Class sizes may have to rise to 60

[Baboonballoon]

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/sep/27/class-sizes-in-uk-may-rise-to-60-as-schools-struggle-to-cover-for-self-isolating-teachers

This is so depressing and the government’s statement at the end is pathetic - why didn’t they see this coming and allocate additional funding for schools to pay for additional teachers?

My BIL is a secondary head and has similar plans for the halls to be used with exam-style seating for larger groups, just in case the staffing levels mean separate classes don't work anymore.

Oh, come on now-surely all you need is a ‘can do’ attitude? At least with 60 to a class-all huddled up nose to nose on the carpet together, it won’t seem quite so cold with all those windows open...

I wonder if Ofsted will be quite to keen to take a ‘Deep Dive’ into that?!

Obviously i wouldnt be happy but pre covid times my son has been in a class of 37 and then 5 additional pupils joined for the afternoon. He has also been in a smaller class where two classes merged for PE / and art that was around 45 pupils.
So it hasnt been any surprise to me that the government would be fine with classes of 60.

The unions warned them of this months ago. Government wanted to look good by telling schools to fully open, but they have done nothing to support schools during this time.

I suppose you’d have 1 teacher looking after two classes that were next to each other. With the doors propped open. Hideous.

What’s the other option, school closures? Would you prefer that?

What’s the other option, school closures?

Why do posters always pop up with this like it’s a gotcha when there are lots of options but because they cost money the government isn’t interested?

What’s the other option, school closures? Would you prefer that?

The other option is have a testing system that actually fucking works.

I mean, it literally says in the article they’re doing this because there’s no extra funding for supply teachers.

There’s an option that doesn’t involve closing the school.

What’s the other option, school closures? Would you prefer that?

Would you prefer teachers having to work twice as hard?

Girl I know, just completed a psychology degree, has qualified as a teaching assistant, ( I assume on her current course) and expects to be a teacher, fully qualified in 6 more months. PGCE I assume.

What’s the other option, school closures? Would you prefer that?

I'd rather have my secondary-aged child studying from home, connected to her regular teachers that know her, than in a class of 60 where the learning is likely to be patchy at best.

What’s the other option, school closures? Would you prefer that?

Really? The other option is giving the schools the money to employ supply teachers, surely.

@echt

What’s the other option, school closures? Would you prefer that?

Would you prefer teachers having to work twice as hard?

Of course! Some people will accept all manner of unreasonable measures to make sure everything goes in their favour.

...and let the previously shielding teachers work from home managing the online learning of isolating children.

If I were Queen of Everything I’d cancel HS2 and use the money to bring in supply teachers, provide PPE and use church halls, sports halls etc.

@Keratinsmooth

What’s the other option, school closures? Would you prefer that?

Well, of course-there are just those two options, aren’t there?!

@Keratinsmooth - it seems to be the Government’s preferred option. Why otherwise manufacture a situation where that appears to be the inevitable end result? If schools are to stay open, schools need the resources to do that. Since schools are not just used and abused to provide education, but also help organise mass vaccinations (eg flu) and health screening, and get heavily involved in safeguarding vulnerable children, you’d think the Government would provide a bit more support, wouldn’t you?

Hahahahahahah! Not physically possible, the majority of teachers would quit.

Strike not quit. Mass strikes.

I'll be striking.

I thought they had a plan for older ones, to have two weeks on and off?

Merging classes did happen before the lockdown, I remember in my DCs primary school...week or two before it closed

So people are actually ok with their children being taught in groups of 60 ?
Even if you don’t care about the poor person who has to try and manage a group of this size , never mind teach them, all without any ppe.
It doesn’t have to be this or schools close there are other options that cost money as staff have been saying before schools reopened.

I thought they had a plan for older ones, to have two weeks on and off?

Yes, the tiers of closures that haven’t been implemented anywhere.

A bit like the alert level from a while back.

They’re just making it up as they go along, announcing stuff then not sticking to it.

Lots of us did try to say that just going back with no real back up plan would be a disaster.
Where are all those who told us to just suck it up now? Those who smacked down all our concerns with “children need to go back and it needs to be normal”. This is one occasion where “I told you so” tastes very very sour.