Yes another schools thread (no apologies)

[sonicbook]

So. I really feel today like things are starting to go tits up.

Our school is hanging by a thread. 10 staff self isolating, 5 staff infected, approx 15 kids infected and about 180 self isolating. Another 110 kids voting with their feet and not attending.

This is not a 'should schools be open' post. Of course they should be open. It's a 'can they stay open' post.

I feel like today was the first time that I actually though 'shit' what's going to happen here?

Is this just my school? Please hit me with stories where it's all running smoothly!

I'm thinking secondary not primary. All our primaries in the cluster seem to be doing okay thankfully!

I posted about the numbers on the other covid thread yesterday, the numbers of pupils off schools at the moment seems to be huge but it doesn’t seem to be reflected in what I am hearing on the news or around Lanarkshire where I live

“ on Wednesday 4th November there were 23,511 pupils absent either for all or part of the school day because of COVID-19 related reasons”

Of course I can’t find the spreadsheet today but I think this might be a record, it is certainly similar to the numbers off at the end of August when loads of kids got colds and tests couldn’t be got for love nor money. You would think these numbers would be having a real impact on schools.

It is having a hidden impact. One or two pupils off isolating due to parents or a contact outside of school seems insignificant. Until the emails arrive "please provide work for x as they are isolating until y". Whilst planning and marking and delivering to pupils in class. And covering for colleagues who are isolating due to family members etc so it doesn't really feature in stats.

Very few confirmed cases but someone isolating in almost all my classes. Which leads you to think about where they sat and whether you got close to them or not.. it's very stressful. And yes the "please provide work" stuff is getting harder and more frequent

We've had one class isolate in the primary I work in. Part of it was over the holiday week. But otherwise despite numerous cases in the local area, we've been pretty ok in our school.

Attendance in nursery has been pretty much 99.9%. A few are falling into preschool jag time so they've been going for them and having the day off. But realistically we've had 1 child and 3 staff off with u related Covid illnesses.

We were doing really well and hadn't heard of a school case in town (9 schools i think). But over the weekend we've been notified of 3 cases (unconnected) so will be waiting to see what this week brings.

I spoke to soon as DS3 is now off until the twentieth as his guidance teacher tested positive, he is gutted as he cant do art exam work at home and was just getting going on one of his main pieces.

Oh, @Wbeezer that’s a shame

@Wbeezer - DD1 is off for exactly the same, guidance teacher, off until the 20th (although the test and protect text message said the 18th), PKC. Guessing the same school?

I was feeling hopeful that things were under control at our school until Sunday, when school notified us that she was a close contact of a teacher who tested positive. My partner is a high school teacher (different school, different council area), and they’ve had a slight uptick in cases this last week or two. Feeling a bit down about it all at the minute - there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight. Just waiting for either my partner or DD2 to be told to self-isolate next.

I thought because teachers were to stay 2m away from pupils, pupils shouldn't be affected if they have to self-isolate. I realise the in the lower primary contact may be inavoidable, but wouldn't have thought so in secondary.

Depends how big the classroom is and how many pupils are in it as to whether its easy for the teacher to stay distant

If you think it is possible in any school, it's been a while since you were in one.

We do our best but children cannot help gravitating towards you. My room was designed to take 20 I can have 33. I can stay in my 2 metre zone but when there have little control over pupils drifting towards me.

@NeverEnoughCats yes it must be the same school. I was feeling relatively relaxed until Sunday too. DS3 is doing his Highers and will not do as well as he should if theres a lot of disruption as he has ADHD and needs the structure of school. P&Ks numbers seem to be going up, im in Clacks and it's going down here but Fife and Perth are going up, maybe people were a bit too relaxed?

The 15minutes at least than 2m distance is cumulative so if you have the same class for half the day or a full day, which is how lots of secondaries have structured their senior timetables to restrict movement around the school and to minimise the number of different pupil groups interacting throughout the day then it would be difficult not to be counted as a contact

The advice we are being given is to wear a mask when circulating to the room to offer help but the mask doesn’t avoid us or others in the room being asked to self isolate in the event of a positive case in the class

We have just had an email to say our school has had another confirmed case. Only the fourth one since we returned after summer.

