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."

*stop the spread

Many of the classrooms in the PFI schools were simply never designed to take 30. It is a real squeeze to get them all in and non certificate classes can be 33. They were never designed for rows facing the front either and the front rows are nothing like 2 metres from teachers even if we cling to the wall.

The problem is that schools very often make you feel bad if you keep your children off with colds etc, they fall behind, no one will tell you what to do to help them keep up and their attendance is marked as cause for concern so if teachers want parents to keep children at home when they are sick maybe they should have a wee think about how to change that. I do keep mine off more than most with bugs etc as I’d rather look after them but I do get made to feel bad about it

Genuine interest Good - who makes you feel bad and what sort of things do they say? I hate attendance rewards and the like as not falling ill is largely luck. I am only asked to keep an eye out for attendance dropping below 90% but that is so the pastoral team can offer support not criticism. Providing work for children who are off sick is part and parcel of planning and everything is on my Google Classroom now. My DD's school similar. We are going on holiday for 3 weeks in the middle of November can you provide the next three weeks work is not quite so easy to accommodate.

I realise the digital platforms aren't much use to a P1 etc and cultures and ethos vary greatly.

It depends on the ethos of the school @lidlfix We had one HT and pastoral head who constantly called us and told us we had to bring DC to school even though for every sickness absence - DC had either been sent home by the school or had been seen by a GP. No processes in place for work that was missed. I was constantly calling, emailing, chasing. DC is under consultant care. It still wasn't enough. Change of HT and the attitude to sickness absences completely changed - much more understanding and supportive.

I have been lucky as a parent and professional. Glad to hear a change of management brought a more compassionate approach. Hope that continues for you and DC.

DS just came home from school freezing! It's an absolute storm here today and the school is insisting that windows have to be open, so all the kids on his table (under the window) had to huddle up for warmth...

We get told off if we don't have all the windows fully open as the risk assessment was made on the basis of all possible measures to provide ventilation. And the door open, with no door stop much hilarity as the door bangs shut in gust and I jump. Every time.

Yes they are the same. Hadn't really banked on the weather being so bad so soon!

I haven't followed our normal rules of asking for jackets to be removed. If a depute wants that to happen they can ask/tell the pupils them self , quite happy to have the chat about why I haven't whilst donning my emergency coatigan .

I was freezing in the P1 classroom today. I'm thinking I need to get a jumper to wear in class. My cardigan wasn't doing it today x

I feel the cold dreadfully. I think I may end up teaching in one of the incredibly attractive hi vis yellow playground duty coats if this winter gets cold.

On the plus side, no one has lost their jumper yet!!

My nursery kit is much better. Warm coat, layers under my waterproof trousers and good warm dry boots. But it would be like the abominable snowman to wear all that in P1. Nursery is an outdoor one.

my son came home thoroughly miserable .. he had pe outside in the tipping rain.. and of course there are no showers at the moment and the classrooms are freezing..

I am not sure how long they can keep this up in Scotland!

PE today was a bit much

Secondary?

our school won't do outdoor PE if it's raining heavily. One of the other schools in the LA did have it today and several parents were complaining as their kids were wet and cold and couldn't get changed

Hope that continues for you and DC
Thank you. I do too.

Decisions on PE rest with the teacher in our school. DS was complaining one class had it cancelled whilst his class had to brave the weather.

No PE here as the playground flooded.

Ah, Scottish summertime...

On the plus side, no one has lost their jumper yet!!

In all the photos we're getting on seesaw, ds is the only one minus a jumper. He's like me, we don't feel the cold. So far at least he's bringing it home with him though.

I have fond memories of playing outdoor hockey in cold rain, on a puddle ridden red blaze pitch in a gym skirt and t-shirt. 🏑🥶

Wasn't too bad when you were out playing but coming back in and changing quickly, no towels or showers, for our next class was horrible.

With restricted indoor PE and Scottish weather it is going to be tough for kids doing their PE NAT5s and HIGHERS this year.

Oh this was storm level stuff though; horizontal rain and afoot of standing water in the playground. Otherwise DS would have been outside, he cried with disappointment, he was so excited for outside PE

I loved cross country in the rain even though it felt like millions of little icy needles attacking your legs Sadly DS has inherited his DF's dislike of being out in all weathers. 🌧

I like running in the rain too; you stay much cooler and there's nobody else around

True We had some lovely lockdown walks in the rain and it was always very quiet.

Are any Scottish schools checking temperatues? There's an article in The Times saying some English schools are doing temp checks as standard every morning.

Apparently there is are parents at our school who have vehemently objected to this. Something about infra red and brain cancer etc....