Scottish schools opening

[chocciechocface]

I was ready for schools opening, but this new research has given me pause for thought. I think this came out after Sturgeon's decision. What do you all think?

www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/07/31/georgia-children-covid-outbreak/#click=t.co/Y9gSG9zENz

Quote from the article:

"A new report suggests that children of all ages are susceptible to coronavirus infection and may also spread it to others — a finding likely to intensify an already fraught discussion about the risks of sending children back to school this fall.

The analysis, released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, details an outbreak at a sleep-away camp in Georgia last month in which 260 children and staffers — more than three-quarters of the 344 tested — contracted the virus less than a week after spending time together in close quarters. The children had a median age of 12. The camp had required all 597 campers and staff members to provide documentation that they had tested negative for the virus before coming. Staff were required to wear masks, but children were not."

Parents at our school were asked not to bunch around the school gate. So what did they do? Bunch around the school gate 'gassing', as DH put it. He said only he and one other parent maintained a distance. Everyone else - zero social distancing.

He said one member of staff had to be told by another to socially distance from parents, because she went straight in for an unmasked chat.

He also said one of the other teachers looked incredibly stressed, and admitted it to DH when DH asked - from a distance - how they were managing.

My ds is at secondary school so it was a case of stop the car and fling him out at the drop off point

I'm not sure why a mask at drop off (outdoors) is necessary if you plan to maintain social distancing... it's an indoors or proximity thing isn't it!

DH dropped off today, we stuck with the 1 adult only please thing. He said he kept his distance although I guess I should chuck a mask on in case my P1 needs to be pried off me (very unlikely at the moment... She's so sick of home and both parents!)

It was so busy it was impossible to distance...

No one at my DC's school was wearing a mask but any proximity was transient, similar to passing on a normal pavement. There were even cones to show 2m.

Also no mention on the info circulated so didn't even occur to me, and I don't take a bag, just keys...

Can imagine a full class (rather than the half of a composite I was part of) might be more difficult in some schools depending on external layout.

DD not back til Friday but as I said the emails make it sound same as before really. I will report back.

We're high school. One parent was wearing a mask. No DCs or teachers were. Parents were chatting with various degrees of social distancing.

DS said they started the day in a socially distanced classroom but when they moved to a class that wasn't socially distanced, the pupils asked the teacher why they weren't socially distanced. DS said the teacher waffled a bit (my words, not his - he wouldn't accuse a teacher of waffling )about age groups and school and not needing to do it but it would be good if they could try

We've been shielding. DS hasn't been in close proximity with anyone but DH and I. Now, he's expected to be in classes with up to 50 and in some cases with the entire year group. Not to mention the cross-contamination of moving to classrooms that have been used by every other year group too.

Doris are you sure about those numbers? Classes shouldn't be 50! And there should not be assemblies of over 50 either.
Are the pupils not wiping down desks and chairs before leaving (or on arriving) in the room?
You should let people know you are unsatisfied - the school, but most importantly politicians.

Does the limit on assembly size mean 50 in total including pupils and teachers? Or does it mean 50 pupils and as many adults as you like?
I have written to my politicians. So far none have replied but my MP is currently all over social media saying how wonderful John Swinney is and how great it is that the schools are back. I know education is devolved but the WM approach to schools seems to be impacting how it's being handled here.

so some kids who attend bannerman high school in Glasgow have tested positive although they haven't said how many kids or ages.

They are emphasising that they have not been back to school yet.

It does show that high school kids do get the virus though.

I'm getting more worried as the days progress even though I still want her to have a proper education. I'm torn now.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-53753856

Class sizes of fifty are illegal.

Pupils of any age do not have to social distanve but their teacher should be distanced from them.

Masks are not compulsory for anyone sadly.

Hand sanitizer everywhere and materials for class desks to be cleaned.

Day cleaner employed who goes round cleaning hotspots.

Not staggered lunches or starts or anything.

Corridors absolutely jam packed.

My experience of today!

Our school brought S1 in at 8.55 and S2 and S3 at 9.45am today. Tomorrow S1 will be in again at 8.55am plus S4, S5, S6 at 9.45am but not S2 and S3. Friday all year groups will be in at 8.55am

It's the lack of consistency and the lack of logic that I'm struggling with ... The many, many letters from school were quite contradictory so we thought we'd see how it played out in practise. @sonicbook I'm assuming you're a teacher. After seeing today, how do you and your colleagues feel about how this is being managed?

My s1 started today. Only them and s6 today. All year groups go on via different doors. Apparently some teachers are in mask, according to my son (who just repeats what people say to him) they are in a high risk age group and they were also told that Scotland is doing well with the virus

There is no indoor PE and no music/singing/assemblies.

They have to clean desks and workstations at the beginning and end of each period. Ate lunch outside as it was sunny. S1 - s3 don’t have to physically distance but s4 - s6 do. He’s back tomorrow along with s4 and s5 and my other son who is in s3 goes back along with s2 on Friday. That’ll be the whole school back.

Senga how is it possible for them to distance, if the whole year group is back? It just isn't.

@Mistressiggi

Senga how is it possible for them to distance, if the whole year group is back? It just isn't.

I have no idea. Mine are in s1 and s3 so I haven’t really given it any thought.

I don't know yet. I'm happily surprised about the day cleaner and the abundance of cleaning products and sanitizer but the idea of social distancing is impossible. The classrooms aren't big enough or well ventilated enough to keep away from the kids 2m at all times. Staff often also forget and are in each other's spaces.

I think in all honesty it's a recipe for disaster.

I’m so happy my boy is back with his peers and some kind of normality

Numbers are really low just now. I’m not saying there won’t be no cases in schools ever but kids wouldn’t SD anyway even if half the school were back. With 1 in 18000 people approx with the virus and no sign of it disappearing when exactly will it be “safe” to open schools do the posters who are against it think? We need to bite the bullet sometime.

My son had his induction when half of his s1 year group were in and they didn’t SD then. There is zero chance when half the whole school is in! Mind you my son is still 11 so doesn’t need to anyway I guess.

Senga unless your senior cohort is tiny (so only ten per class normally, for example) they simply won't be able to distance in the classroom, some info has been mixed up there.
We have several cases today of teenagers in one area testing positive. If this had happened next week not this, other teenagers and staff in their school would also be positive.
Against a backdrop of hearing that "children" cannot catch it, cannot spread it, this is really significant.

If half the school were back then the bulk of their day would be spent sitting a meter apart in the classrooms.
If all the school is back most of the day is spent with the shoulders of the children on either side basically touching them. Which is the option that parents and the government gave gone for.

I suppose some s6 /AH classes might be that small. As I said mine aren’t in the senior phase and all I am going by is what the letter from the council said. It’s as plain as day that kids won’t do it in the playground, corridors, at the start of the school day, going to and from school anyway regardless of how they are measured out to sit in class.

@SengaStrawberry the problem is that it doesn't take long for that figure to become out of control.

So I wasn't at work today and a work email pinged through saying that lunchtime needed rethought, so a new plan for tomorrow.

So at least the changes are being thought through and changed.