Updating the guidance for schools on surface transmission

[LeafBeetle]

At my DC's secondary school there are rules around quarantining books for 72 hours if you hand them in. Because of the hassle involved in this, the teachers are (understandably) minimising the number of times they ask pupils to hand work in, so my DC are getting their homework marked a lot less often than usual. Surely this makes it harder for teachers to be sure the class has understood the topic properly?

I assume this is based on guidance issued a year ago, when we didn't know much about the virus transmission. Given all the latest data showing that surface transmission is very unlikely, I think the guidance should be updated with less emphasis on surface transmission (but retaining the guidance on social distancing, classroom ventilation etc).

Are your DC's schools still doing this?

My school stopped quarantining books etc from about September.

Everything else is given a wipe down in between uses.

Our primary school is only giving homework once a fortnight to allow a week for the books to be quarantined before the teacher marks them l

That really is OTT, why do they think that could possibly be necessary?

All homework is now submitted online so it doesn't seem to be an issue.

I thought that latest research showed that airborne is the biggest risk and surface transmission is low risk ( not no risk )

No quarantine here, but... It's all in the breath, rather than surfaces so masks, distance and above all fans, fresh air.. Is what will reduce chances.

Doesn't mean that teachers are not assessing to move learning on.

Teachers assess with pupils through shared talk about their work, teachers adapt lessons immediately through responses in lessons, pupils self assess following processes that they are guided to understand,
Good assessment and feedback is much more than 'marking'.

Unfortunately the school guidance has not been changed yet to reflect any recent thinking in how best to tackle the virus. Things like quarantining books are largely theatre, but without a change of guidance our risk assessments can't be rewritten.

@Barbie222 that's exactly what I thought!

@ArgyleIsle I agree it's not the only way of assessing progress. I do think it's an important one though.

Interesting to hear from several posters that your DC's school isn't bothering to do this any more.

Homework isn't really a great way of assessing pupils because you don't know how much help they have had. As a PP said, students don't need every piece marked. Self assessment of homework is fine. Have a read of the evidence around feedback and marking in schools, it may surprise you!

I though current evidence suggested there is little value in homework in primary. Our school stopped a couple of years ago. Nothing goes in and out of school except lunch and lower down the school I assume reading books. Spelling list comes home on Friday. At high school homework is submitted electronically.

I think the guidance should certainly be updated for schools, and indeed other settings. Carrying on as we are could be counterproductive - if people think they can fight Coronavirus with quarantining books and other silly measures then they might drop the ball on the other measures they do make a difference, opening windows etc.

We're not quarantining books anymore. However, until the year 11s grades are sorted out, other year groups are getting less marking simply because of the huge amount of moderation required.

I disagree that marking isn't important. We'd be in trouble currently if the year 11 books didn't show evidence of progress.

My dcs school were not sending out books, homework or letters for a while and the dcs were not allowed to take pencil cases etc in.
Now they send reading books out and kids take bags, stationery etc in. There was no obvious policy change though.

Marking assessments is different to homework though. Plenty of places do online only homework via platforms like seneca or Dr frost maths.

I hope places weren't using homework as y11 evidence, the level of control on that is very low.

Girlguiding have also not updated guidance around touch. If I have to take a paper form from an adult I'm supposed to quarantine it for 72 hours...

@HercwasanEnemyofEducation

Marking assessments is different to homework though. Plenty of places do online only homework via platforms like seneca or Dr frost maths.

I hope places weren't using homework as y11 evidence, the level of control on that is very low.

The instructions for evidence are absolutely that no "control" was needed. Much of it has been done at home during lockdown, that's the point.

Still quarantining reading books at my DC's primary. It is a bit ridiculous. They would previously have a new book a night, now they get two on a Monday and give back on a Friday for quarantining over the weekend.

Centres should be taking into account the level of control work was done under and should be including a range. There definitely shouldn't be a lot of weighting given to low control stuff like homework.

The guidance was updated, can’t remember when , think it was for September, to say teachers can now take books home