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Original poster

I don't understand the opposition to mass testing in school

285 replies

Blanketyblankblankety · 18/12/2020 19:16

I thought that's what teachers on here wanted. Won't it mean school will be much safer as you'll be able to identify asymptomatic DC plus not have to rely on parents not to send DC in even with symptoms. Why is there so much negativity?

OP posts:
noelgiraffe · 18/12/2020 20:32

watch a few videos, pass online tests on the video content, then on-the-job training from the PHE staff

From the guidance, this on the job training which is probably the most useful bit, isn’t happening.

I’m wondering what the quality assurance will be. Inspections and sign-off?

CraftyGin · 18/12/2020 20:33

@noelgiraffe

We already have the plans in place.

And the staff? Who is staffing it in January?

It’s not really my place to answer one week into the holidays, but the headmistress’ email today intimated parent volunteers. We will give over our inset day to training.

It’s an amazing feeling when you look for solutions rather staring into the abyss.

This season is all about seeing the great light in darkness. Thanks be to God.

Achristmaspudsskidu · 18/12/2020 20:34

The volunteers being tested were most of the school's staff and willing volunteers from the older year groups for whom parents had given consent. We felt the younger year groups would struggle to self-test without a parent present

That’s interesting!

cantkeepawayforever · 18/12/2020 20:34

So, Wild water Swimmer, do you think that this is possible

  • While all teachers are teaching full-time, online for non exam years and in school for exam years
  • With no in person training at all
  • For every student initially, then any close contact daily from then on
  • With everything having to be in place, including consent, by 4th Jan for exam years and over the following days for all other years?
noelgiraffe · 18/12/2020 20:35

It’s an amazing feeling when you look for solutions rather staring into the abyss.

It’s amazing how many more solutions there are with money and resources though.

OverTheRainbow88 · 18/12/2020 20:36

I swabbed a family I teach in their garden as a favour and won’t be swabbing any more kids I teach.

I am their teacher; one of the adults they trust, often their only safe space. It’s not a teachers role, I’ve learnt that.

starrynight19 · 18/12/2020 20:37

Thanks @WildWaterSwimmer it’s really helpful to know the actual reality of how it’s been for you.
I honestly don’t think they have piloted this without any staff other than school / volunteers being used so it’s going to be interesting to see how that works in practice.

Achristmaspudsskidu · 18/12/2020 20:37

It’s an amazing feeling when you look for solutions rather staring into the abyss

Yes, and having money is massively helpful when looking for solutions.

PamDenick · 18/12/2020 20:37

Crafty gin is NOT a teacher. No one has referred to a headmistress since 1952.

FiggyPuddingFiend · 18/12/2020 20:37

Did you already have an inset day planned? Our next one isn't for a couple of months...

CraftyGin · 18/12/2020 20:37

@cantkeepawayforever

So, Wild water Swimmer, do you think that this is possible
  • While all teachers are teaching full-time, online for non exam years and in school for exam years
  • With no in person training at all
  • For every student initially, then any close contact daily from then on
  • With everything having to be in place, including consent, by 4th Jan for exam years and over the following days for all other years?
I don’t know how things will pan out in my school, but saying that teachers are already tied up in teaching is a red herring.

There is no reason that students cannot go off timetable for a lesson or two, and this includes the teacher.

cantkeepawayforever · 18/12/2020 20:38

the headmistress’ email today intimated parent volunteers

It is DH's job, by 4th January, to organise this for an educational setting of well over 3000.

Just for the replacement of contact tracing, he has calculated he needs 36 full time staff, according to the published guidance. For the initial testing, they need to do 3300 students at 11 per hour per tester = 300 person hours.

He has money for zero paid staff, and is uncertain whether he will get the PPE that he needs delivered for 4th January.

I don't think a few parent volunteers will cut it, really.

Redwinestillfine · 18/12/2020 20:38

Err because it's a logistical nightmare that has been dumped in schools and which they are expected to sort out on the last day of term....Merry Christmas teachers Xmas Hmm

CraftyGin · 18/12/2020 20:38

@FiggyPuddingFiend

Did you already have an inset day planned? Our next one isn't for a couple of months...
We have an inset day at the beginning of each term. I’ve received the agenda and very happy to rip it up.
CraftyGin · 18/12/2020 20:39

@noelgiraffe

It’s an amazing feeling when you look for solutions rather staring into the abyss.

