Will social distancing just not apply to schools...

[Davincitoad]

So all this government chatter about opening schools with ‘social distancing’ does anyone else feel like the bottom line will just end up being ah well we can’t do it so business as usual? The science seems to change to fit what they want to happen. I can’t physically space out 30 kids nor could we teach them at the same time in different rooms as I don’t have enough staff for the subject. Is anyone else just really scared that we are being thrown under the bus here? Would you wear PPE? I have openly said I would and have been called all sorts of names on other forums.

I’m not a teacher and have an under 5 who’s continued going to nursery as in a single parent/key worker. Due to the nature of my work, there is very little social distancing and we aren’t using ppe, however crucially I think, we don’t have the huge number of contacts that teachers have. My child’s nursery staff are using masks and dd was very frightened initially but quickly got used to it.

I think the answer is part time education for the children of all non key workers/vulnerable children to both minimise the risk and allow teachers to teach smaller numbers.

Part time education from sept I mean, not now.

Part time would be 1 day a week to keep my class at social distancing levels. I teach 30 very small children. I could probably enforce social distancing with 6 in my class if I was also allocated a TA to help me monitor hand washing and break times.

For all the talk of ‘Denmark is opening schools therefore we could soon too’, Denmark is expecting all lessons to take place outside with 2m between each pupil.

Shame the UK sold off all the playing fields.

But one day a week would be better than nothing wouldn’t it. At least every child would be seen and have some high quality input. I just don’t think opening full time for 30 odd children in every class is feasible for the foreseeable future but worry about hidden safeguarding issues and the gap between those who are supported at home and those that aren’t widening further and further,

I wouldn't be surprised OP, if the government does do exactly that. Those of us working in prisons forcexanole can't successfully socially distance either and there is zero PPE but we are told just carry on, its only the flu

*for example

@Zogsbigsister I would be delighted with getting my class back in groups of 6 one day a week. They might actually be able to get some decent individualised input!

I wouldn't wear PPE- I don't think the kids would like it at all (we're SEN though). I'd want to though. There's no way we could do social distancing, our kids have no concept of that and the school is absolutely tiny.

There's 1000 kids in my school (secondary) so it would be impossible, not just in classrooms and corridors but on the public transport that many use to get to school

For all the talk of ‘Denmark is opening schools therefore we could soon too’, Denmark is expecting all lessons to take place outside with 2m between each pupil.

And stringent cleaning/testing regime as well as only allowing 10 to a class including the teacher.

I work in a school that has 1400+ students but was probably designed to accommodate half that number! Social distancing will simply not be possible. As for classes of 10 like in Denmark, where are all the extra staff supposed to come from? We will be down in numbers anyway due to the number of staff in the shielding group, plus those who inevitably develop a cough/temp and have to self isolate. I expect it will be a case of govt announcing we are to reopen at a few days notice and schools will be left to work out the details.

We will be down in numbers anyway due to the number of staff in the shielding group, plus those who inevitably develop a cough/temp and have to self isolate. I expect it will be a case of govt announcing we are to reopen at a few days notice and schools will be left to work out the details.

What will happen, if the government don’t plan this properly, is they’ll announce one day that schools will open the following Monday. If this is before the 12 weeks that vulnerable people were told to be off for, there will be huge panic. All the pregnant teachers who were originally told they shouldn’t be at school are now actually not on the ‘shielded list’ and will panic. For them to go back into this situation (having just seen that pregnant person die)-I expect no head will want them back and if they did, the GP would sign them off. The same with other people on that original list. Stress levels will be through the roof.

Without the shielded people, the pregnant people and the vulnerable people who are still greatly at risk, many schools will not have enough staff. The next thing they would do, is heads would ALL immediately be on the phone to the supply agencies and just like before the schools closed, there are no supply teachers left because all schools are doing the same thing.

Then, many schools can’t reopen or can only reopen to certain year groups, or can only reopen with classes of 50 with teaching assistants. Some parents won’t mind that as all they want is childcare. Most wont be happy and it’ll be all over social media.

It has to be planned carefully or it will chaos. I know the director of education for my county is in regular contact with the DfE and has offered to be part of talks about the reopening process, but they haven’t been taken up on the offer yet. Either,... because the DfE don’t want advice, they aren’t planning anything yet so think there is no hurry, or they already have a plan. You decide!

What will happen, if the government don’t plan this properly, is they’ll announce one day that schools will open the following Monday.

This is fully what I’m expecting to happen. We are not trusted to know details in advance and no one gives a thought to how big a task it will be to organise timetables and staffing, let alone cleaning and social distancing measures.

@noblegiraffe

Maybe it will be, ‘schools are opening on Monday and schools will ensure social distancing will take place’.

And then blame them when it doesn’t!

There was talk last month of passing laws to force schools to remain open-I has thought that was to stop heads closing before any government decision was made on national closure. I’m wondering now if it’s actually for when we reopen?!

Did those laws get passed?

Still, if there are inadequate staff to open, wouldn’t actual safeguarding outrank that law in a head teacher’s decision?

This is sensible.

schoolsweek.co.uk/there-is-only-one-clear-path-to-reopening-schools/

The Times (one of the chief agitators for all this) had a bit today . DH is reading it at the moment but from memory it basically suggested teachers working one week in three and class sizes being restricted. This must be primary; I cannot see how that works with older kids.

There is no way of getting through the normal curriculum at GCSE and A Level with this so God knows where that leaves any of us.

Looking at the way the police, fire service, NHS and care staff ( and the builders working) don't make any attempt to distance at all ( I am not suggesting all of the above can), I am wondering if we will all be lumped into a category of key workers who are just told to crack on.

On your question about wearing PPE I would find a mask very claustrophobic and impractical for working in all day and I would have to have non allergic gloves.

piggy that is exactly what will happen. I work for a government organisation, social distancing is basically impossible but we are "critical" (said with irony) so we have to be in every day. It's a ticking time bomb and there are thousands of us like this, no PPE, close contact with colleagues and "clients" etc.

I might consider resigning if we're told to crack on with no measures to protect us.

@MyHipsDontLieUnfortunately but do what instead?! We will all be in the same boat soon enough so unless you plan on not returning to working full stop there isn't any point

I can't afford to resign but I'm not happy about going back with no protection. Our school is tiny and we're crammed in as it is with skanky old toilets and cold water to wash our hands!