So when are we going back to school?

[RaraRachael]

I was under the impression that NS had announced that all schools in Scotland would start back on August 11th. I have had surveys from my local authority asking when we would like the week's holiday in lieu and if we want 1 or 2 in-service days before we start back in August.

Last night a colleague posted a piece showing all the start dates from the different authorities - some were 10th August, !1th, 12th up to the 18th and 19th.

I am totally confused

Arkadia - buildings and staff mentioned specifically. It was in one of the framework documents ScotGov produced although I can't find which one now.

You must have 2/3 people doing NCCT? We’re keeping nurture going but I’ve heard that going. Our PTs are going back into class and I believe EAL are redeployed.

We have 2 NCCT teachers who are going to be job-sharing a class. We don't have any PTs and our DHT is going to be teaching a class. There is one EAL teacher for 2ASGs (primary and secondary), so how we are going to manage, goodness knows - we have 370 pupils.

Actually, five days then week off would be better than fannying about with a couple of days at a time.

Also, maybe JS meant THIS school year, not next (being optimistic here).

No, it looks like he was saying all of next year. Which just seems insane, and not even really compatible with what Nicola Sturgeon's been saying all week about how we need to stick with measures in the short term so we can all get back to normal sooner. Short term pain for long term gain!... unless you're a child or a working parent, in which it's short term pain for long term even more pain.

I am reasonably optimistic about a vaccine before the end of the year anyway and it seems fairly likely we'll have better treatments for the virus by then. And even before that point we're planning to get pubs and restaurants and cinemas and tourist attractions open again. But schools have to stay part-time anyway through all this? Shouldn't schools be a fairly high priority? Are they really delusional enough to think over a year of inadequate education will be all fine and lovely because we'll get some BBC Bitesize links? FFS.

It’s time education was prioritised a lot more..

A flipping laptop doesn’t solve the issue, it makes things worse actually by giving internet access which needs to be policed. I accidentally switched off our filters the other day and was disgusted at the search results that came up. How many homes don’t even have such filters cos the parents don’t realise, don’t know how to install them or don’t care? sorry if that sounds patronising but I think it is a real issue.

Are they really delusional enough to think over a year of inadequate education will be all fine and lovely because we'll get some BBC Bitesize links? FFS.

I think they will reassess very quickly when they realise there are Holyrood elections in 2021 and if they put this ridiculous proposal into effect they will all be out on their ears.

It’s being proposed that our PTA part fund a maths textbook (primary) that’s separate from their school book.

So the indication is that it will absolutely be expected that someone actively teaches the children at home.

@Mascotte

Actually, five days then week off would be better than fannying about with a couple of days at a time.

I think that is definitely true for secondary.

For primary though, I think a couple of day a week is better. From a childcare point of view also, doing the same thing every week would be easier.

@nextslideplease our secondary had the timetable for 20-21 completed by the end of April. Remember most schools change timetable at the start of June so were well on the way to having those timetables completed - apart from anything else they need to timetable to ensure they can accommodate all the proposed classes. I'm pretty sure if our HT got a phone call on 10th a August to say "back as normal" we would be back the following week as normal with minimum fuss. Primary schools I'm less sure about.

As a teacher I've done live lessons with my senior classes however protection is needed for both pupils and teachers - some young people have the skills and motivation to record and inappropriately edit a teachers voice for example. Also, I'm very aware that a number of pupils aren't engaging. I'm concerned about them faking even further behind - often because our pupils have poor internet access due to location. This applies to our staff too!

Delivering a video version of a classroom based lesson isn't straightforward either as that would require a lot of kit that just doesn't exist.

The other issue is that council issued kit isn't great for live teaching - you are using older versions of software for example. I use my own laptop and iPad which is far better but not all teachers have that option - even those who do often have given it to their own children!

@margotsdevil, I don't really buy your argument whereby
some young people have the skills and motivation to record and inappropriately edit a teachers voice for example.
The same young people would have the same skills and motivation to do it anyway live from the physical classroom, and it isn't a good reason in any case to shut everyone off.
Moreover, in our case we are at primary level and in that setting the problem, if exists, would be much less severe.
Universities do it. I hear private schools do it. Even some state school do it (read up-thread).
Undoubtedly the kit are your disposal is poor (Teams comes to mind), so disregarding of the outcome of the covid situation, the government has to understand that if they can print money for everyone under the sun, schools should get some too (and it wouldn't have to be a huge extra burden).

I took John Swinney's remarks to be about the 20/21 school year. I am furious that blended learning for a year should be being considered. Politicians need to prioritise learning and find solutions that enable a full time, or as near as, return to education asap.

Not sure if it's been posted already, but there is q and a with John Swinney this week being run by National Parent Forum Scotland: www.npfs.org.uk/

You can email questions, so I urge anyone concerned about blended learning to do so.

I really hope it's not a whole year. How are working parents supposed to manage? We are lucky in that we can work from home for now. However I can't do my job and look after a pre schooler and try and get a primary aged to do school work. DH will have to go back on site at some point. Are people just expected to give up work? The only flexibility I have is to cut my hours but then that means less pay.

Education only affects me from the point of view of young people I might be employing, but what I'm reading here and in the press is so depressing. There are enough barriers getting young people to go into teaching, without them seeing the shambles that seems to be being proposed. I take my hat off to all you teachers, life is stressful enough for all of us just now, without adding this into your lives.

So much for education being the SNP priority.

A whole year? I could cry for our kids.

You can be sure the various business lobbying bodies wouldn't put up with being told they couldn't return to normal for a year.

Re-posting

www.change.org/p/nicola-sturgeon-consider-opening-scotland-s-primary-schools-without-social-distancing/c?source_location=petition_show

Please, spam all your family and friends with it ;)

EIS staring that even if the 1m rule is accepted at some point it would remain a 2m rule in schools- why?!! This is getting utterly ubsurd

@CaptainMerica yes, I could see that.

I'm lucky in that because of my job and my child's age childcare isn't an issue for me personally. I cannot imagine how other people will cope and it's going to impact so adversely on women in particular.

* EIS staring that even if the 1m rule is accepted at some point it would remain a 2m rule in schools- why?!! This is getting utterly ubsurd*

Yes, why on earth are the EIS saying this?!

It's quite the contrast to the article on Dutch schools.

Larry Flanagan saying he doesn't agree with the WHO recommendation of 1m!

Quote...

While some people have called for social distancing to be reduced from two metres to one metre, Mr Flanagan said that this would be a "mistake" - and added that the EIS would stick to current rules to avoid spreading the virus.

Boris Johnson, Nicola Sturgeon don't agree with the WHO then either.

So it's not that surprising a union leader doesn't either

So Larry Flanagan knows better than the WHO and holds the future of our kids education in his hands? No point complaining to him, he'll just say he's putting the health of his members first, which is of course his job. Fucks sake. I'm so pissed off.

I keep thinking that in August this will all magically go away? Master political stroke by the SNP to announce on 1st August that they've solved everything?

NS and BJ don't agree with the WHO at the moment but the quote from LF suggested that even if the political leaders change on this the EIS won't

I'd like to see the quote you're referring to