Is a change beginning to happen regarding schools?

[Covidfears]

I’ve been noticing more articles lately in the mainstream press about the difficulties in schools (which will come as no surprise to most people). There’s also been some research which has basically confirmed that schools are driving infections. So, along with it looking like this lockdown has been a waste of time (due to schools being kept open to continue the spread) and people in power calling for Hull schools to be closed do we think that schools will be closing early for Christmas?

Is there any chance that blended learning or rotas will be coming in after the Christmas holidays?

We are a vulnerable family with children in primary school and the risk that sending them every day with no safety measures poses to our family is causing me huge amounts of stress.

I've been thinking about the solutions as someone who has experience on various sides of education, working and being a parent.

It would be more practical to go back to open to working and vulnerable homes. This would reduce class sizes. IF working parents don't want to take the place, excellent. Similarly with the vulnerable unless it's in their interests for them to be in school - using whatever resources they used before CV, targeting those whom they know that need it.

Schools continue with staff moving around the schools. Due to lower numbers in the school fewer teachers would be needed and could be rotated like they did with NHS staff for your face-face. Plus we all know how much time is spent them moving around, settling etc. Of course the nhs on/off style would apply to the whole school.

With correct lesson plans we know HLTA's are more than capable of also teaching many schools relied on them before CV. Schools to use to their potential, and don't forget many TA's/HLTA's are qualified and sometimes specialized teachers. Same with some other child oriented services who staff are CRB's and furloughed at the moment. Their contracts are directly with the council so shouldn't be an issue if they can, to work in the schools. Plus no additional money is required. Of course, no sanctions to those who won't agree to the temp contract change.

So now we are left with classrooms in a school with a teacher and relevant support support staff. SD'ing will be better in some schools than in others, this is true, however those schools could be given more focus and possibly using those other council run buildings that currently are closed. Thus getting some of that buildings staff off furlough.

But, but, but kids at home - through utilising support and other staff to their potential you do clear up some teachers, including the ones that should be shielding. They are the ones uploading content to whatever online learning portal the school use. IT would also help if there was a centralised lesson plan system - it's baffling that with all the tech around us, every teacher in the country has to waste time on them.

The class students would be sitting at their desk at the start of the lesson (well there would be less disruption) thus giving an extra 20 minutes? for teaching. The online students again the same.

Imagine what could be achieved by all those extra 20 minutes in a day?

Of course it's just a pipe dream because the government never fully followed through on getting school kids online. Even though it started several years ago and homes were also given free connection. Was mentioned again this year, and yet here we are with many still waiting.

I’m not sure that working parents would be happy that their kids were in schools being ‘taught’ by unqualified teachers while the qualified teachers are sat at a computer setting work for the kids at home.

Are you sure you're a teacher, @Ginogineli?

Sorry should have clarified.
It wouldn't involve in some getting better than others.

The school would still have teachers "in" the school teaching and online. Patches would be made in terms of using qualified teachers who aren't employed in the school/by the lea as teachers but as other support staff. It would also enable teachers who are vulnerable or whatever to carry on doing their job (providing they aren't off sick)

If the TA is a qualified specialised Science teacher, why would it be an issue? Would be better than say have the Drama teacher don't you think? (no offence to drama or any other teacher).

And the rotation nhs style as I am led to believe this was one of the measure taken along with masks and hand washing that did help hospitals going.

Apologies for my appauling grammer and possibly spelling. You will all be thankful to know I no longer work with children

If we close schools parents cannot work so there is no tax to pay nurses and the NHS collapses and many more die than would die of CV19. We save lives by keeping schools open.

Because there’s presumably a reason the specialised science teacher is working as a TA and it shouldn’t just be assumed they’d be happy to troop back into the classroom? They’d have easily been able to if they wanted. (Also they’d need paying a lot more!)

@Xenia

If we close schools parents cannot work so there is no tax to pay nurses and the NHS collapses and many more die than would die of CV19. We save lives by keeping schools open.

If we allow covid to run through schools we have loads of kids at home, their NHS worker parents have to stop working to look after them and the NHS collapses.

See Hull for details.

So we should all agree that something needs to be done to improve safety in schools to protect the NHS.

Xenia - but the current situation IS that schools are closing. Even worse students have to isolate so cant use family care. Over half the students in hull are off.

Thwy need to persue other options (blended/part time /etc) as the situation is that students ARE missing out on education now. And parents losing childcare 2 weeks at a time without any notice

Snap noble!

