What measures are your schools putting in place for Back to School?

[Blogdog]

My children’s school has promised us an email next week with full details of back to school arrangements. It’s a small school so am hoping things won’t be too different from previous years but time will tell I suppose.

Just wondering what other schools are putting in place re Covid 19? I’ve heard a few of the larger secondary schools released info packs last week but no word on primary arrangements.

Surely they could get outside for socially distanced PE?

Have the books got lighter coz I could barely carry my bag with all the books for first day of secondary school.

Our school had reception to Y8 back before the end of summer term and older kids in one day a week (full online lessons for those not in school), so they've worked out most of the issues. Slightly staggered drop off, depending on location rather than year group, temp checks, hand sanitizer on entry, one way system, year group bubbles, dedicated areas per year groups for breaks etc. Slighy tricky for GCSE years as so many different subjects and sets within those, not such an issue for A level and IB students as much fewer in each class, but we have the space and they seem to have figured it out. We were given the info beginning of summer break. There will be s ome kids who can not return so they are continuing to provide remote learning too. It also means if there is another lockdown they can continue with a full schedule remotely.
Must add this is a private school.

I will be asking about it at our meeting next week, but it obviously has already been decided as it was in the letter they sent. Very disappointing as the school (normally) offers lots of sport options and DS had been really looking forward to it.

They use iPads so his arrived with the eBooks for his chosen subjects already loaded. Then a week or so ago a mahooosive box arrived with hard copies of all his books! Now I know they're for the next 3 years but each one is huge! I can't even lift it off the floor. I've no idea what happens with them, maybe they stay at home and he'll just bring the iPad to school? Since they're not going to have lockers? Something else to ask about at this 'big meeting' !

@Pipandmum I'm sure this has all been a nightmare for schools to work out but I'd imagine there's a bit more money in private schools, plus better facilities in the first place? Still, I would not want to be a teacher on the BOM trying to get things sorted for return to school. Two of my siblings are primary school teachers and they've been so busy the last few weeks with preparations and meetings etc. Just when they think they've something sorted, someone will say 'oh but what about such-and-such' and they all have to start again!

I wonder will it be a bit Y2K and end up being absolutely fine. As in, rise in cases but no rise in hospitalisations or deaths. I hope so. My DH thinks the exact opposite. We'll know in October won't we...

Our primary school is going back today. It's pouring rain in Cork, yellow rainfall alert. How can there be any more rain left in the sky after the past two weeks?!?

We were back this morning too, half the school anyway. Got everyone in before the rain came, thankfully.

How do people feel about how schools will be managed with regards to 'Close Contacts'?
If one child tests positive, the rest of the class will likely not be considered as close contacts, and parents might not told of any positive case?

Really concerned about. A member of our family has an underlying illness and civic could have life threatening consequences. This demonstrates a lack of logic that makes me question the approach to school return.

Why would the other children who’ve spent 5 hours in the company of someone inside not be considered close contact?
If that was an open plan office I’d expect that other adults would be informed.
On a different note, my 5th class daughter has been placed in a pod with one friend and another 4. Unfortunately when the friend is with this group she talks to them about their shared interests and my dd is left out, she came home really upset as she hadn’t been able to join in the chat yesterday. I’m encouraging her to try it for a few days and see if it settles but really concerned it won’t. She’s polar opposite to these girls, very shy and her teacher knows she finds it hard to speak out in class etc . She wouldn’t join in Zoom school activities during the lockdown which teacher knew so am wondering what the teacher was thinking! Any suggestions?

@teaorwine
I know, it's seems completely nonsensical!
They say that children will only have 3-5 'close contacts' from a class!!!

I think that the people who model these scenarios have probably never stood in a classroom.

I really hope that they consider the class to be the close contacts if there is a positive case in the class. Otherwise, it just seems so reckless to me. Parents of high-risk children would need to know if a case came up, in particular.

My DD in 4th class is also very quiet, teaorwine. She didn't like activities on Zoom either, she's very reserved. I would have to speak to the teacher if she wasn't happy in school, as she wouldn't speak up for herself. I hope things improve for your DD soon.

Ha, thelegohooverer, exactly. Living in hope that common sense will prevail.

In fairness, teachers seem to spend careers bending DoE guidelines to fit them into the real world. I’m sure when it comes down to it, there’ll be common sense applied at the bottom, even it’s lacking at the top.

That's true, thelegohooverer.