Teachers: Is there a plan to get schools back?

[Elephant4]

I don’t mean right this minute.

But are the government working with schools to find a way to reopen schools SAFELY when the time is right?

Laptops promised in March arrived in July. Laptops promised in September didn't arrive.
It's all bloody smoke and mirrors.
We've spent thousands on laptops for our kids because the government lied and let them down. We will have to make staff redundant next year.

Even if the Government had a plan, teachers would be the last people to know. And then it would change the plan at the last minute and not bother to tell them at all. See: opening schools, closing schools, having exams, not having exams, testing, not testing, etc. etc. ad infinitum.

Nope. Schools only find out these things via press conferences. They then get rushed ‘guidance’ issued after changes have had to be implemented, which is then changed several more times a week.

The DFE have proven again and again that the knowledge and experience of staff on the ground means nothing to them.

Staff have been explaining since last spring how to open schools safely: allow masks, rotas/smaller groups and most importantly FUNDING. Funding for cleaning supplies, supply cover when staff are isolating/ill and to make repairs to buildings, e.g. ensuring that windows can open beyond an inch.

Elephant4
Teachers and Heads will find this out when you do namely when the government announce it at a press conference. Many people seem to think that schools have had advance notice of government decisions - they don't.

@selfcare

Funding being made available for online platforms and devices

I think schools will believe that when they see it.

How would the teachers know,? Even the goverment don't know when yet ? Lots of factors to consider first

Government investing in laptops consists of telling students if they don't have access to laptops they will be treated as vulnerable and they can go into school. Total copout.

So the government don’t ever work with schools. I can believe that.

Do you think they have any plan at all?

Otherwise schools will never ever go back for all students will they? Schools have been proven to be transmission centres. The government can never pretend that they are safe again unless something changes. And that’s unlikely to be infection rates etc for a very long time.

@Elephant4 they still believe they are safe, have never said they aren’t safe. But haven’t actually provided any funding to make them safe.

Right. I do get all of this. Mainly from having read previous threads about it in here.

Perhaps I should start a new thread with a different question: do you think schools will ever open to all pupils ever again? Or at least, in the next year or so?

We pay for any PPE we need/want out of our school budget FFS, no additional funding and nothing from our local council. So that's less for resources to support children, maintain the building and extend children's learning. You couldn't make this shit up.

@Elephant4 they better open, safely, to all pupils as soon as they can. I've taught since the early 90's and I'm on my knees before we even really get started. I've 2 friends in SLT who have submitted their resignations and mine is typed up ready to go. The govt might find that when they decide to pull another 8pm "schools are open to all tomorrow" that there's not enough staff to run them. That's not a threat, it's a fact.

The problem is when people ask about when schools might open, it is all just speculation. We are clueless until Boris tells us, which can be literally the night before. I never expected to be live teaching from home last Tuesday morning at 9.10 am. Had less than 24 hours notice along with everyone else.

They'll be open before May I think, polital driven decision nothing to do with actual science or safety!

I read that some Tory MPs want the government to tackle the teaching unions like Thatcher took on the miners. Obviously we know that led to the closure of most mines and the decimation of the mining industry. Presumably they'd be content for the same fate for schools and education.

I'd ignore the rhetoric about the importance of education that the government spouts. The pitiful amount spent on mitigating the impact of covid on education and the half-arsed communication to and about the education sector tells you all you need to know about the government's attitude to education.

Billions channelled to mates spent on other areas. But they can't even find 1 million laptops. Surely one of their mates could have supplied them at inflated prices.

State education is there to get the plebs into work. It's not really for the likes of them.

I wonder how all of this is going to affect teacher retention? It was bad enough before all of this. I'm due to return to teaching mid year (currently on mat leave) and I'm dreading it. Absolutely dreading it. Been teaching almost 20 years.

This
I'd ignore the rhetoric about the importance of education that the government spouts. The pitiful amount spent on mitigating the impact of covid on education and the half-arsed communication to and about the education sector tells you all you need to know about the government's attitude to education.
Billions channelled to mates spent on other areas. But they can't even find 1 million laptops. Surely one of their mates could have supplied them at inflated prices.
State education is there to get the plebs into work. It's not really for the likes of them.

Throughout we have had a range of plans for each situation but without any detail based on IF.
Oct online learning was reviewed and planning started based on IF.
Our Governors closed the school based on local data and risk.
This will be the same for any reopening.
There are no plans to open because no one knows what will happen yet.
IF we open in February is still very much an IF.