One thing to make schools safer

[pinkhappy]

There are a lot of threads about schools and covid. I get lost in the rage and strong opinions even though I am sure that somewhere in there there are constructive suggestions.
Without expressing any views on politics/the govt or any fury, what is the top thing that you think could realistically be done to make schools safer when they reopen? Just one suggestion per answer please.

I would love more outside time and exercise in general. My primary kid really needs that far more than more english/maths

Rotas would make the biggest difference in my huge secondary.

However I don't think one solution will fix all so what will work for us wouldn't work for others.

Mask. Definitely.

Smaller classes.

This requires extra money for extra staff.

Rotas can then be used in secondary schools but for primary schools I would suggest the use of temporary portacabin style classrooms.

The financial investment is worthwhile because smaller classes will also enable better, more personalised teaching that will help children learn better and catch up.

All the families who are desperate to have their children in school sticking to the rules.

Windows open.

Masks for seniors.

Smaller classes - use churches, community halls, use the library, PE Hall and Assembly Hall to spread out classes.

For me rotas would be that I teach the in school group whilst the out of school group do planned linked work, and then swap.
So I might teach a poem, and essay writing skills which they then do at home in their out of school time.
Trying to teach both at the same time won't work.

@ArchbishopOfBanterbury

Masks for seniors.

Smaller classes - use churches, community halls, use the library, PE Hall and Assembly Hall to spread out classes.

Who is going to teach the children in the libraries and churches? '

How will safeguarding work?

To not repeat what's been said I'll add

Forget school uniform!

Same everyday isn't helping even if you clean everything, change face masks daily etc.

The weather isn't that warm still despite the actual cold snap being over. Children are being refused coats etc in class.

Schools need to get over this idea that school uniform improves learning. Get our kids in school, in comfortable clean clothes, in clothes they can learn in whatever the weather when windows are open.

Whatever it takes to get them needed in Rostered F2F learning again.

@skippetyskoo

A clear directive that children should not be coming into school Ill (Included expanded testing for a wider range of symptoms for children).

Oh god yes, this. Please don't send your child in with coughs, colds, tummy bugs, disguised fever with Calpol which wears off by 10am, a family known case or even while the child themselves are waiting for a Covid test result. Usually the child tells us and when we ask the parent, they airily say oh yes, we thought it would be fine. By which time it is too late and the magic (sarcasm) Covid secure school is not so much..

Adults dropping off, send kids into the playground and leave. There's no need to stand about chatting in groups while waiting for the bell to ring.

Lateral flow testing for staff and pupils.
Complete ban on any symptomatic child being in school without proper test or doctors note. Fines
Parents sticking rigidly to rules outside of school.

None of which will happen so let’s just cross our fingers and hope that vaccinations plus better weather keep the rates manageable.

Things we could do right now that would be effective:

1. vaccinate all school staff.
2. Temperature checks on arrival.
3. perspex screens for all tables (staff and children).
4. face coverings for all (think puddle suit rain hats for little ones with in built visors).

Things we could do with time and investment:
5) portacabin classrooms utilized by supply teachers and trainee teachers reducing classroom sizes to 15 - no need for rotas.
6) ventilation systems utilising humidifiers and extractors etc.
7) finicial support for parents taking time off work to look after children isolating.
8) LFT tests for children twice a week like what staff currently do. Could eventually be ramped up to every morning.

Thank you to everyone who is sticking to one suggestion per answer and no politics!

Rotas at secondary - we have a detailed plan that allows for year group based rotas so that there isn't any teaching half of a class at home and half face to face; it frees up all of the biggest classrooms for the biggest classes and (if needed) a partner teacher can be used as we aren't delivering all lessons live online for those at home.

Masks - we have been wearing them since September and mandatory since October for students. We have a huge list of exemptions though; these need to be medically certified to reduce parents taking the piss (we do have some; threats to sue if we make their precious baby wear one without providing any details of medical conditions).

Temperature checks and LFT before entering - this would be a logistical nightmare but I see absolutely no point in testing a class or year group at dinnertime if they have been on the bus together, mixing in lessons and then eating together. We have had multiple parents send their kids to school dosed up on cold and flu capsules to hide symptoms; we need to be able to stop this. I think LFT are almost pointless anyway considering how many people I see taking a negative result as gospel and acting like COVID doesn't exist.

I would like screens infront of teacher desks - at no point am I 2 metres from a student, unless I am out of the door

I am saying this after having COVID recently; I want no-one to have to go through what our family has, not to mention the impact both DP and myself being ill has had on our schools.

Add stomach upsets to testing criteria.
So many vomiting children in primary school, v stressful when they're back in class after just 48 hours.
And if I can have another one or two-

• numbers low enough that teacher can social distance in class (ideally chn too). I have 3 chn facing me within 1m. No other way to arrange classroom with the obligatory rows.
• masks for all

Expand the list of symptoms for getting tested. This should have been updated ages ago.

Proper testing that actually works.

Masks. FFP2, or at a push, surgical. You don't wear one, you don't get through the door.

Vaccinate teachers and support staff.

No brainer.

Masks.

Staff vaccinated so they are not off ill. When off ill other staff have to cover, meaning more mixing of adults and children.

Rotas.

Absolutely bloody nightmare for teachers to juggle (I’m thinking of in primary, where we don’t teach from the board/slides so others can’t just ‘Zoom in’) but surely even the most dense of laypeople can tell that 30+ people in a small, unventilated room working elbow to elbow isn’t exactly Covid secure.

Human space density especially indoors even all wearing PPE.

@HercwasanEnemyofEducation

At secondary, rotas for f2f teaching.

Until Easter, this. And then back "normally".

However, you'd have to do it by year group to avoid the issues feesh describes, which makes for less congestion around school but not so great within classrooms. Better than nothing at all though.

Please vaccinate me. I have close context with 150+ people daily.