Schools to open as planned in Jan, says Michael Gove.

[DonLewis]

Breaking news.

I can't help but think this is madness.

But whole years shouldn’t need testing if testing contacts only

That’s bren the issue

Too many schools isolating contacts of contacts

Here in NW most schools i know only send home about 20 kids per case on basis of 2m rule

DS was in maths with a postive child and wasn’t sent home as was seated opposite sides of room

If schools monitor seating then it should only be those within 2m for 15 mins

Not whole class never mind whole year and that applies to diff sets too - sit kids next to each other if they have 4/5 lessons together

As for bus/dinners- in our school we just ask the child who they’ve been with

We don’t send entire year home that’s ridiculous and bad planning

The actual cases are much lower it’s about managing contacts

In our school we took part in the ons study and kids were tested every month - it’s a Liverpool school and at the time the case rate was 750/100,000 and they found 1!!!!! It’s hardly as rife as people say. My school has 5 cases at one point and all years still in with less than 1/4 of each year at home

Pastanread try telling that to myself and the 11 staff members struck down with covid this Christmas from my primary school. My daughters class has had 1/3 test positive during community testing.

Bollocks they will. Just wait till Thursday.

@Pastanred

Do you think the numbers are just made up then?

Gavin Williamson wrote to all heads on 19/12 mass testing at once now isn’t happening

It’s weekly testing plus testing of contacts

Same as what happens with nhs, prison, social care settings etc - all testing well over 1000 per setting which is why it will be manageable

I’m my workplace we test 100 in two hours everyday - it’s not that hard! That’s with about 3 staff so if they dedicate double that time for same number of tests - so 4 hours a day 1-2 staff it’s achievable

So in short term teachers on non teaching time, management and admin staff etc - parents even could all get involved

I’m my workplace we test 100 in two hours everyday - it’s not that hard! That’s with about 3 staff so if they dedicate double that time for same number of tests - so 4 hours a day 1-2 staff it’s achievable

What sort of tests and who does the testing?

How will this work with 4 and 5 year olds?

It’s lateral flow

It’s not on offer for primary age

Attached

4 hours a day for 100 ... so in a school of 1000? Hmmm.

Any thoughts on what will happen with colleges? Current plan according to my boss is teach online week 1 then back to face-face classes.

They want us in to teach from offices and empty classrooms when online which I'm going to argue about as the facilities and WiFi aren't up to it.

Yep so do 5 hours a day 🤷‍♀️

100 tests with 2 staff can easily be done in 3 hours but I gave extra for practice time!

Teens do their own in same way they do their own at drive sites

My 12 year olds done 3 and it’s a 2min job

With experience it’s nothing - after week or so of practice one person can easily do 12 an hour

2 staff x 12= 24 an hour

I get mine done at lunch and I’m in and out in under 5 minutes

Don’t forget it’s voluntary so potentially 1/4 won’t do it

one person can easily do 12 an hour

Yes, so a class of 30 + its staff would take 1 member of staff nearly 3 hours, every day.

Taking up the hall (usually the only room with a suitably impermeable floor covering) and requiring students to SD on the way in... Obviously if students have been close contacts, they should be assumed to be positive until tested, so shouldn't go into class until done. So 3 members of staff working, 7.30 - 8.30 am to do 1 class before they come into school? When it's 4 classes or 120 kids + associated staff, 12 members of staff? Schools don't HAVE spare members of staff hanging around, and there is no money to pay these testers, so 12 volunteers always on call for an early morning shift to do testing for free?

More dripping to soften the blow. www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/28/coronavirus-michael-gove-reopening-englands-schools-will-involve-trade-offs
Definite change in tone.

@Pastanred

Yep so do 5 hours a day 🤷‍♀️

100 tests with 2 staff can easily be done in 3 hours but I gave extra for practice time!

Teens do their own in same way they do their own at drive sites

My 12 year olds done 3 and it’s a 2min job

So for 5 hours every day pupils are tested.

Assuming 5 year groups that each year group missing one of their 5 lessons a day. What lessons should they miss?

What staff are carrying out these tests if 2 are doing it?

The idea in itself has limited merit but the practicalities aren't the same as the idea and when the practicalities mean it doesn't function as expected - that's when cases could get out of control quickly again.

Especially now the variant that's dominating half the country is 70% more transmissible than the one circulating sept to December.

I think closing primary schools will be madness. They are the vulnerable of society too. Get the old folks and vulnerable vaccinated and get on with life.

They do not need to isolate prior to going into class- that’s how it works now on many settings

It’s once a week don’t forget and many won’t volunteer!

So really it’s 3 staff for one hour a day to do each class

After time many kids will simply do them under supervision rather than one to one so could all do their own in form even!

It’s a quick swab and put in sealed packet

That’s it - whole class could be observed by teacher and be done in 5 mins

People really are over thinking if - many places already doing it

Teacher could hand all out in form/lesson/at lunch and ask them to return them

In my work they’re even given out to do at home and then handed in the next morning

I’m sure it’ll become clear in new year

So thats 3 full time staff for a secondary school. Assuming 5 clasess a day at an hour a class. That would still only cover 5 years in a whole week.

I think part of the problem is that the goct isnt funding 3 fulltime staff a secondary to do this.

Theres a brilliant quote somewhere (can anyone find it?) Sayingchow the govt is expecting schools to test more in a day than they paid vast fortunes for testing over months. Can someone recall the numbers as I really dont! It really brought it home to me.

It’s once a week don’t forget and many won’t volunteer!

No, it is being suggested as DAILY, COMPULSORY testing for all who have been close contacts.

AS WELL AS bulk testing for everyone in the first week, twice - so 6 million next week alone.

No I agree which I why I think they’ll go down the route of handing them all out in class and the teacher observing them so it

The whole class could be done in form before they go poof to their classes

The first go may take 5-10 mins but after that it’s not hard to imagine the whole class being done in 15 mins

(I imagine this may seem impossible if your not used to it but honestly it’s really simple)

Other option is each child is given a test which they do at home and hand in once a week

Honestly, read the guidance before you start talking about it. The testing HAS to be done in a room with an impermeable floor. There are 7 different roles for staff. Students MUST SD before arrival in the testing room, and until given a negative test.

Can’t - that’s now been pulled back

The initial bulk test isn’t happening in jan now as per gavins letter last week

It’s testing for contacts - not that many and again can be done at home and handed in

Then weekly tests