Sixth form not distancing

[tenlittlecygnets]

Dd has just started sixth form. Girls all hugging and not distancing. Plenty of house parties going on with dozens of kids from several schools.

She sits by a girl who is partying and ignoring rules, and dd is worried she will catch Covid from this girl and bring it home to us.

Should sixth form be doing more to enforce distancing where possible?

Dd has obeyed rules all summer and is gutted that others haven't, and that we might be at risk because of this.

Would I be U to contact school on Monday with my reservations? What would you do?

Have just asked dd to do all she can and not worry too much about others, but she's sitting right by this girl 2 hours a day... no masks in classrooms.

I don't think Covid19 is going to disappear any time soon so either we spend the rest of our lives not living or we accept that there will always be a risk.

I've been scrutinising the stats as best I can this morning and it looks like although cases have been going up deaths are still steady and very low. Excess deaths in 0-14 year olds is negative and very low for under 45s.

A lot of the most vulnerable have already died. There will probably always be Coronavirus deaths going forward, same as deaths from flu or pneumonia.

We can't lock ourselves away or put living on hold forever waiting for the magic bullet of vaccination. Flu changes every year and we don't always get the vaccine right. We've been working on that for decades.

I'd suggest that your DD follow careful regimes. Keep washing and sanitising her hands, wear a mask and shower and wash clothes when she gets home. But try to enjoy being young and with friends.

@MysteriesOfTheOrganism - some are, some aren't. Just like adults. I don't know why you think this so funny: teens have brains, they read the news and can be expected to be considerate and follow govt guidance.

Unless they're selfish bellends, of course. 🤷🏼‍♀️

And I do blame the parents, allowing teens to have house parties etc. Of course I do.

Sixth formers are old enough to understand that things aren't'back to normal'. They are mixing now with people from many different families at school so we parents need to help them understand their responsibilities to their peers, teachers , families and vulnerable relatives etc. They really shouldn't be mixing beyond their bubbles outside school. I would discount outdoor sport from this and possibly jobs if they have them.it isn't hard to understand and nor is it 'unfair' in my opinion. Their education is the priority and many teachers and ancillary staff are making sacrifices for them, they need to process the reality of life . The younger teens are possibly more difficult as they tend to be less disciplined and appear to be on constant physical contact with each other.

I think she can still change seat even with contact tracing - it's about sitting in a consistent place. She can't have been in those classes more than a day or two. But she had probably better come up with a better reason than 'I don't want to sit next to her'.

Mh ds starts college tomorrow.

We've just had the Covid secure information.

I'm really impressed!

Each area of learning/ department has a colour and that's a bubble.

Each bubble has staggered starts.

Each class has set up so at least 1m away from next person. Teachers always 2m away and will wear masks or shields if need to get closer.

Each colour bubble has own designated outside space (even smoking areas are colour coded!) and own set of toilets.

Cafe click and collect and each bubble has allocated cafe (2 so split half and half)

Masks suggested in areas outside classrooms including outside.

Staff will be monitoring and enforcing social distancing and any behaviour such as spitting or coughing towards someone will be gross misconduct.

Onsite, online and also personal learning platforms have all been set up for a blended learning approach.

Obviously what others are doing outside cannot be controlled. But they have taken every step to limit spread within the college itself.

A lot of the most vulnerable have already died

I mean I'm used to reading complete twaddle but really??

Im amazed there are so many of these posts where people didn’t realise there would be no distancing in bubbles. Since Boris announced all children must return to school, teachers and people who work in school have very loudly been saying it’s not safe and they are concerned. Where did you expect school to find the room to allow for the extra distance? In our school we have created a one way system for corridors which is working well. But the classrooms are still full, there is no distancing in there.

Im not having a go at you OP I’m just genuinely curious as to how people thought it was going to work?

Why is a 16/17 year old being told who to sit next to? She should just sit somewhere else away from this girl. No need to ask permission, they're not 5 years old.

The arrogance and entitlement of this 😂 At my school we are required to have a seating plan for track and trace purposes now but you know what? Even if we weren't, if I tell a student in my classroom to sit somewhere, they bloody well do. Even if they're 18 years old.

