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Original poster

School half day once a week for deep clean...

223 replies

Baconking · 04/09/2020 16:48

..and non teaching time for staff.
Are any other schools doing this? Just wondered if it is the norm?
We're also being charged for childcare for the afternoon if unable to pick up after lunch

OP posts:
NeurotrashWarrior · 05/09/2020 06:53

It was pointed out on a teaching forum that this is illegal unless they can prove they're still teaching the same hours as normal.

Subordinateclause · 05/09/2020 06:55

Schools in parts of Scotland have done this for years. It saves a huge amount of money on staffing and also some of the running costs (lighting etc) of the school building. Covid might be a handy excuse!

Enoughnowstop · 05/09/2020 06:57

I wouldn’t be impressed with this to be honest

You don’t think teaching staff should receive PPA time?

MarshaBradyo · 05/09/2020 06:59

Agree with Derby on both points. A deep clean on a Friday is next to pointless. And why would cleaning all day help with SD?

It’s a poor cover for closing for other reasons I expect.

CKBJ · 05/09/2020 07:37

Not happening here but I think it’s a good idea even if not convenient for parents. Think a Wednesday afternoon makes more sense though, all teachers could have their ppa together reducing costs of a ppa teacher and breaking bubbles. The core subjects shouldn’t be affect as ppa sessions are normally “the fun stuff” well they are here and behaviour can be issue.

Bunkumum · 05/09/2020 07:42

Staff are allowed to move between bubbles as they are supposed to socially distance. Therefore PPA can be covered how it always was before.

However, having been in school all week the amount of snot already covering surfaces is about 40%

Tfoot75 · 05/09/2020 07:52

No nothing like that happening here. Agreed deep clean on a Friday is completely pointless and I'd be pointing that out to the school if that was the excuse. PPA time - could be covered while social distancing, however isn't this just a problem in single form entry schools? My dds go to a 2/3 form entry school and each year group has more than 1 TA allocated to it, so PPA can easily be covered within the bubble without sending kids home!! Single form entry schools should simply combine year groups in bubbles so that shared TAs can cover PPA across more than one class, doesn't seem like rocket science but maybe it is!

Bunkumum · 05/09/2020 08:07

TA’s should not be covering PPA anyway.

Derbygerbil · 05/09/2020 08:17

You don’t think teaching staff should receive PPA time?

I have no problem with PPA time, but would have a problem with 10% of my child’s week being cut to achieve this after they’ve been out for nearly 6 months, especially for the reason given.

A deep clean on a Friday is possibly the most disproportionate and pointless Covid measure I’ve yet heard of. It’s like having to wear masks in a forest or whilst driving (both have been rules in some places), only worse as it adversely effects children’s education to no end. It’s the equivalent to wearing a St Christopher medallion...

allfalldown47 · 05/09/2020 08:23

Not happening at my school, we have a 'housekeeper' who basically continuously circulates the school all day, wiping down all door handles, taps, doors, bannisters etc
At the end of the day my classroom has a thorough clean and I've been wiping down tables whenever I can throughout the day.

SchrodingersUnicorn · 05/09/2020 08:31

I don't really see what schools can do without additional funding?
The teachers need the PPA for the children to have well planned lessons. (10% doesn't even touch the planning and marking, this is in addition to evening work).
The teachers are bubbled in primary and can't socially distance really, so you can't have a cover teacher/HLTA covering and moving round bubbles unless you happen to have an HLTA in every year. Most primaries only have one or two. Without extra funding for more HLTAs (or, needs must, TAs) what can the school do?
The government has asked schools to teach as normal, with covid guidelines and no extra funding. It's an impossible ask.

Bunkumum · 05/09/2020 08:33

Teachers can move between bubbles.

Hercwasonaroll · 05/09/2020 08:35

It'll be a combination of funding, PPA cover, cleaning.

Check teaching time isn't being reduced but apart from that there's not much to say.

Original poster
Baconking · 05/09/2020 08:35

Our deep clean and PPA time is actually a Wednesday afternoon.
I think my main problem with it is the number of taught hours for my DC being reduced after so much time off and that the school are creating a problem for working parents but are happy to answer that problem if you pay for it by offering childcare.

OP posts:
Hercwasonaroll · 05/09/2020 08:35

Primary teachers are bubbled. Secondary ones aren't.

MarshaBradyo · 05/09/2020 08:36

How can teaching time not be reduced if schools implement this?

Starlightstarbright1 · 05/09/2020 08:38

The problem is no additional funding has been given to schools regardless.

I don't believe uts anything other than a cost cutting exercise especially as it seems to be Friday afternoon

WeakandWobbly · 05/09/2020 08:40

Our school (secondary) is also closing half day on Fridays. The other worry is that they are changing from 5 lessons a day to 4 long lessons to reduce movement around the school. Sorry, my ds CANNOT concentrate for 75 minutes each lesson!!! 😁

Original poster
Baconking · 05/09/2020 08:41

Ours is a single entry primary and I am now wondering who is going to be caring for the children not picked up as they will have to remain within their bubbles and how will they deep clean with children still in the classrooms...

thinking out loud

OP posts:
SavoyCabbage · 05/09/2020 08:50

Some schools have been having a half day so the teachers can have their non-contact time for a while now, well before corona. It immediately solves the problem of who is going to be with the children while they have their PPA time.

Supply teachers cost about £200 a day through a supply agency and usually can cover two teachers a day.

Some schools have taken the decision not to invite supply teacher back in. If they don't have a supply that they use all the time then they could end up,with a different one every day.

Pobblebonk · 05/09/2020 08:51

Hmmm. Children have a statutory right to full time education. Not sure how this fits in with that unless they are arranging for online learning for every child when the school is closed.

NeurotrashWarrior · 05/09/2020 08:56

@Baconking

Ours is a single entry primary and I am now wondering who is going to be caring for the children not picked up as they will have to remain within their bubbles and how will they deep clean with children still in the classrooms...

thinking out loud

Funding will be the issue there. Schools haven't been given any/ much extra funding to facilitate cleaning. We are lucky due to certain circumstances (mainly being v big) and have cleaning occurring all day and staff to leave by 5 to allow deeper cleaning.

Namechangr9000 · 05/09/2020 08:58

Neither of my DC school are doing this as far as I know. Before summer holidays the primary school had deep cleaning on wednesdays.
High school has made all lessons double lessons so they do not have to mix as much. Also students have to clean/wipe down surfaces for 5 min at the end of every lesson so it takes less of their lessons for that.

Baaaahhhhh · 05/09/2020 09:04

Slightly off thread. But DD several years apart had the same lessons with the same teacher, with the same books, and the same format. Not much PPA going in there. You can put their books side by side and they are pretty identical.

echt · 05/09/2020 09:33

I think my main problem with it is the number of taught hours for my DC being reduced after so much time off

Pupil attendance is calculated by days, divided into morning and afternoon attendance, not hours. So if the pupils are registered for the afternoon session, then their days of education have been satisfied.

school are creating a problem for working parents but are happy to answer that problem if you pay for it by offering childcare

Schools are there to educate children, not make the life of working parents more or less workable. Schools are not childcare.

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