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

Well that's a start!
It's the snogging when they all get back together that worries me!

That's the best argument in favour of face masks I have seen

I nearly always lift my mask for snogging.

😃 ds is only 12 so better be none of that!

Mine too Mascotte, I think you'd be surprised

😱😱😂

I leave mine on DH is a front line worker in an environment where social distancing is not always possible.

I had my first snog at 12. But there wasn't a lock down to foil my plans.

DD is 12 and has had a boyfriend. Not happy about it but that's a whole other story and don't want to derail the thread.

I'm torn between thinking Boris is moving way too fast and Nicola is moving way too slow.

I don't want a second wave, nor do I want to go back to my shitty job, but surely its not safe to all go back to normal either?

We need something in the middle but I'm not sure what 'the middle' is.

I think I'd much rather they prioritized education over fucking pubs.

Depends what you mean by safe. For me, the level of new infections where people have been tested is very very low, a lot of those are not going to be in the community either. The chances of catching it are very tiny. The chances of being discernably ill are even smaller. The risk of serious illness or death for the vast majority of the population is minute. You are at far greater risk from many other things.

We need to ensure that we do our best to protect our vulnerable people and honestly, the rest of us should be going about our business with increased hygiene measures but otherwise as normal.

I think intermittent lock downs are something we will probably experience for much of our near future. I think pandemic will be the new war and the new weapon.

Wax I would agree with you but for the fact I was fairly seriously ill with covid 19, still have symptoms and have gone from being a fit and active, working single mother to wondering if I am going to be left with a chronic condition to manage. Nobody knows.

Of course I was infected (goodness knows how as I was not in my workplace since 10 March) around the time of lockdown, so peak infection and community transmission. So I agree that the risks are a good deal less now (not least as there is testing available more quickly) and will hopefully be much lower in August. But until we know for sure there won’t be a second wave, I do not really have a problem with some form of socially distanced schooling (I do not want it again, that is for sure). For many people, it is really not a mild illness. But that is not something I particularly want to have an argument about; people have different views based on their own experiences.

I think the problem for me is with the fact that twelve weeks seem to have gone by with no real planning for what this socially distanced schooling should be and the government are making it up as they go along. Nicola Sturgeon is really quite patronising if she really has broken it down into a FACTS acronym and tapped her head that we all need to get this into our heads, as the Guardian reported. We are not children.

There was a piece I saw linked to in the Herald today which was discussing how inconsistent the government's advice is. Yes children can play together in a playground, no they can't sit together in school.

I think they have been completely caught off guard with how strongly people have responded to their plans for part-time school. When Swinney spoke last Sunday that it would be "likely" for the whole academic year, the internet exploded with rage. MSPs receiving irate emails from thousands of parents who would never usually email a MSP and make a fuss. A Facebook group created on 11th June grew to almost 6000 members in 10 days.

All this week they've been back-pedalling frantically saying they never actually meant likely and that really it was only ever a contingency plan, and that Nicola wants nothing more than all the kids back full time. Believe that if you like.

In the last week:

Northern Ireland have dropped social distancing for schools to 1m
More evidence that children are far less likely to spread to adults
Alert level dropped to 3 UK-wide
Scotland starts Phase 2 reopening
Health expert says when daily infections are under 20 (currently at 21) no justification for social distancing in schools

Given that there are still 8 weeks until schools reopen, and that infections will continue to decrease over the summer, there is no reason that schools just can't open full time in August.

We have had ZERO from East Dunbartonshire. I have three children who will be in secondary, my current P7 has no idea who will be in his class as we've had no transition events since February. I have no idea whether they are proposing that my kids all go on the same days, separate days, mornings, afternoons.... Luckily they can all get themselves to and from school themselves but for other parents it's a logistical nightmare.

I was thinking about social distancing just now.

I wonder if it could be something like:

2m indoors
1m outdoors (beer gardens and other outdoor businesses)
1m in schools

This would reflect the lower infection rate in children and in outdoor environments

1 m won't have schools back at full capacity. My classroom , newish PFI school they are cheek by jowl and the closest desk to me would be about 1m not the 2m that is recommended for adults to adopt.

Please note I am not objecting to anything, or disagreeing just stating what my knowledge of many modern school buildings is.

That seems quite sensible, @nextslideplease . I think there is a big difference between primary and secondary though. Some evidence that 1m is fine for under 10s, but for 16 year olds, I'm not sure that is the case. So maybe 1m primary, 2m secondary unless wearing masks.

They have an acromym with "two meters" in it now though. They've probably printed posters and everything. Can't see it changing soon.

@Lidlfix do you have any insider knowledge when the Stirling schools will issue timetables? I'm hoping it's next week

Do no schools have individual desks any more? Surely a whopping big order of the American style ones would solve a lot of problems.

Neither DDS primary or high school has individual desks. It's always tables

I wish they’d go back to desks anyway. Fewer distractions.

I have nothing bad at all to say about my childrens’ school but they posted a photo of the classroom in facing the front rows and it looked so much better for learning than the tables. No distractions as you say.

The whole setup would make me anxious- it’s overcrowded, hot, the ceilings are oppressively low, there is no personal space, bright coloured and posters/work over every inch of the walls and even the windowpanes. My child comes out of school like a coiled spring and it kills me. No account is taken of easily stimulated, sensitive children.

I wish people/media would start distinguishing more between primary and secondary schools. So many different risks depending on which one. Children in primary may well be lower risk, though find it hard to understand SD. Staff in primary have more risk from adults than staff in secondary, due to children being collected by parents. Staff in secondary have more risk from other staff as can easily be over 100 in the school. Many secondary are young adults, and are more risk to each other and to staff. Rooms do not allow for social distancing of even 1m.
Schools are a workplace as well as being a place of learning and staff in them should be entitled to SD while such rules are in force in the rest of the country.

Stoorie our heidie gave us a sneak peek at the plans for 50% model late yesterday. Still to be ratified but the hopes to share with parents early this week. My Dsis Parent Council at a different school has a very different but still 50% model. Transport is a key factor. Some schools small catchment areas land little transport needed and then an other with just about the full school on buses.

My own timetable with classes and lists I have began to look upon as a fabled, mythological being that will be delivered by a pixie on the back of a unicorn.

Is it not possible for teachers to stay in one classroom, and to sit behind a screen? They can leave the classroom after the children have left.

Hahahahaha @Lidlfix. Hopefully parents will hear next week then. DDs school only has one area that are bussed in I think. Schools like at Modan's will be having a hellish time organising busses I would imagine.

I had a text from the school saying DS was in Group 2 so was in on a Weds and Thurs, yesterday had another one to say it’s changed to Thurs and Fri.

Vunerable pupils on a Weds morning and Weds afternoons teachers NCCT time as they are struggling with teacher numbers.