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.

Don’t suppose you work for the DfE do you @pinkhappy?

Even just one day in school a week could make a major difference to some of the 'home' children. Some haven't had any in person social contact with their peers for two months now.

Keyworker child care needs to be separate to education really.

Some are on furlough but that will end

Eventually, yes-but it’s been extended.

If we send all schools back as before and do absolutely nothing different, then it’s likely that things will get bad again. Furlough would end up being extended even more then.

Funding - so the SLT can tackle what ever is most relevant to helping their cohort

Make kids and parents do as they're told: masks for kids; no socialising outside schools. According to everyone on here, kids will be doing all their socialising, education and mental health improvements in school, so they can easily follow the rules outside.

Vaccinations for all adults working in schools and early years settings - teachers and support staff. Then schools and nurseries can be open and - most importantly - stay open.

Go completely back to normal. Stop messing with children's mental and physical health.

Rota won't work because a lot of kids won't engage with home schooling .So you split it into 2 week in 2 weeks home then when the first lot come back in there all at different stages because some of the ones at home have done fuck all .
As the rotations go on they get further behind and others get further in front so very difficult to run a lesson that follows on from the previous 2 weeks home schooling when 1/2 of them haven't done it .

There is no silver bullet I'm afraid and ask any teach how practical policing mask wearing is in a secondary is.

@Lastbonestanding

Go completely back to normal. Stop messing with children's mental and physical health.

Because everyone knows that ill teachers and parents fill children with joy

Vaccinate all school staff.

Don’t suppose you work for the DfE do you @pinkhappy?

Given what people say about the dfe here, I feel you should apologise for the accusation :)

Whole classes in 2 days a week and all lessons in those 2 days are outside, pe, art, drama - anything fun! The other 3 days on line English and maths.

Rota won't work because a lot of kids won't engage with home schooling

Some kids don’t engage in class either. And when I’m they have a habit of ruining everyone’s learning not just their own.

Rota won't work because a lot of kids won't engage with home schooling

Rotas would be better for those kids than now when they're doing nothing.

It may shock you, plenty of students don't engage in a classroom either. They also disrupt the students in the room. They can't do that online.

Rota won't work because a lot of kids won't engage with home schooling .So you split it into 2 week in 2 weeks home then when the first lot come back in there all at different stages because some of the ones at home have done fuck all
Actually the vast majority of my students are engaging. The one who has done fuck all does fuck all most of the time. I don't hold the others back for him in normal times so why would I now?

Plenty of the KW children attending my school do not need to be there full time. At least one parent works part time or shifts for the majority of them. Our NHS staff parents are only sending their children in while both parents are at work. It is our not really key workers who are sending their children in full time even though they don’t really have to... I’m sure KW attendance can be adjusted to allow for primary rotas.

I think there would be considerable push back from parents who would be getting less provision than they are currently.

@TryingNotToPanicOverCovid

Ah yes a blanket ban on all coughs colds sneezes etc until tested. Friends in oz were v surprised that we had kids in school "with symptoms."

I totally agree with this - zero tolerance for even the slightest sniffle. Several kids had 'colds' at ds's school, apparently

@TheKeatingFive

I think there would be considerable push back from parents who would be getting less provision than they are currently.

I’m sure heads could sort out a fair system when parents provide their work timetables.

Yes to zero tolerance. The year 7 who literally coughed all over me never tested positive. The 5 other kids in the class did. Apparently "he's got allergies, it's not covid". I don't know how I didn't catch it!

Make the list of symptoms requiring isolation and a testing more comprehensive. Make sure parents are following it- so perhaps something like 80% pay when having to isolate as their child has symptoms (or when having to care for their child because they're isolating due to contacts it's a positive case.)

I also think staff should be vaccinated.

@JellyBabiesSaveLives but the vaccine isn't approved for kids yet so they can't do that

I’m sure heads could sort out a fair system when parents provide their work timetables.

What do you do if there’s not enough time for non KW?

Our primary has never been able to accommodate all that need to go in

@JellyBabiesSaveLives also how do you let staff choose to wfh , what if 3/4 of the staff chose that and 3/4 kids came in

And I agree with zero tolerance. Yes it might just be a cold/ allergies/ whatever- but you don't know that without a test. Get a test.