Exclusive: DfE considering delay to start of next term

[herecomestheSon]

www.tes.com/news/exclusive-dfe-considering-delay-start-next-term?fbclid=IwAR1QLOa7VrpJz2QeOpMo90R45SfwOfIPsr9pI_SMYEoClaJwJuAjbGB9cB8

According to the Times Educational Supplement.

Yesterday the NEU teaching union urged the government to move teaching online for the first week of next term to give schools enough time to train staff in administering Covid-19 tests.

The Department for Education is expected to make an announcement about the potential later start tomorrow, according to sources close to the DfE.

I thought it would interest you lot.

@Achristmaspudsskidu

I presume it’s a choice to say that if your child was a close contact of a positive case, they can either continue turning up to school to be tested, or they can self isolate at home as before?

I wonder if parents choose for their child to self isolate, then the government would say the school doesn’t have to provide work for them as they should be in school?! They would sell this as helping teacher workload, but teachers would probably set work for motivated kids anyway as they are generally nice people, so it wouldn’t really help workload!

I also wonder what percentage of kids (or parents) who are close contacts would choose the self isolation for 10 days option (I would, for my kids) and what percentage would choose the ‘continue to mix in school’

I also wonder what the parents/kids/staff of those who are still in school as they weren’t deemed close contacts would feel about those close contacts who have now decided they’d stay at school?! Would you want to sit next to them?!

Will refusing to get swabbed lead to unauthorised absence even?!

My child would be staying at home, as her Dad is ECV and this plan feels incredibly risky for families like ours.

No way should teachers be expected to be doing this in January along with everything else they have to do. The tests are arguably only 50% accurate.

The DfE should have allowed secondary schools to go online before rather than threatening them with legal action. I have contacted my MP and sent a letter to the DfE. Instead of resisting online learning DfE should be putting in standards of what online learning should consist of. My DS secondary have moved mountains to achieve fantastic online learning (following child’s timetable and all lessons are live albeit performing arts) and ensuring every pupil has a chromebook and internet access.
If community cases are high enough for tier 3 schools in that tier should also be closed.

I hope not as DD has mocks starting first day back

I really hope school staff refuse to administer tests.

How can they do them when the government have told them to socially distance in schools?

If I were still teaching there's no way I'd do it. Not my job.

I teach. No way will I be administering any tests on kids.
Not because of workload.
Because sticking swabs down childrens’ throats and up their noses is asking for all sorts of trouble.
I’m not 100% clear on whether it would help or not either.
Interestingly, at my school, of all the children sent home to self-isolate because of close contact with someone who has tested positive, I’m not aware of anyone at all who has gone on to test positive.
Not sure what the answer is.

Can’t make out if this is just secondary schools or primary too?

I presume it’s a choice to say that if your child was a close contact of a positive case, they can either continue turning up to school to be tested, or they can self isolate at home as before?
I very much doubt that. I think the government have realised that the cat’s out of the bag and the public are now getting to hear that, in some places (like where I live) only between 53-55% of pupils were in school last week and maybe, just maybe, that’s why we’re all living in a tier three area again. I think this a way to obfuscate and make sure pupils stay in school, despite serious doubts about the efficacy of the tests.

It’s mildly irritating that many of the same people who have been for months pushing for testing in school to be now turning round and trying to kill exactly what they asked for in the cradle. It’s almost as if this has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with certain left wing elements of the teaching profession trying to undermine the government because they don’t agree with then ideologically.

@BaileyBoos

Can’t make out if this is just secondary schools or primary too?

That’s because at the moment, it’s just rumour and speculation.

Gavin probably hasn’t actually decided anything yet.

They are waiting for Kevin’s mum to volunteer as the test lead in the hall. Once her training is done then we will be good to rock n roll

Teacher here. No way will I be doing it. DH also a teacher. No way will he be doing it.

How on earth are staff going to teach. And administer tests.

@Humbersausage the testing is for students so they don't have to self isolate, but they will still have to come into school usually via public transport/school bus to come and get the test.How sensible is that?

Schools would either want these tests to be done at home, or normal mass testing at schools conducted by special teams like they have been done in other areas not by your average parent volunteer.

