Return to School Conditions

[Bing12]

I see a lot about when should schools open in the press, but very little about what should be in place before they reopen. Wondering what the feeling is - I imagine it’s a whole spectrum 🤷‍♀️

Well we know that the new strain is more transmissible and there is clear evidence of outbreaks in early years etc do there should be done changes. The current plan is to only test pupils twice on return so what happens if someone gets infected three weeks into term. They should be tested weekly probably.

Most of the cases and both reasons my dd had to isolate last year were because people had sent their children in when they themselves either clearly had symptoms or were waiting for their test results. Caused chaos for us all and there were no repercussions.

Also it needs to be fully understood that you cannot end isolation by getting a negative test. It does not show incubating disease. A couple of kids were sent in on this basis even though there were positive tests at home.

The schools need to be clear on these rules and send out guidance to parents and ask parents to sign up to the Covid guidelines and confirm they understand or something similar. The misunderstanding coupled with no consequences ripped through my daughters school and it's ridiculous

Also, I think teachers should be vaccinated. I cannot believe anyone thinks them being there with no protection is ok.

Also I would be happy with part time.

My school (not U.K.) had: mandatory mask wearing for everyone, one way systems, designated year group bubbles for lunch & break, PE uniform worn on PE days to avoid changing, hand sanitizer everywhere, temperature checks before access to campus was allowed - U.K. schools could do most of that.

We also had - & these aren't realistic in many U.K. schools - huge classrooms & small teaching groups, a reasonable expectation that every student had a working MacBook or iPad, a culture where both staff & students were used to working online in the classroom - so ditching text & exercise books was no big deal, an enormous campus, teams of ancillary staff happy to set up outdoor classrooms at a moment's notice, warm climate, & an affluent student body with no parental childcare issues, so happy to keep symptomatic kids home.

We lasted until early December & have been online ever since. Finding out in a few days if we will be back on site after half term (unlikely).

You can significantly reduce the risks, sure, but viruses gonna virus. We were smugly telling each other we had it sorted back in November.

@PandemicPalava

Most of the cases and both reasons my dd had to isolate last year were because people had sent their children in when they themselves either clearly had symptoms or were waiting for their test results. Caused chaos for us all and there were no repercussions.

Also it needs to be fully understood that you cannot end isolation by getting a negative test. It does not show incubating disease. A couple of kids were sent in on this basis even though there were positive tests at home.

The schools need to be clear on these rules and send out guidance to parents and ask parents to sign up to the Covid guidelines and confirm they understand or something similar. The misunderstanding coupled with no consequences ripped through my daughters school and it's ridiculous

Also, I think teachers should be vaccinated. I cannot believe anyone thinks them being there with no protection is ok.

Totally agree. The times when we’ve had to isolate has been the result or irresponsible parents still sending their infected offspring into school. Harsher penalties should ensue for situations like this. In both cases chn had a parent wfh so could have stayed home.

I think blended learning is needed, so only half attend at a time and more social distancing can be achieved.

Masks should be worn and this shouldn't be down to individual head teachers to decide (like was the case before).

Better ventilation - windows and doors must be kept open.

Regular testing and no one can attend who has symptoms or a positive test.

I'm not sure there is much more that can be done to mitigate the risk.

@ConstanceMoss

I think blended learning is needed, so only half attend at a time and more social distancing can be achieved.

Masks should be worn and this shouldn't be down to individual head teachers to decide (like was the case before).

Better ventilation - windows and doors must be kept open.

Regular testing and no one can attend who has symptoms or a positive test.

I'm not sure there is much more that can be done to mitigate the risk.

This 100%

I like the idea of rotas, but it won't stop bubbles closed. We had more bubbles closing in Jan than we did in Nov/Dec, even with

Haven’t Italy and Israel reopened and then had to close again as the Kent variant spread like wildfire?

It was in the BMJ. Let me find it

Here.

www.bmj.com/content/372/bmj.n383

In my ideal world there would be a vaccine available for medically vulnerable children (ds) (I am fully aware this is pie in the sky)
There would be consequences for parents sending in children with symptoms/when they should be isolating
There would be the option of blended learning to keep numbers down
Teachers/staff would be vaccinated

In the real world it will be a case of all in, no social distancing, little ventilation, poor hygiene, a full classroom of children and adults....same as it ever was.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

lonelyplanet apart from kids sitting in lessons for 6 hrs a day in masks I’ve yet to hear of what these additional Measures could be.

Maybe you could read the numerous threads on this, or even the suggestions in this one. Like these: www.nasuwt.org.uk/advice/health-safety/coronavirus-guidance/school-and-college-reopening-during-the-pandemic.html

The government is making a lot of noise trumpeting the number of people who have received their first vaccine, but they are deafeningly silent when it comes to the number of people who have received their second shot.

My child needs to be back at school. For my sanity I need a break from home learning, but I really feel that the at risk groups need to have received their second doses of the vaccine before we can contemplate opening things more widely. And teachers need the protection of vaccination both for their own safety and to break the cycle of constant isolations abc bubble closures.

lonelyplanet reading nothing new, keep bubbles, wash hands, vaccinate teachers (saw the backlash on the threads for this) and test children

I agree blended learning would be preferable in secondary schools.

