Educated guesses when schools will reopen

[frasersmummy]

Just that really

What do you think might be a realistic re-opening date.
Am I being optimistic thinking after the February break
I know no one has a crystal ball just looking for people's thoughts

Mondaywine do you not have an EIS rep? That’s not what the guidelines say at all.

I've never once had any information to say my primary children need to socially distance in school, P6 and P2, neither of them have tape round the teachers desk. I wouldn't mind if they did but I'd like to know what the classroom set up was like. We've been informed of all the other measures in place such as handwash regime, one way system, dining arrangements etc. We were even told the one way system was not for the children as they don't need to social distance 🤷‍♀️.

The teachers do wear masks when in corridors, when working with other staff and when in very close proximity to a child E.g. Medical care.

Question for the teachers. How do you feel about the kids sitting in rows?

My DS who is easily distracted seemed to get on better with it. But I can't decide if it's the teacher (I do think she's brilliant), the rows, or if he's grown up.

On the day that DSs teacher is in school she won't be available to answer questions on line but work will still be set and the other P5 teacher is available.

So the kids always have access to a teacher even if one day it's not their teacher.

We don't have taped off areas but wear masks in corridors and when in close proximity to children.
Every teacher I know hates working with pupils in rows. There isn't room to walk between the rows and with younger ones, you can't have a space in front of the board and the screen.

So space wise rows don't work. I never thought about that. I thought the kids might be less distracted by not having someone opposite them.

I'll confess I think its mine who causes the distraction rather than him being distracted by others doing the distracting.

I do think children who want to distract will find a way, no matter how you seat them or arrange the desks!

Probably true but I think it maybe gives less opportunity to try talking to other kids if they have their back to you. Also easier for them to ignore, forcing him to get on with it.

I know most people don't like to think their child is the distractor. Lots seem to think distractor kids should be chucked out and forgotten about really they do need to learn.

I can talk about the importance of education until I'm blue in the face but I can't stop him being distracted.

It is interesting when you see clips of overseas children in class they are all looking very studious. Ok your are only seeing a snapshot but they all sit in rows.

I love rows and agree they help with discipline and focus. They are not well received by the powers that be though. Definitely not seen as best practice.

Dolly what is the reason why those at the top don't like them?

I think rows might work with older children but not little ones.
Our rows are so close together that they are in easy reach of those in front of them and behind so there's always somebody to chat to or distract.
I hate it

My P3 class had ancient desks, with inkwells and seat attached. They were in rows, probably because of the actual desks wouldn't work in groups.
As a child it just wasn't something I actually thought about. But I don't remember anything negative about it. Maybe that's a kid thing of just accepting things.

We had those desks. Still grateful to the rest of my class for not telling on me the day I lost my temper and slammed the lid down on the desk when the teacher had her back to us writing on the board. There was a LOT of telling off of the whole class. When we were in groups in Infants I got sent out regularly for too much chatting (also in every single report card). I can confirm desk layout does not resolve disruptive behaviour.

My DM also had those desks. The boys behind her dipping her plaits in the inkwells was a problem.

DD and her class seem to cope equally well with rows and groups but it is an old school with relatively large rooms and the class is not full.

@ItsIgginningtolooklikelockdown

I do think children who want to distract will find a way, no matter how you seat them or arrange the desks!

It's a long time since I was at school, but the classrooms with least disruption were single (exam style) desks in rows. I remember the same class, same teacher, in different classroom styles, and the times we were in the single desk classrooms were the times when disruption was minimised.

With my son, who's just left secondary school last year, we were quite impressed to see lots of classrooms had single desk configurations too, so it's obviously not completely out of fashion these days.

They want to see children working together, in pairs and in groups, and lots of very interactive lessons, and group seating arrangements obviously make that easier. Rows harks back to the old chalk n talk.

Any chance of proposed dates being announced today or will it just be another review in a few weeks time

I think she'll announce that we're closed for another 2-3 weeks after Feb 1st. Although I feel that the likelihood is that we'll be shut till Easter, I don't think she will announce that long a closure in one go.

I'm praying they will reopen primary schools after the Feb mid term break. Do you think that's likely or will both primary and secondary go back at the same time?

Easter

Mid February at the earliest with possibly a phased return after that - to be reviewed in 2 weeks apparently

I’m going to be very surprised now if they’re back this school year

I understood her annoucment today that the hope is mid Feb.. she wll review it on the 2n but she is planning for mid Feb

Bear in mind by then she will be ramping up for an election .. she will want parents on side

@frasersmummy

I understood her annoucment today that the hope is mid Feb.. she wll review it on the 2n but she is planning for mid Feb

Bear in mind by then she will be ramping up for an election .. she will want parents on side

Yeah, but before that the hope was the start of Feb, and before that the hope was mid-Jan. I don’t feel they have massive credibility here for dates they claim they are planning for.

I took it to be more likely that we might get early years mid feb if very lucky - I'm not seeing a big bang all schools open by then

Possible phased return from then.. it’s not sounding promising