What would you do to keep the schools open (or wouldn't you)?

[WhatWillSantaBring]

Just that really - what changes do you think schools, LEAs, and the government could bring in to keep the schools open? Practical stuff, such as would you make the children wear masks all day? Reduce class sizes to 15 to a room (fuck knows how, but that's part of the question!)? What else?

And what would you do, if you were the cabinet of the magically elected new national government? After the NHS, essential supplies (food, water, energy etc) what would you prioritise to keep open? Would you put schools over the hospitality industry? Put the whole country on total lockdown over Christmas to put a break on infections, if that meant keeping schools open? Shut universities but close primaries (or some other combination).

Or do you think we should close schools first to slow the spread?

We all know we could do a better job than this shit-show of a government, so let's hear your manifesto!

Prioritise year 10/11 in secondary.

Reduce GCSE subject curriculum.

Part-time schooling, halve class sizes, one group in one week, online the next (as many FE colleges are doing).

Provision for vulnerable children based on their individual needs.

Clarify now what will happen with year 11 assessment.

Send home symptomatic children.

How do we lobby to make this happen as it appears no one who makes these decisions is listening?

Sort out test and trace - quickly! Provide schools with a good supply of tests and make sure results are provided promptly.

Compulsory masks for secondary schools. Teachers in any setting should be able to wear a mask if they wish.

ECV families able to homeschool for the next 6 months with support.

Universities to switch to remote learning for non-practical subjects immediately. Students who are being taught remotely should be asked to live at home and given reduced fees. Support package for universities to cover lost income.

National two week circuit break - closure of pubs and restaurants and no household mixing apart
from support bubbles and childcare.

@herecomesthsun

What repurposed buildings? thats just a sound bite! will take months to outfit something that was never designed as a classroom, 1000s are required.

Grammar and Private schools are the best places to start, sure not all will be suitable but many will, the two nearest to me (private) are very large schools, lots of sports facilities and big classrooms.

Won't happen because they wont want the rife raff in their schools but it is the obvious place to begin.

[quote jasjas1973]@herecomesthsun

What repurposed buildings? thats just a sound bite! will take months to outfit something that was never designed as a classroom, 1000s are required.

Grammar and Private schools are the best places to start, sure not all will be suitable but many will, the two nearest to me (private) are very large schools, lots of sports facilities and big classrooms.

Won't happen because they wont want the rife raff in their schools but it is the obvious place to begin.[/quote]
Okay, so Italy has repurposed public buildings as part of its strategy to open schools. You are right though that they planned this, and from what I have read, they put some resources into re-fitting buildings. Our government has wasted several months over the summer while this could have been happening.

I went to 2 private secondary schools, years ago, on a sort of council scholarship. These places vary a lot, certainly the last one was fairly small, with small classrooms. They both however had quite a bit of outside space.There would however have been space to put portacabins or marquees to teach in, in the grounds, if that is a goer. In the last century, children were at times taught outside, even in winter, if there was a worry about spread in schools in an epidemic.

In our current area, the local comprehensives have quite a lot of dance studios / music studios/ theatre. The nearest state selective school does well academically but doesn't have much in the way of fancy new buildings. It has very poky classrooms with 30+ kids and mostly 4 kids to a desk and lots of kids charging around the narrow corridors at break.

Part of this apparently is because, despite a lot of attempts at outreach, the selective school has relatively fewer pupils on pupil premium and so has less spend per capita from the government than the comprehensives (not arguing about that, but that's why there aren't as many studios etc). Also I think the priority has been spend on staff rather than buildings.

So while it would be very reasonable to look at sharing resources, to spread children over a wider space, the schools you mention possibly might not have the extra space.

I think that borrowing church buildings, village halls, offices is a good strategy as a lot of these places are actually not much used currently and there might be some such very near the school.

Yes, better testing for schools - so anyone wanting a test can get a fast/reliable/non-invasive test (the ones currently earmarked for airports and sporting venues - a civilised country would prioritise the NHS and schools).
Masks in secondaries - definitely in communal areas.
University courses that are remote learning should refund all accommodation fees and send students home to learn.
Close anything non-essential (not non-essential to those who work there or the economy, but non-essential for society's basic survival on day-today basis).
Stop all non-essential international travel.

Take temperatures at the start of each day when registers done.

Enable anyone isolating to be linked up to the lesson so they can at least listen to it even if they can't participate.
Link teachers self isolating up to their lessons via whiteboards and have the class manned by a TA.
Keep bubbles as they are but only ask those who have sat within 2 metres of someone with a confirmed case to self isolate. - Schools should have seating plans so they can tell.

In high risk areas or schools with many cases teach the whole school online on the week before or after half term so that there is less contact for a few weeks stopping the spread - this also cuts down the spread of general winter bugs.
If things get as bad as last March have a rota system and classes of 15 but only if we reach that stage.
I think it is important for students to be in the right sets with teachers they are familiar with so I don't think bubbles can be reduced at secondary without causing massive upheaval.

I also think it should be up to individual schools to take decisions on issues such as whether to have half the class in on a rota. Whilst some schools have had massive disruption some schools haven't yet had any cases.

I agree that we need urgent clarity on what is happening with A levels and GCSEs next year.

I know it's controversial but I'd like my son's secondary school to try blended learning. Social distancing is impossible and masks outside the class isn't enough to stop it spreading. There's cases in almost every year group now and only close contacts asked to isolate.

Blended learning. Live teaching for those at home (a webcam in this day and age really isn’t much to ask). Masks in schools.

@Busybrain2020

Blended learning. Live teaching for those at home (a webcam in this day and age really isn’t much to ask). Masks in schools.

I have the webcam. I don’t have the stable internet. Recorded lessons from me really are better quality and more engaging.

I'd need a wide angled camera somewhere, or a camera operator following me about! A webcam on a computer would be next to useless.

My DC school are going the camera learning for those isolating at home and missing lessons that the rest of the year are having in-school.
From the comments on zoom, I would say there are mixed results, not least due to the technology being hit-and-miss. Plus possibly not full compliance by those at home...