (apples and oranges)

My school is great, mainly spacious with good ventilation. We have a 'stage' at the front of each classroom that the children can't enter. We support the children from behind when necessary and practised all the safety measures on the EYFS, Y1, Y6 and keyworker bubbles last half term.

I feel confident and quite relaxed about it. Would I would feel like this if I worked in secondary? I'm not sure.

It helps that I was extremely poorly at the start of April with classic Covid symptoms so I'm assuming I'm immune (I know that's not been proven) or if I do get it again, I would have some antibody protection.

Another ridiculous aspect is the lack of funding. DH is an NHS consultant. They have a bottomless covid money pot, funded directly from central government not from their existing budget. He has just authorised the purchase of enough laptops so that every junior doctor can have one in case they need to work remotely part of the time. No problem.
Schools have been given zero extra money, you hear tales of teachers without school provided IT having to try to work at home from their phones. This needs funding properly.

@yeOldeTrout

That's it, I'm hiding all the SCHOOLS DOOM AND GLOOM COVID threads.

yes hide all the 'DfE are shite' threads

Yes I was working from home mostly from my phone. Excel particularly is a bastard on the phone!
I'm very part time due to a previous break down, so I don't bring in a huge amount. I have one knackered laptop with keys missing (thanks to my now 4yo "helping" during lockdown) which I also had to let my older children use for their classwork.
There are no staff laptops.

[quote IWantAPetUnicorn]@TwoCupsOfLemonTea share with me your creatively ideas. I’m looking for ways to keep myself and my unborn child safe in a badly ventilated room with 30 children and as well as other adults.[/quote]

Being pregnant must add a whole new level of scary to all of this. I can understand why I come across as irritatingly blasé.

Too true kashtan!
I feel so sorry for the teachers. It’s a tough job at the best of times but this is beyond ridiculous. Not sure how we as parents can best support them. But I’ll certainly be trying!!

Tomorrow I'm trying doubling my anti depressant dose. That I only started in April.
It's the only thing I actually have control over.

Tried to post Fig 3 from this paper: www.bmj.com/content/370/bmj.m3223 Not sure if it will work!.

Physical distancing, masks, ventilation apparently aren't enough if you're in a high occupancy room for a long period of time.

I'm getting scared for DH going back

@Kashtan DH is ft secondary and worked March-July on his mobile phone. Funding for teachers to have laptops? - that’ll be the day

So sad isn’t it

DH is an NHS consultant. They have a bottomless covid money pot, funded directly from central government not from their existing budget.

I'm going to pretend I haven't see this, because knowing how things are elsewhere is depressing.