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

Did Devi Sridhar say 20 cases per day or overall? Because there's obviously a big difference, there's about 20 cases a day at the moment but over a week that's a more significant amount than 20 in total

NS saying now that blended learning is 'a contingency'?!

Oh for Pete’s sake, really?

Can't link it but it's in BBC news Scotland in the Live section at 13.14 (time)

yep the media have already picked up on her change of tune

Can she recover the votes she's now lost in time for the election?

fucking hope not. This shitstorm, plus the AS mess, and the care home mess, gender and everything else - they need voted out but there will likely still be those voting for them who only care about indyref.

I’ve lost faith in their ability to make full time schooling happen in August but we shall see.

THIS is why we can't plan anything. What is being asked of us is changing every bloody day. Imagine being in school all last week organising/setting up/planning....just to find out that it could all be for nothing again. Arghhhh. You couldn't make this shit up.

I’m not sure my stress levels can cope with this.
Feel for teachers and HTs trying to plan in this chaos.

I have neither the patience or talent to be a teacher, but I don't know how all you teachers are managing to deal with this. Guidance from government appears to be lacking, which seems to be why the local authorities are coming up with different proposals. Through my job, I deal with a number of authorities, and they're trying to pull together budgets to ask for funding, which is a task in itself when they're being given different spins on a daily basis from central government.

yep she could announce last minute its all back to normal

never mind the parents who have had to give up their jobs and/or lost their jobs over the summer

doesn't matter cause nicola got her saviour moment

It's time the SG just managed it all, not individual regions, which is a massive waste of time and effort for teachers and managers.

They should state clearly that schools will go back as normal if X criteria are met and plan for contingencies just in case. It is really getting ridiculous.

Yes, it is annoying that teachers' time is being occupied by this rather than setting adequate work for our children! Don't envy them.

Aberdeen (or shire) council leader guy I think it was said min £30m to run the blended learning?

FFS

@flamegame, I totally agree - why is education just expected to get on with it, without extra resources? Why do the SNP never prioritise education?

So pissed off at my council stating that pupils will be at school 33% of the time - except, it's not even this, because they have decided that Fridays don't count for some reason, so in effect it will be one day a week at school out of five, apart from once every three weeks, when it will be two days.

To everyone else who has suggested it, yes I am writing letters to every relevant elected representative, and will continue shouting about it at every available opportunity.

I have parked all the stuff that I was planning after the waste of my day that was yesterday. Did all my remote feedback and emails between 6.30 and 900 to bet at school sorting my classroom for the 33% model. Thanks to a tip off from the janny I stopped as the 50% model means pupil desks and chairs only in the room. Every inch of floor space is required. No filing cabinets, cupboards, trays and (loud sobs) book cases. So not a wee morning job ensuring all my surfaces are clear and can be wiped down, it's a blooming skip I will need.

Ideas I had for classes of ten on a 1 day in day 2 out rotation, I am too terrified to consider changing, as I fear , it will change again . I don't mean fear (for clarity) as in more kids in is bad just the absolute waste of time and energy.

I want to do energising, fresh lessons when I go back. My Dsis, who teaches in Australia, said she'd never seen kids so happy to be at school. I want to capture that and capitalise on it. Before we all resort to previous norms

Beats me @thereplycamefromanchorage the shops need to reopen because economy, but we can safely ignore all those job losses on the back of the school farce. Not to mention the long term effects of missing education...

Oh @Lidlfix your post made me happy! Hearing you do enthusiastic to see the class and enthuse them 😊

So, not do

when the councils have spent so much time, effort and money rearranging timetables, classrooms etc - will nicola say on the 10th August its all back to normal, and no, you're not getting a refund?

Genuinely, I cannot wait. There is so much going on that young people actually feel passionate about. If it wasn't such a shitstorm it would be a great time to be an English teacher. And I was told I could buy books. Before they said no paper,

I just read that River City will be back filming in August. If they can allow fucking River City then they’d better get moving on the schools.

@yogafailure absolutely. The last three days have been spent fitting my room and out department. I am actually physically wrecked. All I can think about is how things are set up for a model that may not go ahead. I have not even began to think about curriculum for August. SG say this time is to do that but you do not change the whole physical layout of a school in a day.
I worry about our SMT who are on their knees. They have been dealt an impossible hand. We can open, just, as long as childcare is available. What happens in schools if anyone receives a track and trace call is anyone’s guess. There is no capacity.

I desperately want my class back again so we can make a start on building our community again.

We are getting zero information on what our school is going to look like after the holidays. Our council has decided that each school can make its own arrangements which is fine for small schools with 40% occupancy and spare classrooms. Our ASG had a meeting and all they could decide was that pupils wouldn't need to wear uniform. Meanwhile the days are ticking down - after this week we will have 9 days in which to get all this put into place.

@AgentCooper

I just read that River City will be back filming in August. If they can allow fucking River City then they’d better get moving on the schools.

More bad news 😂

PKC here. Just off a zoom call with school. 2/days week for our primary.

What REALLY ground my gears is that there was only one man on the call (sat next to his wife). This really is a women’s problem. 🤬