It’s amazing how many more solutions there are with money and resources though.

What money and resources (apart from brain power, team spirit and a will)?
PamDenick · 18/12/2020 20:39

If you are giving over your inset days to this training, what will happen to the Safeguarding/moderation/first aid training that you had in place for those days?

willsantausesantatize · 18/12/2020 20:39

I was told today that the teachers and children who had tested positive in our school didn't get it from school ! ( they said the same about my elderly dad in a care home who died from covid )
It was ' walked in from elsewhere'..
Well soon volunteers will be ' walking in from outside' to our secondary schools to help spread it around there too. Why does the government hate schools and care homes so much?
Teachers are annoyed and upset and so they bloody well should be. I'm not a teacher , but these announcements are ridiculous and pretty much unworkable.
It smacks of lip service and run by people who have little idea of what schools are actually like. Plus the people doing the tests will be spending all day doing it too.
I hope the teachers say enough is enough and all go on strike or do something to tell this shower of a government and their Ed secretary to do one! They are a fucking disgrace and goady threads like this do not help at all.
If the op thinks it's ' easy' I suggest they might become a volunteer to stick testing sticks up children's noses!
Will they? I bet they wouldn't.
Teachers deserve our backing here not more bashing. I feel sorry for the them.

TasslesandFringes · 18/12/2020 20:40

They cannot be serious about sending close contacts into crowded schools instead of isolating?! WTAF?!

Cassimin · 18/12/2020 20:41

My sons school did mass testing. They had the army in doing it. It’s a really big school with over 700 pupils. It worked out really well.
They put each year in a bubble and split those bubbles into smaller groups. They had hardly any incidents of children or teachers needing to isolate.
I know of children in other schools close by who have been sent home 4 times since September. One child was told yesterday they needed to isolate ruining plans of their grandad visiting over christmas

WildWaterSwimmer · 18/12/2020 20:41

@cantkeepawayforever

So, Wild water Swimmer, do you think that this is possible
  • While all teachers are teaching full-time, online for non exam years and in school for exam years
  • With no in person training at all
  • For every student initially, then any close contact daily from then on
  • With everything having to be in place, including consent, by 4th Jan for exam years and over the following days for all other years?
The government are in cloud cuckoo land! It is absolutely impossible to get a mass testing regime in place for the start of the year.
cantkeepawayforever · 18/12/2020 20:41

There is no reason that students cannot go off timetable for a lesson or two, and this includes the teacher.

So once the initial testing is done - so every pupil, in every school, during 1 week - you are suggesting that for the contacts who are otherwise isolating (say the 500 children from our neighbouring secondary who were sent home a couple of weeks ago), they spend the first 2 lessons of every day being tested?

Out of a 5 lesson day? While the teacher SHOULD be doing a full online lesson for those at home?

Surely full-time online learning according to the normal timetable would be better, rather than missing 2 lessons every day to stay in school?

AaronPurr · 18/12/2020 20:41

@TasslesandFringes

They cannot be serious about sending close contacts into crowded schools instead of isolating?! WTAF?!
Yep, it reads like a plot from a film / book, but this is the reality for schools in January.
Achristmaspudsskidu · 18/12/2020 20:42

@TasslesandFringes

They cannot be serious about sending close contacts into crowded schools instead of isolating?! WTAF?!
Yep. And siblings of positive cases.

What could possibly go wrong?

CKBJ · 18/12/2020 20:42

Yes testing WOULD be advantageous but (and I’m a positive person) announcing it on the last day of term, with no proper plan for implementation in place makes it more like a panic reaction after FINALLY realising schools ARE a problem.

Staffy1 · 18/12/2020 20:43

@RememberSelfCompassion

Also tied in with it is the announcement that close contacts will no longer have to isolate but be sent into school everyday amd tested in school... so spreading it.
What??? That's awful!
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