Union say schools won't be fully open in September. Goverment say covid will be here till spring, so will schools fully open in spring 2021?

[947EliseChalotte]

Goverment say s hooks will be fully open in sept 2020 but unions are saying no they won't ! Goverment say covid we need to livewith covid and prepare for another wave, it's likely to be here till spring. So will schools reopen in spring 2021 when covid has gone?

Gov says schools will fully open in September with 1m distancing, unions say you’ll need double the classrooms and double the teachers so that ain’t happening.

Either the full opening is scrapped or the 1m distancing is scrapped. No other options.

Nightmare! ...I wonder if they will end up doing part time ? Maybe half the class in the morning and the other half in the afternoon, that way they can all do maths and English daily ..

I think it’s more likely they’ll scrap the 1m rule and cross their fingers, tbh.

I suspect the unions would say black was white just to oppose the government. I would feel happier if I thought they would put their political differences aside and both sides work for the good of the children

We can't get all of our children back in September with 1 meter in place.

You can't use church halls or similar space but can use spare secondary space which won't accommodate all primary schools needs in our area.

Unless something else comes into play we will be at capacity with only 40% in our school in September. To much still unknown to plan for

The distance could be 3m, its irrelevant. Once children get into school SD goes out the window. Just get kids back to school, its ridiculous.

This is what gets my goat and why people are blaming teachers for not wanting to go back in.
Like the pp said, unless you scrap social distancing, full time school is never going to happen. It's just not, unless Boris wants to piss a money pot and magically build new classrooms and recruit new teachers. Why on earth doesn't the g'ment talk to the unions before spouting rubbish? It was the same in Wales. The ed minister put the extra week on the summer term and two weeks hol in October, the unions said nope and now we are back to square one, which has caused lots of disruption.

I suspect the unions would say black was white just to oppose the government

But in this case they appear to have a very good point about the lack of classroom space and the lack of teachers.

I'm going to go for scrap the distancing in schools as a bet for government response. Apparently 'shielding ' workers should go back to work from August so that will be great for shielding teachers and TAs...

If you guys are confused spare a thought for your friends in the North...

Scotland is 3 weeks behind England in terms of releasing lockdown and today John Swinney did a u turn of unprecedented proportions to announce we are going back full time (so without distancing cause that's the only way they will fit in the school) in August. 3 weeks (maybe even 4?) before England, a full week earlier than normal for some councils, announced less than 24 hours before the holidays start in some areas.

I don't even know where to start in terms of prep now.

My school seemed cheerfully oblivious to a pandemic until the week before all schools closed. I think just as things shut down very quickly, things will resume normality very quickly too.

@CalmYoBadSelf

I suspect the unions would say black was white just to oppose the government. I would feel happier if I thought they would put their political differences aside and both sides work for the good of the children

It's not the unions job to do won't somebody think of the children..?

The unions role is to protect the health, safety and working conditions of their members. Which often means standing up to government and large businesses.

Calm yes. It woyld make more sense f the govt met with the unions before they made these announcements.

It's astonishing that the first teachers find out about plans is at the public briefings.

Though the current approach whips up lots of anti-teacher and anti-union sentiment, do maybe that's why they do it.

Just scrap the 1m rule for schools. Its 3 months from now, if the Unions complain, it time to go to war with the Unions.

And what if the parents complain?

And what if the parents complain?
The parents need schools to be open so they can go back to work. Once furlough ends its work or UC. I know which I would prefer.

Zombie that might be true for you but there’s a large amount of parents currently not sending their kids back to school although schools are open for that year group with social distancing.

Don’t assume your needs are universal desires.

noble
Completely agree but its 3 months from now. If it gets worse we panic If it keeps getting better parents just have to get used to the 'new normal', or home school and accept their children will lose out.

@averysuitablegirl

Calm yes. It woyld make more sense f the govt met with the unions before they made these announcements.

It's astonishing that the first teachers find out about plans is at the public briefings.

Though the current approach whips up lots of anti-teacher and anti-union sentiment, do maybe that's why they do it.

Yep. The govt knows it won't work under their present guidance, so by leaving the Unions out of the planning, and letting teachers and headteachers find out what's happening from the TV at the same time as parents, they hope the unions will kick up a stink and deflect parental criticism from the govt

DH is aHead of a secondary school and I was a teacher. I am so sick of the teacher unions and their ridiculous statements. We don't need double the number of teachers- and they only say that because they know it is impossible to make happen. Most classes have significantly fewer than 30 children - at secondary anyway. DS1s primary has fewer than 30 in a class- between 23 and 26.
At secondary in most schools - not all- there are some very small groups of low ability children, of unpopular GCSE option subjects and at Post-16.
Most schools - not all- have spaces they could use differently such as halls, drama studios, PE facilities. DH's school has 2 halls, a gym, an indoor football centre, an unused old library space (they had a new library), a large 6th form common room and 6 classrooms that have been used as department offices that could be changed back.

Another secondary school near us with falling numbers has more rooms unused than used.

If schools got rid of the crap they hoard they could clear a deal of extra space

Many teachers - particularly those with higher TLRs and school leaders have significant numbers of non-teaching periods and could teach a lot more than they do.

Other ideas:
Lengthen the day and have children on staggered starts and timetables.

Fewer school holidays with the time put to the same use- ensuring children are able to access school full-time.

Teachers unions have emerged from this as making teachers sound workshy and unwilling to do their job- which I know the majority certainly are not. However, I think lots more than the public are aware of have declared themselves unable to set foot in the school for one reason or another. It was going to cause huge issues- the the LA DH works in the numbers of teachers claiming they could not return for 'health reasons' was over 200. They will now have to return because shielding is being removed. The LA could not possibly have found that many teachers.

I bumped into one of DH's staff in Newcastle - a Head of a large dept. She told me - in the city centre where she was shopping- that she is shielding and has not been at work at all and it's been great. She has been walking the dog, been on a diet, has decorated two rooms, sorted out her house and hardly done any work. She has met friends every day to go for walks. I was

LuluJakey1

I'm not sure where you are getting your numbers from but the math does work.

How can you be an ex teacher and not be aware of directed time?

Well said Lulu most people know the Unions only do this because they dont like who is in government. Its politics. The left are using it to to try and gain advantage, the right think they are making progress. Has ever been thus. Hopefully teachers, schools and councils will react sanely in September and think about the children.

The union’s job is to think about the teachers. That’s literally what I pay my subs for.

Lulujakey THANK YOU.

Finally someone telling the truth.