Does a rota make sense?

[DoubleAction]

Now the dust is settling it seems most schools will be operating on a skeleton staff on some sort of rota basis. Probably with vulnerable staff and parents of young children not included?

Whilst that seems the fairest way to do it does it make sense from a disease control pov? We're exposing all staff when we could just expose a few? Maybe it should be the same group of staff for 14 days at a time (for as long as they are well) or something else?

I don't think you have a choice but to exclude vulnerable staff. If it really leaves you so short you need to enlist the help of the LA and they will direct staff from other schools to support you.

Physalia Have you thought about pooling resources with other schools in your area? You can’t make vulnerable staff come in!

Out of my department of 6 I will be the only one actually going to school on Monday, all others are working from home.

My school has divided the whole staff into four teams and we'll be doing one week in four on repeat. I'm first up so working all next week then three weeks working from home then in again for a week.

Physalia schools shouldn’t be doing this on their own, LAs should be arranging hubs or schools banding together.

My MAT has arranged this within the MAT, and told secondary staff that they may need to be redeployed to primary schools as they will have proportionally more kids in.

I agree. I'm support but would rather have the next two weeks off then go in for the Easter holidays

Our LA has totally jumped ship on the arranging hubs. Our Head is trying to get in contact with our local secondary, but understandably they've been too busy to reply.

Our Head's done a great job in terms of weeding out the piss-takers, she said once a couple of them realised it wasn't going to be personalised learning and basically 1:1 tuition, they suddenly found their WFH partners would be able to look after their child after all. She also pointed out to a couple of teachers that by taking their children to their own school, they'd be limiting the contact with different clusters of germs. I don't know how that stands with people but it makes sense to me.

The vulnerable staff bit is going to be interesting. Hopefully next week we'll have a clearer idea of what's available locally and we'll have a better plan. I think when it's clear what will happen to our children we will be able to self-isolate with a clear conscience. It's the thought that you're Not Doing Your Bit that's keeping us all in because the NHS workers are working so hard, at personal risk, to keep other people alive.

We're one week on and two weeks off. Seems sensible at the moment as everyone gets a break(we're working over Easter), plus at home for 14 days just in case. Head also said that depending on numbers if we're not needed we can be at home.

Our LA has totally jumped ship on the arranging hubs.

They might be told to get their act together when schools working individually have to close and key workers lose out.

This was arranged all so quickly that I expect things to change even by the end of Monday once we know whose kids are in, and more teachers get coughs over the weekend.

We are doing one week on, two weeks off. This is meant to be the safest option.

Only staff not included are pregnant/ other high risk groups.

I think you're right noble.

We have been told we are all in, also expected to work a minimum of 50% of our contracted hours. Seems to be against all advice to limit contact if at all possible. Other schools in my area are doing a rota.

My school has arranged it so that secondary students and those from our MAT primaries will all be on the secondary site with staff from all three schools.

Staff are coming in on a rota basis- including support staff, but I assume excluding vulnerable staff. Because of staff numbers and the expected number of students, we're currently in 5 teams with an SLT member on each team- each team will do one week on, one week on call and then 3 weeks off initially. Staff at home expected to set work for those coming into school that week if possible and respond to emails etc during the school day.

I think this is pretty fair, and means that there is cover if a group is exposed etc.

I know other schools have asked for volunteers, but I'm not sure how this will work if lots of volunteers end up self isolating, or if they don't get enough. I think the rota is fair to everyone.

We're also covering holidays and bank holidays, but allowed to take 2 weeks one day off on our non-rota'd weeks when we aren't expected to set work etc.

We are in groups with each group working one week out of three.

The schools need so much more guidance on how this should be happening. DH's headteacher hasn't even interpreted the self isolation procedure on NHS website and 111 correctly.

Our MAT has every primary open. I think that is a mistake and a better idea would be one school with one TA and one teacher from each school looking after their ‘own’ kids (numbers dependant). That way they could do 7 days in, 14 off more easily and extend that to cleaners/chefs etc. We aren’t going to be using SIMS/Arbor etc to record the children, so admin staff could rotate as well. Having 6 schools open with 30-40 in each school doesn’t make sense to me.

We're on a rota but only doing one day in the next two weeks at the moment, may change as numbers of students settle or if staff have to be off. I prefer that to being in every day for the next two weeks as its only one day of exposure.

My school has got 5 teams, each doing a day each. Wanted to ask if we had considered temperature screening but judging by the ridiculous rota system I dont think any body has done any thinking at all....

I think everyone is trying to do their best. I Have a toddler my husband ( also a key worker - but not what I would describe as a critical worker) is going to have to take unpaid leave to enable me to go in and do my bit. Schools may not have got it quite right they they are not experts and doing it at very short notice.

5 teams doing a day each!😱 So everyone at risk?! One week on, two weeks off makes much more sense regarding incubation etc

We got teams of 12 staff, including 2 SLT. Each are staying in those teams and each team will be 2 days on and 8 days off. The days will be consecutive.

I've just read the routine and protocol for the days staff are in and it's very hygiene related.

It's a big school and one half of it has been deep cleaned over the weekend. 3 learning spaces have been allocated within there, for the next 2 days. When the next team arrive on Wednesday, they will move to another 3 spaces which have been deep cleaned again. I believe this will go on, until it's over.

Just had news from school, that the ratio is 1:1! Literally 12 students.

What worries me is that we have 1500 students. I hope the rest of them are staying at home.