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Original poster

Class bubble restrictions

61 replies

PearandHoney · 02/12/2021 21:51

I wasn’t sure whether to post this in education or here.

I realise there’s a lot going on at the moment with Covid but I just feel sad for my child’a current experience of infant school. They’ve been bubbled for almost three weeks and have at least another week to go, taking them up to practically the end of term. This is despite the fact that there are currently no cases of Covid in their class.

During the bubble they:

  • have no PE lessons
  • have no specialist teaching staff nor small group interventions
  • no parent helpers that normally help with reading
  • have to eat lunch in the classroom with the TV on
  • have a much shorter outdoor playtime which they have to take at 11.30am
  • because of staggered drop offs and pick ups, they’re missing 30 minutes of school time each and every day
  • teachers are teaching in masks, even for phonics
  • and of course, no nativity in front of parents, carol service etc

I just feel it’s all a bit rubbish. I do realise it’s rubbish for others too, especially School staff. But childhood is short and so much of it has been taken up with restrictions, many of which are impacting their education.

Not sure what I’m hoping for by posting this but I suppose I wonder if all schools are the same right now?

OP posts:
grafittiartist · 02/12/2021 21:55

That's probably why there are no cases- the strategy works!
It's a bit miserable though- and I can understand why you feel bad about it.

knobblykneesandturnedouttoes · 02/12/2021 21:57

More schools should be doing this. You have no cases. That should be celebrated. They are getting an education, that should be celebrated.

Beekindbeehumble · 02/12/2021 22:01

It is hard. My infant last year had 30mins less time each day due to staggered starts, no volunteers to listen to reading, no nativity, isolating every time a child was positive in the class for 10 days, lockdowns etc. It was a long year.

I hope things improve for your child this year and let’s hope case numbers drop so that things can get back to normal!

JanglyBeads · 02/12/2021 22:05

I’m all for most suggested covid mitigations in schools, given the risks, but that does sound a bit extreme OP. Eg how can they teach phonics with masks on? And no PE, even outside?

Original poster
PearandHoney · 02/12/2021 22:07

Yes I hope things improve for all children @Beekindbeehumble - it’s just been such a long time of hoping that. My child can’t remember school life before Covid (to be fair there was only one term in 2019 before it hit).

OP posts:
Original poster
PearandHoney · 02/12/2021 22:09

I’ve no idea @JanglyBeads . I can’t see anything about staff having to wear masks but clearly it’s their right to choose to wear one.

They won’t do any PE, not even outside, because the staff member that does PE is outside of the bubble. So obviously no extra curricular activities/ school based clubs either - though they can all go to swimming, Rainbows etc and mix outside of school so long as it’s not a school based club!!

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 02/12/2021 22:11

No, all schools aren't like that, and those sorts of measures would have been implemented in agreement with the local health authorities.

You say that there are no covid cases currently in her class which suggests that there were previously? And that there are currently cases in other classes?

There are other schools where classes have had to be sent home, so hopefully the school will be able to manage this outbreak without having to resort to that.

Original poster
PearandHoney · 02/12/2021 22:17

Yes @noblegiraffe there were some cases at the time the class was originally placed into the bubble, I’m not sure how many but definitely more than one. Not sure about other classes/year groups - we haven’t been told.

OP posts:
HSHorror · 02/12/2021 22:28

I guess its a balance
Good
No mixing with other classes even at lunch
No nativity with parents as can go online
No breakfast/after clubs

Bad
No pe! They could definitely do that with outside of bubble person outside

Our schools is
Pe including swimming and including indoors
Ks1 breakfast and ks1 breakfast
External pe and sports clubs
Having parents in to read
No bubbles but classes are also 60!
But outside fayre is cancelled ...

Scouts and brownies had been having everyone in and pick up drops etc inside. But after omicron and lots of cases scouts they seem to have moved to outside drop offs.

Original poster
PearandHoney · 02/12/2021 22:33

That’s interesting @HSHorror

Yes it’s a real shame that they are losing almost all of the physical exercise at school with no PE and no sports clubs after school. And a shortened playtime. I can see the real difference on the Fitbit at the end of the day!

OP posts:
toomuchlaundry · 02/12/2021 22:39

Scouts have had to move to certain level of restrictions today (yellow level)

RuleWithAWoodenFoot · 02/12/2021 22:57

Infant PE is a load of old nonsense anyway. If they are getting a run around break, that would be better. Don't put Fitbits your infant children, that's just asking for future exercise numbers obsessions.

The school sounds independent if you've only got a week left. Maybe they can reduce contact hours, state schools can't though - the shortened breaks take account of that.