@BonnieMcflurry

Or tell your child to grow up as get over it, it sixth form there basically adults they can chose what they want to do You phoning the school not gonna help How about going to one of the parties and enjoying life

It all getting very silly life needs go back to normal and forcing fear in to people won't help

Yeah really sensible. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Have you not followed the stories of the kids who have done just that this summer and are now at home self isolating.

One even admitted he shouldn't have booked the 4 nights holiday and assumed partying was safe.

Things are good because of what we are doing.

I think it's great young people have such a sense of social justice and responsibility they are willing to continue through the winter for the greater good. The same way I think adults need to stop assuming kids can't cope with masks.

This is our future generation. Let's celebrate them and have faith in them to be good people.

Both dd started back, secondary there is no sd at all. Crammed in queues to get in, queues for lunch etc. No sd anywhere! It's not possible in many schools. It's just wording to make you feel it's OK.
In practise, it's nonsense.

My Yr 13s are in a seating plan (as are all my classes). It’s part of our risk assessment for track and trace.

My school has done all it can within the guidelines to be ‘Covid secure’ - zoning pupils, KS3 run on a different timed day for KS4 and 5 - but at the end of the day the walls haven’t widened and the classes haven’t become smaller. The Government (& some vocal parent groups) wanted schools back full time and this is the result.

@tootyfruitypickle

Survey was in May. 4 months ago.

So, right at the end of the most severe part of the lockdown, before things started to ease up and people could begin mixing and socialising again in small groups then? A good time to survey the situation then?

DD is struggling and it’s essential she gets back as normal as poss at school,
Then you should accept that the nearest thing to "normal as poss" will be achieved by attempting to limit spread by social distancing. You know, by things like not hugging their friends.

morfin I know that is twaddle, you know it is twaddle. The Sunday Times repeats it over an over again...

OP, I have a DS in sixth form who also is not a party animal type. The only extra risk he has been exposed to/ exposed us to since lockdown has been the recommencement of football training. At first, he was quite shaken up by the lack of mitigation. He has got used to it now. He still sanitises his hands straight away after training and stands apart in team talks. His coach has one of those 'laugh it off ' attitudes. But I don't want to discourage DS from a bit of sport, fresh air and teamwork.

I know it is tough for those who have high levels of empathy and social responsibility. Schools are a tough environment because there is no possibility of SD in most classes.

I think after while your DD will get a bit less anxious.

But she absolutely must be herself and stick to her values and principles. The more older students who do , the less community spread there will be. I understand your frustration. All that care and responsibility seems now to amount to nothing. I have absolutely no patience for those posters who think all teens have some god given right to party. Or those who seem to think all parents and all families believe this and view any quieter less gregarious teens as if they are freaks.

Sixth form colleges, interestingly, follow different guidelines, as do universities.

Just tell your DD to be herself. No need to join in with the mean girls!

I have two SD desks in my rooms , which I mention to the kids. Sadly, it is not possible in one of my classes for A level as there are too many of them but I would happily rearrange seating for a vulnerable student, or one who had a vulnerable family, or one who just wanted to be more cautious.

On the subject of the anxiety survey, it is interesting how that is being dismissed, but not the numerous flawed surveys about spread in schools which are trotted out...

Sensible post, @Piggywaspushed. I agree!

Thing is, dd is - can be - a social animal. Just not in a pandemic!! She loves socialising but has only been socialising according to the godliness, and only with friends who have also been following the guidelines...

Well, I think she sounds great, personally.

I take it you meant guidelines not godliness! Although...

Our sixth formers are not in a bubble and they will be in the same size classes in the same sized rooms. It’s belatedly dawned on SLT that students might actually be worried so we now have a recommendation to wear masks in the corridors/shared areas and in class if they want to. Teachers will be unmasked at the front of the room (as hopefully 2m away...depends on the room tbh) but can wear one when walking round/working closely with students. I do think a lot of mine will worry when they see just how close they will be to others. When they’re on computers they’re almost elbow to elbow. We’re advising students to bring their own laptops if they prefer which might make spacing out during computer work easier.

@tenlittlecygnets One of mine has applied to transfer from school sixth form to FE college for exactly the same reason, he studied sciences and finds the lack of distancing to be

So if your DD is genuinely concerned this may be an option, although only for a few more weeks.

Sorry, should have said, the college in question has blended learning and distancing.