Now we know why the govt were suppressing the schools infection data

[noblegiraffe]

...because for secondary it’s very worrying.

They choose to release it the day before we break up for half term, too late for any circuit breaker like the other U.K. countries.

They’ve quietly removed the assertion that schools aren’t high risk settings from the guidance. At what point are they going to start to be honest about the risks, particularly in sixth forms and colleges?

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/928749/Weekly_COVID-19_and_Influenza_Surveillance_Graphs_W43_FINAL.pdf

Yep. Secondaries should move to some sort of blended learning option, especially for year 9s and over.

I wonder if they've published this now so that they can start nudging it over half term?

On the other hand, I think it's quite encouraging for primary school children. Still not great, obviously (back in August we'd still have to have been quarantined on our way home from year 2!), but useful for some aspects of the working public that there will still be childcare.

Obviously crap for all teaching staff, not having PPE an' all. I assume that any teacher getting it will be classed under 'workplace setting', which they really need to get around to publishing again. April was a long time ago.

I think the sneaky removal of the ‘not a high risk’ sentence from the guidance speaks volumes about how low this government is prepared to go for their own ends. Nobody should trust them at all. Everyone who is complicit in covering up this information should be held responsible for every teacher death and every parent who dies as a result of their child bringing it home from school.

@ohthegoats
Blended learning is not an option because teachers cannot be in two places at once. You can have full classes on site, full classes learning at home or at a push part time schooling in smaller groups with no support for those not in school on a particular day (and PE teachers ending up teaching Maths).

I think there is a strong argument for keeping Reception through to Y7 in school, and splitting years above that in to halves, week in school, week at home working, teachers repeat the lessons for both halves. Currently it's very disruptive when say 30/200 are at home isolating. Planned time at home to thin out the classes might be better.

I always wanted part time school for my secondary children. This was always going to happen.

I'm angry at the government and I'm angry at the large number of parents who shoved their heads in the sand.

FFS!

Schools must stay open- both for the economy and DC’s future life chances. I would allow vulnerable staff and DC to stay at home however.

To be frank transmission figures are window dressing. Schools must and will stay open on a full time basis.

Let vulnerable staff members teach the children staying at home from their homes. Doesn't seem too difficult really.

@Kidneybingo
What subjects do you propose are dropped in order to make that work?

@Ecosse

Schools must stay open- both for the economy and DC’s future life chances. I would allow vulnerable staff and DC to stay at home however.

To be frank transmission figures are window dressing. Schools must and will stay open on a full time basis.

Quoting for posterity.

Why can't half the class be at home watching the lesson while the other half are in the classroom.

This is what my DDs college are doing, one week in the next home learning, but everyone is having the same lessons and doing the same work?

Wow.

Is it higher than the incidence in the population though?

Id quite like secondary at least to be rethought through as I cant cope with the constant threat of 2 weeks isolation.

Blended learning is not an option because teachers cannot be in two places at once. You can have full classes on site, full classes learning at home or at a push part time schooling in smaller groups with no support for those not in school on a particular day

At dd's school they just turn the laptop on and record/stream it to those at home for covid reasons. They could either have half the year group in or have yr11 at home for two weeks then yr10 home with teacher talking to a computer for those lessons with the quarantined year group. The teacher is always in school but only has half the class or sometimes teaches to an empty room.

@amusedtodeath1
Because it's nonsensical and the worst of all worlds. If the lessons are properly suitable for home delivery they are not going to be the type of lesson that works well in the classroom so they'd be better off having all of the pupils at home.

Yes I reckon your guess is correct Oh.

@Beebityboo

Let vulnerable staff members teach the children staying at home from their homes. Doesn't seem too difficult really.

Unless there is an even number of vulnerable teachers across all schools spread across subjects, that wouldn't work.

Maybe if you centralized the curriculum and had national online lessons plus exercises and discussion forum, that may help blended learning. Live lessons could help answering individual questions and reinforcement.

It’s kind of a shame the govt didn’t make use of time in summer to prepare. I’m pretty sure teachers predicted this and wanted a plan b.

@Beebityboo

Let vulnerable staff members teach the children staying at home from their homes. Doesn't seem too difficult really.

Do you think there'll be a convenient spread of vulnerable staff across all subjects/year groups?

Didn't you lot discuss this all last night and today and yesterday and the day before?

I did not want my son aged 15 today to return. However, now he is in insolation, 4 students from his year group have tested positive. One being my nephew who is seriously ill, along with his father and brother a year older. Teachers are mixing from class to class, which is obviously going to spread the infection. The primary school behind my house has closed down because their was positives tests since September in all but one year group

If the lessons are properly suitable for home delivery they are not going to be the type of lesson that works well in the classroom so they'd be better off having all of the pupils at home.

This is so true, unfortunately.

[quote StatisticalSense]@Kidneybingo
What subjects do you propose are dropped in order to make that work?[/quote]
You don't drop any. Week in school, full timetable. Leave all the practising, exam questions, essays etc for week at home.

I don't want blended learning for my children and in now way would I ever support it. It's impossible for any parent to manage who works or for a child who is SEND, or struggling enough already.
I want my children to have the best chance they can get at their futures and being at home every other week certainly will not do that.

Who are you lot. Experienced educationalists and other interested parties?
What would you like us to discuss? Cheese?

Why is there such a difference between numbers for the younger/older year groups?

Are the majority of infections happening in school or outside of it?