Silversun83 · 03/12/2021 09:32

@RuleWithAWoodenFoot

Infant PE is a load of old nonsense anyway. If they are getting a run around break, that would be better. Don't put Fitbits your infant children, that's just asking for future exercise numbers obsessions.

The school sounds independent if you've only got a week left. Maybe they can reduce contact hours, state schools can't though - the shortened breaks take account of that.

Sorry, I disagree that infant PE is a load of rubbish. My DD is in year 1 and they have sports coaches come in - they do tennis, football, games, are currently doing baaketball. All helps their gross motor skills, coordination, muscle strength etc, but also teamwork. Plus it's just the added hours of being outside and doing physical exercise. Children need to be properly active for 1-3 hours a day.
Bobholll · 03/12/2021 16:14

This is awful OP. Where the hell is your school?! Are you state or private?! Even bubbles last year didn’t operate like this. Primary aged staff should not be wearing masks for a start. Particularly not teaching children to read. That’s completely against guidance. Also, the guidance has always been to get kids outside as much as is feesible. Not easy but my daughter has half a day of outdoor learning each week, PE outdoors & an extended lunch time. I’d be furious if my child was indoors watching TV all lunch time. That’s genuinely dreadful of the school. A one off now & again, sure but not weeks on end.

My kids school is the opposite. All the Christmas stuff is going ahead, parents in to watch the nativity. No bubbles, full mixing, visitors allowed in masks. After school care continues. Far more measured approach. We have had outbreaks, some restrictions brought back in during such as no visitors & reduced mixing in school but never back into bubbles or staggered starts etc. it’s been fine. I imagine stressful at times for the school but I applaud them for the minimal disruption to the kids. As it should be.

Largethighsbadeyes · 03/12/2021 16:23

Bubbles back at my child's schools too. Which means of one person in their class gets the new variant they could all be isolating over christmas.
School Carol concert cancelled. Nativity still going ahead but no audience.

I'm really down this week. The last few months has peft like the kids were getting their normal childhood back sad now its all going to shit again

Largethighsbadeyes · 03/12/2021 16:24

*felt like

Original poster
PearandHoney · 03/12/2021 16:32

You’re lucky @Bobholll !

It’s a state infants school. Very interesting to see how things are managed elsewhere. Partly I think the problem is now there doesn’t seem to be any real consensus- individual public health teams advising schools on additional measures, which vary and impact children in different ways

OP posts:
Original poster
PearandHoney · 03/12/2021 16:34

I agree @Largethighsbadeyes , I’ve felt really down too. It’s such a shame, children have lost so much for a virus that on the whole doesn’t make them unwell (I say that having had it myself this autumn and my child had it too with very few symptoms). I am all for protecting others but it’s a balance of protecting one vulnerable group (ie children) against other vulnerable groups

OP posts:
edwinbear · 03/12/2021 17:01

DD's school sent an e mail yesterday saying they have to close next week for a circuit breaker as they've had so many cases, they hope to be able to reopen the following week for the last week of term, but I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't.

Bobholll · 03/12/2021 17:23

I fully agree. Schools are varying wildly with their approach to this now. From basically pretending we are back in June 2020 (which is ridiculous) to our school who have assured us that while delta remains dominant, they won’t be changing how they are operating other than reintroducing masks for visitors & the nativity is reduced numbers which the school already planned for (parents only & two performances so it’s less adults in one sitting. Our performances are done in KS1 & KS2 so the school has a full week of it next week!

I suspect it’s all down to how the head feels. And how panicked they & the local council have flapped themselves into. Thankfully, we seem to have a more reasonable council & head who is fairly chill about covid.

MH1111 · 03/12/2021 17:28

I think schools should only pay statutory sick pay. Absence is much higher than the private sector

noblegiraffe · 03/12/2021 17:30

The private sector who are not in the company of unvaccinated children with an extremely high infection rate?

It’s hardly any wonder that education staff are catching covid at a higher rate than office workers is it?

MH1111 · 03/12/2021 17:31

Yes private sector nursery workers are not in the company of unvaccinated kids 🙄

noblegiraffe · 03/12/2021 17:33

You’ll have data to back you up on that?

Chr1stmasCarole · 03/12/2021 17:38

They won’t do any PE, not even outside, because the staff member that does PE is outside of the bubble

I'm sorry but this part made me wince, they're seriously saying that only the person responsible for PE can teach it??? Assuming they have a teacher in charge of their class, he or she needs to get on an teach PE just like they teach every other subject that they're not experts in.
I get that it might not be the exact standard of a specialist teacher but it's straightforward enough to get a group of children to warm up, practice some basic skills and then have a game if something fun.

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