@Humbersausage

It’s mildly irritating that many of the same people who have been for months pushing for testing in school to be now turning round and trying to kill exactly what they asked for in the cradle. It’s almost as if this has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with certain left wing elements of the teaching profession trying to undermine the government because they don’t agree with then ideologically.

I absolutely want testing in schools.

It needs to be done by actual medical professionals.

@Humbersausage

It’s mildly irritating that many of the same people who have been for months pushing for testing in school to be now turning round and trying to kill exactly what they asked for in the cradle. It’s almost as if this has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with certain left wing elements of the teaching profession trying to undermine the government because they don’t agree with then ideologically.

I am very supportive of mass testing in school.

I am not supportive of the government replacing self isolation for known close contacts of positive cases (which is the case in every other sector) with this daily testing at school, whilst carrying on as normal.

They are very different things. I’m surprised anyone thinks this is a good idea.

This is purely about the government deciding that attendance is too low in schools, so they think they have come up with a genius plan to stop children self isolating when they come into contact with covid.

It won’t work.

@helloxhristmas

How on earth are staff going to teach. And administer tests.

Could existing school nurses who aren’t currently seeing students do it. What about PCSOs

And I am not being rude to your average parent volunteer, as I am one, and I would not want to do this

@Humbersausage

It’s mildly irritating that many of the same people who have been for months pushing for testing in school to be now turning round and trying to kill exactly what they asked for in the cradle. It’s almost as if this has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with certain left wing elements of the teaching profession trying to undermine the government because they don’t agree with then ideologically.

If Kevin’s mum doesn’t show up can we pencil you in?

@PurpleDaisies

Agreed.

I think there is considerable confusion between what the government are proposing and mass testing which is what teachers want. So...

Let's give an example showing the 3 options. In my example I'm going to use y9 from my school, there are about 300 students in the year split into 11 teaching groups - they stay in these classes for all lessons but mix with the wider year group in social spaces at break and lunch. They share toilet facilities and space on buses with their year group.

Current scenario: y9 student tests positive, close contacts are sent home to isolate, these are determined by the seating plan and who the student stays they spent social times with - usually around 15 students are asked to isolate.

Government scenario: these 15 close contacts wouldn't isolate, instead they would attend school and be tested each day using a test that only picks up 50% of positives. If positive they get sent home and their close contacts commence testing.

Mass testing scenario that I and other teachers would like: 15 close contacts sent home, others in class (or better still, year group) tested to pick up other cases allowing better control of spread.

@Humbersausage

It’s mildly irritating that many of the same people who have been for months pushing for testing in school to be now turning round and trying to kill exactly what they asked for in the cradle. It’s almost as if this has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with certain left wing elements of the teaching profession trying to undermine the government because they don’t agree with then ideologically.

I think its fair to want testing. I think its also fair that responsibility to do that testing doesn't fall on the shoulders of teachers and school support staff. Partly cos they have enough on their plates and partly because they just aren't trained to do this.

I don't think thats ideologically being opposed to anything.

As for the idea about mass testing 4,5 and 6 year olds??? Yeah ok. You get that past parents. Nothing to do with teachers and ideology that one.

@Humbersausage

It’s mildly irritating that many of the same people who have been for months pushing for testing in school to be now turning round and trying to kill exactly what they asked for in the cradle. It’s almost as if this has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with certain left wing elements of the teaching profession trying to undermine the government because they don’t agree with then ideologically.

Pushing for testing is one thing – being expected to administer them is another. As a PP said, teachers aren't allowed to apply sun cream to kids, yet now they'll be expected to stick swabs up children's noses while trying to maintain 2m distance. It has everything to do with safety – theirs as much as the children's.

@StaffAssociationRepresentative it’s not Kevin’s mum who has cor months been pushing for mass testing of teachers want safer schools then they need to be at least willing to go some of the way to make that happen

School nurses? Haven’t seen one of those for years.

There are over 1600 staff and students in my local secondary. One school nurse is going to struggle, especially given they cover multiple schools.

[quote Humbersausage]@StaffAssociationRepresentative it’s not Kevin’s mum who has cor months been pushing for mass testing of teachers want safer schools then they need to be at least willing to go some of the way to make that happen[/quote]
That’s a no then