For this one they say "Due to the nature of this case and the timings there have been no close contacts within the school identified"

I assume whoever it is never came to school on Monday and got a positive test yesterday/today, and because they hadn't been in school in the previous 48hrs there are no contacts traced in school? Or is there likely to be another reason?

All pupils and teachers are wearing masks in school since last week.

@waitforitwaitforit

I thought because teachers were to stay 2m away from pupils, pupils shouldn't be affected if they have to self-isolate. I realise the in the lower primary contact may be inavoidable, but wouldn't have thought so in secondary.

Even when its possible, its not happening.

I'm sitting in the car park right now and just saw a class going out escorted by a teacher. Outdoors, plenty of space available, teacher (or adult I'm assuming is a teacher, only adult present) walking side by side with pupils.

We've got another case (4th since the weekend) here too. Not been notified by school yet, but DC told by their guidance teacher as it affects them (though not for isolating)

I thought a close contact was within two metres for fifteen minutes or more?

There seems to be confusion on this - I've heard three different definitions from three schools, all in the same authority!

@MistressIggi

If you think it is possible in any school, it's been a while since you were in one.

I am a teacher. And we have been told categorically that we are to stay 2 metres from pupils and they are to stay 2 metres from us. If that can't be maintained for any reason we are to put on a mask. It's not easy at all but I don't think SLT would be happy if a member of staff tested positive and had been in a position where we were less that 2 metres from a child, without a mask, for 15 minutes.

I’m sure that’s what it is for the app

Its within 1 metre for any amount of time and within 2 metres for 15 minutes. Those 15 minutes are cumulative though so a few minutes here and there adds up

“ I am a teacher. And we have been told categorically that we are to stay 2 metres from pupils and they are to stay 2 metres from us. If that can't be maintained for any reason we are to put on a mask. It's not easy at all but I don't think SLT would be happy if a member of staff tested positive and had been in a position where we were less that 2 metres from a child, without a mask, for 15 minutes“

But the mask doesn’t change anything, even wearing it you can be asked to self isolate if a pupil tests positive

I know in some of my classes there are some pupils who ask for help more often than others and I can see how it would be possible in a double or triple period where I spend 2 minutes here helping with a question and another 3 minutes there on another one and so on that I could feasibly reach 15 minutes of less than 2m contact quite easily.

I’m not suggesting that teachers are standing next to pupils for 15 minutes continuously

It’s hard. I would love to say I would just ask pupils to come to my desk and stand 2m away while they ask for help. But some of them wouldn’t want to draw attention to themselves and if I’m not moving around the room, how would I know if they need help if they won’t ask?

And yet, we are still supposed to support students and discipline students and build relationships - all from a box at the front? Mine walk through the box to get to their seats, and again when they need a pencil etc. They walk less than 2m from me in the corridor. They come right up to tell me they need the toilet. I can't hear what they're saying through the masks sometimes and need to move a little closer.
I wear a mask anytime closer than 2m but as a pp said, they don't affect being identified as a close contact.
And let's face it it's all nonsense anyway as the virus can travel more than 2m.

@MistressIggi

And yet, we are still supposed to support students and discipline students and build relationships - all from a box at the front? Mine walk through the box to get to their seats, and again when they need a pencil etc. They walk less than 2m from me in the corridor. They come right up to tell me they need the toilet. I can't hear what they're saying through the masks sometimes and need to move a little closer. I wear a mask anytime closer than 2m but as a pp said, they don't affect being identified as a close contact. And let's face it it's all nonsense anyway as the virus can travel more than 2m.

See, that was always my opinion. I just thought if we're open, we're open, and I'll teach properly. But was then told by a deputy to stay the hell away, basically, and the kids told me that the vast majority of teachers are effectively lecturing teaching from a box at the front.