When are we going back to school 2

[RaraRachael]

New thread as the last one was getting full. Feel free to discuss, moan, speculate on anything to do with Scottish schools and what may/not be happening.

You know, the first time MumofHunter referenced @YonBonnieBanks by using Yoon instead of Yon, I thought it was an accident, but it seems not.

It was saved from before.

All my banky / tax friends in the private sector have been told they will be working from home in the long term. Most have created office spaces at home because of this.

Dh got told today (IT) it will likely be 1 day a week in the office from September if he wants. Generally it's going to be wfh until the New Year at the earliest though.

I do think S6 and possibly S5 should be able to cope with blended learning, would help them learn useful skills for further education. Certainly in my first degree, I was only "taught" 8 hours a week and it was definitely a culture shock.

I wonder about visors for primary teachers, given the importance at lower primary especially of seeing mouth movements/shapes. I know people have mixed feelings about them but better than nothing. Dh's work now has hand sanitizer attached to the wall in every room, I don't see why that couldn't happen in schools especially those with limited toilets. I believe there are some which aren't alcohol based.

Then staggered start times to stop the whole school being in the corridor at once based on year group.

@Dinosauratemydaffodils I was at an outdoor garden of a historic house yesterday. There were hand sanitizer stations everywhere. I agree there’s no reason not to have them in schools. Only the cost will stop it

reported those posts for personal attacks and doxxing

Its also a shame that people are not bothering to read my posts properly and deliberately misunderstanding / misquoting me.

what exactly does 'increased surveillance' mean

Ah personal attacks. Or people disagreeing with your constant attacks and cliches about teaching and schools and biting back.

I had my suspicions about one of the posters here and it is definitely someone I know in real life. I wont say which username but Hi Emma.

I agree with Lidl - one poster in particular on this thread seems to be determined to take a negative view and would appear to think the worst no matter what anyone says.

But it's probably best to ignore her (or him) as they're derailing this thread which is about genuine concerns that both parents and teachers have and how they should be addressed.

She (or he) is not worth it.

@YonBonnieBanks

No PPE whatsoever in my public sector organisation. No word on social distancing either. Although we are currently WFH but they are phasing us back into the workplace and we still don't really know what is expected of us or what the layout will be.

All I know is that the customer facing staff (and possibly more at risk!) are going back first. More information may come though but definitely no PPE so don't think another public sector organisation gets it better than teachers do.

And not all pupils can wear masks. My friend's daughter is hearing impaired, dyspraxic and autistic but in a mainstream school. She would really struggle with masks but as long as the teachers think it makes them safer!

What PPE do you think you need at your work?

@Dinosauratemydaffodils

All my banky / tax friends in the private sector have been told they will be working from home in the long term. Most have created office spaces at home because of this.

Dh got told today (IT) it will likely be 1 day a week in the office from September if he wants. Generally it's going to be wfh until the New Year at the earliest though.

I do think S6 and possibly S5 should be able to cope with blended learning, would help them learn useful skills for further education. Certainly in my first degree, I was only "taught" 8 hours a week and it was definitely a culture shock.

I wonder about visors for primary teachers, given the importance at lower primary especially of seeing mouth movements/shapes. I know people have mixed feelings about them but better than nothing. Dh's work now has hand sanitizer attached to the wall in every room, I don't see why that couldn't happen in schools especially those with limited toilets. I believe there are some which aren't alcohol based.

Then staggered start times to stop the whole school being in the corridor at once based on year group.

I'd rather wear a visor than a mask (if I had to wear something). As you say, then pupils could see our faces, it wouldn't muffle speech so much and would be much more comfortable.

Perspex screens at teachers' desks would also be a good option but there's no way the LA would pay for them, imo.

I'd like councils to be putting in outdoor classrooms to support the increased outdoor learning when we go back. My youngest 's nursery has done this over the summer and it looks great .

I love the idea of outdoor classrooms but sadly our Scottish weather just wouldn’t make this a realistic option.

Looking out of my window currently to rain and wind , and this is July.

Maybe in primary, but in secondary the paper would blow away.

YonBonnieBanks

No PPE whatsoever in my public sector organisation. No word on social distancing either. Although we are currently WFH but they are phasing us back into the workplace and we still don't really know what is expected of us or what the layout will be.

All I know is that the customer facing staff (and possibly more at risk!) are going back first. More information may come though but definitely no PPE so don't think another public sector organisation gets it better than teachers do.

And not all pupils can wear masks. My friend's daughter is hearing impaired, dyspraxic and autistic but in a mainstream school. She would really struggle with masks but as long as the teachers think it makes them safer!

Working from home and not knowing what measures will be put are in is not the same as not having any/ unable to SD etc.

Clearly as in most other scenarios some people are exempted from mask wearing. That doesn't mean the majority can't. By that logic no one should wear masks in shops either.

@prettybird noted and thanks .From now on I will not engage with attempts to derail and stick to replying to posts about genuine concerns.

I’d love there to be wider spread outdoor classroom provision in primary. Most are unfortunately funded by schools themselves and with the support of Parent Councils. This means it can take a long time to raise the money to create them, or schools do it over lots of years. We have a set a waterproofs we use with classes so can and do go outside in poor weather.

it was a PP who said other public sectors get PPE and I was pointing out that we don't.

@YonBonnieBanks

it was a PP who said other public sectors get PPE and I was pointing out that we don't.

Some do. 🤷🏻‍♀️

There shouldn't be any need for outdoor classrooms or even busy indoor classrooms if schools concentrated on teaching the important subjects and not things like RE, cosmetology and fashion.

Perhaps the important subjects could be taught and other subjects like RE could be done online? And the more vocational subjects could end up being dropped completely and left to colleges (when they leave school, if they want to do that career)

What time is JS statement?

That would depend what public sector you are in doesn't it. I'm fairly sure lots of NHS staff got ppe. If you have SD you don't need it do you.

You also said there was no sd in the your service when you are working from home and by your own admission don't know/ have not been informed what SD arrangements are in place for your return to workplace yet. Then you suggested this was proof that public services don't get it better than teachers.

Most school staff have worked in schools with no ppe but with SD in place and even voluntarily worked over Easter and half term.

It is only when we have been stripped of protections other workplaces have that we have said it could be unsafe.

@britINscotland - I'm not sure if you're being serious or not but fashion would only be taught during a topic lesson , for example The Swinging Sixties.

Although I'm not sure why or how the subject being taught would mean there are less pupils in a classroom?

RE (not called that up here) is a very important part of the Curriculum for Excellence. Not sure why you think it is - that's one I've heard of, haven't heard of your other examples being taught in schools! If there is a "fashion" subject it would be an option so pupils who have chosen to take a national qualification in it - don't think they'd think it fair just to drop it.
I was up for visors too until I saw the case study from Switzerland (was it linked to on this thread?) where staff in a hotel had a cluster of the virus, no staff wearing masks caught it and lots of staff in visors did.

isn't

@MumofHunter why are you always so hostile to everyone? Is it my username perhaps?

Fashion and Textiles is a course option in secondary in the 2010s funnily enough. So maybe its yourself that's out of touch?

I think if schools reverted to concentrating on the important subjects, they could therefore have more classrooms available for SD, more teachers and more time to catch up on the important subjects.