No social distancing in 6th form classrooms/common room

[kitnkaboodle]

I know that there was an earlier thread on this that ran to 1000 messages and shut down, but ...

I'm sitting here with egg on my face, as through the summer I didn't believe my DS (16) telling me that in his (new) Y12, they wouldn't have to distance from the other pupils in sixth form or be spaced out within the classrooms. He said that things would be 'the same as normal', and I honestly thought he was talking rubbish.

He's just home from his first day and, sure enough, the WHOLE sixth form is classed as one bubble and there are no social distancing measures at all between the kids there apart from desks all facing the front. I'm not sure about teachers - will ask later, but I presume they aren't in the bubbles and have to keep apart.

I glanced at the earlier thread title (that was something along the lines of 'the govt are letting the public believe there will be SD in schools') and thought it was all a bit paranoid (without reading it). However, I now genuinely believe that photos of all the 'back to school' stories have been carefully curated to show kids standing/sitting at least a metre apart. I'm one of those who thinks that we just need to 'get on with it' now, regarding schools, but I do feel royally hoodwinked by that. It was very subtle ... (and now I have to apologise to DS for not believing him!!)

Also chipping in - for my school: no distancing, no one-way system, toilets shared between 3 year group “bubbles”, pupils changing classrooms/mixing classrooms once an hour.

In principle they are all “encouraged” to wash their hands at various points but there’s not enough time (half-hour lunch break) and no one will be supervising so even hand-washing won’t happen.

Ds2 has been

He can’t be the only one...

He is 6th form though...and usually quite well behaved (and pedantic)

@annabel85

*Most of them haven’t.

But good luck getting any of them now to subscribe to the idea that they should still distance outside of school!*

I don't think most school age kids have been socially distancing. Ones with very strict or vulnerable parents maybe.

Oh arse

I meant to quote this

There were 40 teachers crammed into a training room today at dh’s school. When he complained he was told he was free to leave the room if he felt uneasy.

Dd is planning on wearing a mask for all classes.

It’s like nothing has changed.

Ah yes. Toilets!
Everyone is sticking their fingers in their ears and shouting "Lalalalala" in regard to that subject.
Hundreds of students are sharing the same few toilets, which are not cleaned throughout the day until 4pm.
When teachers pointed that out during the summer, we were told that we must get on and clean them. In between lessons? During lessons? On our non-existent breaks?
One "much-adored" poster informed us that in her dh's school (Head Teacher), teaching staff not only did that (and were glad to!) but cooked and served up lunches too.
This is just some of the absolute shit we've been subjected to recently.

My kids (16 & 18) have been social distancing all summer. Ds even missed out on a gcse results celebration meal with his friends because of the 6 people, 2 households rule. It’s the adults in the pubs and working men’s clubs round here who have been ignoring the rules and spreading cases, not the teens.

Dh has had to deal with a very poorly father who wasn’t coping with his mother’s dementia who were not allowed to visit for weeks.

Our school is running breakfast and after school club. Where all the children mix. Effectively breaking every bubble 🤷🏻‍♀️

One "much-adored" poster informed us that in her dh's school (Head Teacher), teaching staff not only did that (and were glad to!) but cooked and served up lunches too.

And held back the tide as well.

What are the possible and realistic solutions then?

Maybe it was naive to assume you can have SD when the class room size effectively remains the same. Government propaganda on news channels showing SD students maybe created the myth that SD will be implemented.

@guilttripjourno

Maybe it was naive to assume you can have SD when the class room size effectively remains the same. Government propaganda on news channels showing SD students maybe created the myth that SD will be implemented.

Surely it was a lack of critical thinking that caused people to be taken in by the pictures on the news?

Everyone knew that classroom sizes were unchanged, number of students in those classes stayed the same and there were no changes to attendance so why would anyone think that school would not look exactly as it always has done? Those pictures on the news - classrooms with about a dozen well spaced individual desks in - were never going to be a reality unless schools doubled in size or classes were cut in half, neither of which were happening.

@guilttripjourno

Maybe it was naive to assume you can have SD when the class room size effectively remains the same. Government propaganda on news channels showing SD students maybe created the myth that SD will be implemented.

They just say what you want to hear and any pushback against the simple 'everyone back to school' message was regarded as militant unions and feckless, lazy teachers wanting to stop kids getting an education.

Now they're working the same tactic regarding office workers and get 'back to the office'.

Then give it a month or two and cases go through the roof they'll have someone else ready to blame.

@OverTheRainbow88

What are the possible and realistic solutions then?

Blended learning, for secondary school age anyway.

Blended learning for secondary and further ed

Rota system to have less students in the building at one time to allow social distancing

Ventilation in all classes, I cant believe I am fighting for windows that open!