In primary schools hopefully they can make more use of the outdoors, now the weather is starting to get better.

I'm extremely worried that there will be no changes at all (other than the twice weekly teacher lateral flow testing) and everyone will just be chucked back into the classrooms and left to cross their fingers.

Scotland, 2-7 (nursery to p3) back on 22nd subject to confirmation on 16th. Safety measures have been lowered, believe it or not. Prior to Christmas masks to be worn by staff working with a child within 2m for more than 15 mins, now no masks needed p3 or below only need masks around other adults.
The Scottish government us sticking its gead so far up its own arse ut is believing its own lies. Blended learning with all primary age groups back would be better, asn have been back in full since christmas still no guidance on reducing risk for SG.
So I expect all primaries back as begore asap and cases to rise but be capped by weather changing and hopefully by vaccination

Has the lateral flow test idea been completely scrapped?

Sorry we teachers and senior pupils (who are in) are being offered lateral flo tests (Scotland) from next week

If schools reopen without more of the population being vaccinated we will be back where we were in the autumn/winter.

Well my KW bubble is upto 23 children so nearly business as usual for me. Following from above most of our outbreaks have been children attending school when a family member is either positive or awaiting test with symptoms, it makes me beyond angry how selfish some people are. But I'm not sure what the answer is. Blended in secondaries. Even if my dc got one day a week that would be great for now. Primary we will be thrown back in with "Schools are safe"

If schools go back as they were before Christmas then all that will happen is yet more disruption and students having to repeatedly isolate. Our students have said they actually found this far more stressful than school being closed as it was so random- isolate for 10 days, come back for a few then have to isolate again when someone else in the class tests positive.
Funny how there was radio silence from the majority of the media about this last term- massive disruption to education not an issue as long as schools are 'open' it seems.

DS's high school is doing something with all their LF-tests. I'm not sure what but something to do with sending tests home for parents to use when convenient.

@OnlyFoolsnMothers

lonelyplanet apart from kids sitting in lessons for 6 hrs a day in masks I’ve yet to hear of what these additional Measures could be.

This thread is full of ideas. For me, the biggest issue is having children sent in whilst their parents are awaiting test results.

• fine parents who send in their children whilst awaiting test results. Make it a big fine - the £10k fines as it can easily be verified with test data and school registers. This is a deliberate flouting of rules and probably accounts for much of how covid gets into schools in the first place. Also fine parents who's children's first words in the morning are 'mummy said I shouldn't tell you I had a temperature last night and she gave me calpol this morning'.
• temperature test every child ever morning. And before they go home. Keep a record.
• all senior school children to wear masks inside and probably years 5 and 6 as well.
• blended learning in senior schools - half size classes, week on, week off. Provide funding for webcams for all schools so that children are able to access lessons from home.
• the smaller measures already being taken in schools to be surveyed in some way so that we can get an idea of what worked and didn't work in schools for the autumn term - arrangement of bubbles, one way systems, rearranging of dining furniture so children are in rows rather than facing each other, rearranging of desks so children are front facing, windows and doors open, sending children in in their PE kits etc. etc.
• government backing of children who refuse to comply being sent home for the duration of the pandemic (those that deliberately cough shouting 'corona' or spit at others)
• stepping up of the 'out of school' services ensuring that children are not just out and about in groups, roaming the streets when they should be learning at home. Large fines for the parents of persistent offenders and/or looking at alternatives to mainstream school for the pandemic (I get that parents who need to work can't lock their children in and can't really be held responsible if they are out all day so some kind of very socially distanced provision is required - perhaps the army could help?).
• put in place a whistle blowing system that allows teachers who are told to remain in school whilst awaiting test results or some other kind of 'against the rules' actions that headteachers have engaged in a way to get that recognised. Fine head teachers who are found to be deliberately flouting rules. Make it career ending.
• Government provides funding for supply teachers so that schools can at least try and get someone in to fill a gap rather than closing a bubble/year group/school.
• Government provides funding for extra cleaning throughout the day of touch points and deep cleaning weekly.
• Get teachers vaccinated so schools are more likely to remain open and/or not have to manage staffing gaps with supply teachers because staff are off for months with long covid. This is a particular issue in secondary where the less good schools will lose out to good schools because supply staff (who are in short supply) will be able to chose where they work. This is also a massive issue for shortage subject exam classes (chemistry, physics, maths, MFL in particular).

I am sure there is plenty more I haven't thought of.

Nothing will change in my school, because we can’t do anything more than we were already doing.

Open windows between lessons.
Cram kids into classroom.
Separate year groups at break and lunch despite they all walked in together and walk home together.
Ask parents nicely not to allow mixing after school, which will in some part go ignored.
Offer hand sanitiser at the start of each lesson.
Ask pupils to wear masks, but we have a huge percentage with medical conditions that are not authenticated by a GP, but do mean the child can’t wear a mask.
We will not be getting tests...unsure why.

So, that’s what I think many schools can expect?

A local private primary school permanently excluded a family for sending kids in awaiting a result which was then positive. And then made it widely known to the whole school what happened.