@TheSunIsStillShining

LEA person had no idea of the local data or trends. She actually said it has not been proven to be airborne and PHE says wash your hands a lot.

Can you make a complaint? This person fails to have the most basic knowledge required if she's involved in talking to families who have kept their kids off because of the risks. Totally unqualified for the job.

Even Donald Trump knows that it's airborne. The MAIN way it's transmitted is via airborne routes.

Hope you gave them both barrels of evidence - I expect you did :)

If we close schools parents cannot work so there is no tax to pay nurses and the NHS collapses and many more die than would die of CV19. We save lives by keeping schools open

So you’d rather have the total shitshow currently unfolding in schools? Why don’t you value education more than that, Xenia?

Children are still being sent home, there’s just no way of predicting when.

@noblegiraffe

Because there’s presumably a reason the specialised science teacher is working as a TA and it shouldn’t just be assumed they’d be happy to troop back into the classroom? They’d have easily been able to if they wanted. (Also they’d need paying a lot more!)

I did mention that sanctions should not be given to those whom rightfully don't want to have their contracts temporary changed, if indeed the TA/HLTA did need something changed within their contact.

Many schools already use their level 3 Ta's as teachers in their absence with the full lesson plan. Many did this before CV so teachers could have ppa.

Using TAs as v poorly paid teachers is and always has been pretty controversial.

If you’d said encouraging ex-teachers to return to the classroom to boost the workforce that would be a good thing. Saying ‘use TAs as teachers’ is not.

@IloveJKRowling
oh yes, i did :D
I also have a letter from GP saying that I will end up hospitalized if catching covid which makes me high risk. Hope that this will be enough.
It won't solve our specific problem with the school themselves, but at least should get the lea off our backs.

@Xenia

If we close schools parents cannot work so there is no tax to pay nurses and the NHS collapses and many more die than would die of CV19. We save lives by keeping schools open.

Plenty of people don't need childcare to work. I'm all for saving lives, but why does it appear that the lives of school staff and their families don't matter, as long as other lives are saved?

I didn't just include ta's at teachers, I included anyone currently employed by the council who are working with children in some capacity, who are crb checked, and who are qualified teachers.
Some of these have done the training, but are getting some practical experience in working with children. Many of whom are currently furloughed.

I didn't suggest having an ex teacher drive simply because we both know the government won't pay for this. If they would or the school can afford it, awesome.

My contract was with the council not the main school I worked with,precisely for this flexibility, as do many others in this borough, and this is run differently to the bank staff.

@noblegiraffe

Why do people always assume the argument is for all schools to just close?

I know @noblegiraffe. Many scientists and paediatricians have said cases in schools will remain low if cases in the community remain low. It's the rising cases in the community which drive rising cases in schools. One positive case in a school closing a bubble is not Covid spreading through schools but it does have big but necessary impact on those dcs unfortunately. I have yet to hear of a cluster of infections in any school in my LA or neighbouring LAs which might suggest a school setting driving an outbreak. The only people I hear calling for schools to close is on MN.

I’m confused, cani you want ex teachers to work as teachers but not be paid as teachers because the government won’t fund it?

This is why schools are in a mess. Propping up a failing government by doing stuff for free.

The only people I hear calling for schools to close is on MN.

I’m all over these threads like a rash and don’t see these calls for school to close in general.

I’ve been accused by many of campaigning for schools to close and that’s just a lie.

I don’t know why it suits so many to misrepresent the argument.

And by looking at contracts and skill sets etc across a whole borough wouldn't it help to highlight and somehow fix David Secondary has 6 specialist science teachers, Judes Secondary has 1. OF course I don't mean forcing staff to change schools, but given the choice to help lessen the gap surely some would go for it.

@Xenia

If we close schools parents cannot work so there is no tax to pay nurses and the NHS collapses and many more die than would die of CV19. We save lives by keeping schools open.

Ooh, so teachers are saving lives? Then it makes sense to ensure their workplaces are safe and fit for purpose in order to keep them on the frontline covid-fighting... sorry, educating

No of course not. If a person has a contract as a teacher of course they should be paid as a teacher. I'm not sure where you have that idea from.

@noblegiraffe it's just lazy thinking to call for schools to close. I work in a school but have two vulnerable family members. I thought very carefully and did research. I'm satisfied with finding from across the world regarding the safety of schools. Moreover, information is shared to us weekly regarding infections in our local area and I have yet to see more than one infection in one bubble at a time.

Most teachers at secondary aren’t employed by the LA any more so can’t be redeployed in that way even if they wanted to.