Money from the government (rather than repair you bike fund) to help with cleaning costs, covid costs etc Schools have not received a penny.

Face masks to be worn by all students in secondary and further ed

@OverTheRainbow88

What are the possible and realistic solutions then?

To the government lying to the public?

Being truthful? You could vote differently?

Back in school today for me too. Management really have done the best they can - but there's only so much possible. Year groups are in their own areas of the school with their own entrances/exits. Students stay put, mostly in the same classroom, teachers move.

But there's no extra space. Within a year group there are 200 odd students, sharing a tiny toilet block. Students are sat shoulder to shoulder in lessons. Classrooms are poorly ventilated.

Most staff have given up on social distancing already. About 10% were wearing facemasks for INSET, but that's not going to be possible when teaching.

I'm terrified of bringing something home to my parents, we are resigned to not seeing MIL until the end of the Xmas break after quarantining. If I could afford to quit I would.

I'm going to try wearing a facemask while teaching tomorrow. We've been told we can if we want.

I mean they could start by providing soap at least but the government have said that they will not give schools any funding at all for cleaning and extra covid costs

@SaltyAndFresh

I'm going to try wearing a facemask while teaching tomorrow. We've been told we can if we want.

I did today. A little bit awkward when I was carried away with enthusiasm as it did slip as I was chatting so I had to keep ensuring it was covering my face and nose. Also at times difficult to hear responses (as my lovely 6th formers wore theirs in solidarity) but it was fine- no dry mouth at the end of it and the lesson was heavily teacher led today.

Not so much 'bubbles' as a massive foam bath fight in the playground.

And, for some reason, the government seem to think the kids using the buses, walking to school etc will not walk with their year 7 friend, joining their year 11 brother and year 9 girlfriend on the walk from the bus stop or school. Because all kids walk individually, with masks on don't they?

Yep. Totally agree.

The bubbles thing has always been smoke and mirrors. In reality, it is utterly meaningless.

Teacher in Primary 2-form entry here. Kids shoulder to shoulder. With my back to the classroom wall, I am still less than a metre from the front row. No PPE. Hand washing 30 six year olds took 20 mins every time today - in shared toilets with every other yeargroup.

But what really struck me was collection time. Parents were originally told we would send out children to them in staggered groups. Fell apart pretty quickly as we couldn't see who they are as they were all masked!!!! Eventually sorted but parents still had to cram onto a small playground.

We also worked out that every bubble is linked by siblings.

So the bubble thing is and always has been utter bullshit. The Government knew that there is no realistic protection in schools.

They just decided to spin and bullshit as usual instead of actually funding blended learning, more staff and better facilities. Quelle surprise!

Primary school here.

DS2 went back today. They've got 'year group bubbles', even though there's 3 classes of 30-34 children in each 'bubble'.
The set up this morning looked okay (if a bit scary for DS).
He came out of school happy - thankfully.
But it was an absolute nightmare picking him up. We're all to go through the main gates & through another gate to get to the yard, where all 'bubble' parents go to a different door to pick up their children.

The 2nd gate was locked, meaning lots & lots of parents all squeezed in between the 1st gate and the locked 2nd gate waiting for 10 mins for the caretaker to open the 2nd gate (despite being told to be there for that 10 min window...) no one at all had on a mask, no one keeping their distance (partly due to the road, which is always busy at drop off / pick up)

Then DS told me that in the queue for lunch (which has the class names on the wall) 3 people from a different bubble were in his queue

The school have done the best they can within the guidelines but it's not working & will not work.

DS1 is back tomorrow.

nobelgiraffe thanks for the but returning them with an extra bunch . I don't need them, I'm not a teacher, just a person incensed by the situation.

OP fair play to admitting that you should have read the posts (and fair play to your DS for being right )

But I do wonder if the rude aggressive posters are having a rethink

Yes think the school's thing this week is a going to be different to what many parents had been telling themselves was going to happen.

Reminds me of that cartoon where there's no customers wanting to buy truth and a long queue for comforting lies.

I feel like the only person I knoe not thinking it'll be fine, and it's lonely. If it does end up being fine I'll happily eat my words.

@Comefromaway

There were 40 teachers crammed into a training room today at dh’s school. When he complained he was told he was free to leave the room if he felt uneasy.

Dd is planning on wearing a mask for all classes.

It’s like nothing has changed.

Could he take this up with his Union rep? Totally irresponsible of the school to have 40 staff crammed in a room. Our school had 90 staff in but we were split into groups and training was broadcast via teams. We would ordinarily all be together.

Back to the OP, I remember posting weeks back that no one could act surprised after teachers and school staff had been spelling out what the reality of schools returning would be, yet here we are.