We're opening 1st June

[singlemum81]

It was announced today that our college is to open on the 1st June for Y10 & Y12. Anyone else's secondary school opening?

@singlemum81
There’s been research that it spreads mostly by large droplet (shouting, singing, talking) rather than surface contact. The length of time spent indoors with an infected person increases risk. 2 hour lessons and breaks inside a classroom would be very risky. Would be safer to have shorter lessons and be outdoors. Maybe? More info is needed on how this spreads before schools return. If someone infected coughs then 2 metres is useless.

Contact your union. If you are NEU contact your regional office today.

This is gross, but what happens if, as I'm talking, I accidentally spit? It's rare but it happens, and I don't think I'm a total freak of nature. What about a sudden dry throat and coughing or a bout of sneezing? I can see teachers being vilified if we end up becoming spreaders ourselves.

Also I was in school this week and just could not keep a couple of the (secondary) kids away from me. Lots of people just don't grasp SD.

What will we do about handling students' books or lending them pens (always!)? I think the assumption is that all schools are good / outstanding with the behaviour that implies.

It’s the end of lending stationery. Hurray!

My school is trying to open for y10 & y12 from 1st June. Reduced timetable. Small classes. Two hour blocks. No lending of equipment or collecting books. No PE (too many pupils in small space for changing), no practical science lessons, no uniform.

I sit somewhere on the terrified / pleased fence. Keep changing sides!

I've heard both Jenny Harries and Dr Hilary say that children don't transmit the virus so the teachers are "ok" with them, but not other adults at school? Has this been confirmed? I've not heard anything!

I'm not a teacher but I feel this is a real concern

@wembollian all Y10s full time?

My DDs school bus has been cancelled and refunded. The bus won't be provided as she's not entitled to free travel. She would either have to go on the public bus for an hour with a long walk at the other end, or DH will have to take her while "working from home" which will be at least 2 hours driving a day. She needs to go back to school ASAP, and I believe it's safe for her but the not knowing when and how is concerning.

I was working with 6 KS2 children in one classroom yesterday, and as much as we tried, social distancing was just impossible for impulsive Y5 boys.
Y10 girls will all hug each other. The government either need to say it's safe, and get all pupils back in or it's not.

My school isn't, but I know a friend's is. Is it a school near(ish) to Bristol? She is very concerned about going back and I've suggested she take union advice before agreeing to anything.

I'd suggest the same to you.

They can't possibly have done a full risk assessment yet, so I'd ask to see these as well.

I've heard both Jenny Harries and Dr Hilary say that children don't transmit the virus so the teachers are "ok" with them, but not other adults at school? Has this been confirmed? I've not heard anything!

Transmit the virus to who? There was reporting in the media that there was no evidence they could transmit the virus to adults, but this is not true fullfact.org/health/children-transmitting-coronavirus

There are various studies looking at transmission rates in children (bear in mind all of these have been done during lockdown, not during normal school attendance). Some suggest the transmission rate between under 10s is lower than in adults, but there's at least one which suggests it's around the same. AFIAK, there are no studies that suggest a 0 transmission rate between children. For children of Y10 age (so 14-15) the limited evidence I think suggests a transmission rate similar to adults.

In Denmark, since schools have reopened, the R rate has gone up by 0.3- this may not be due to child-to-child transmission, but I think it's still relevant.

More evidence is needed, and we don't really know, but saying children don't transmit the virus is rubbish and if government advisors have said this, then they are definitely lying.

I was talking to our deputy head yesterday and he said he didn't know how it was going to work. Are schools going to put kids in front of a range of subject teachers or is it one tutor?

@singlemum81

I'll have to send my DD to school for 'childcare'. Feeling ill about the whole thing tbh. Head is lovely, has said we are only to come in if we feel safe to do so

🤷🏻‍♀️Then tell him you don't feel safe. That you're happy to support from home.

Teachers NEED to say No, or thus madness will go ahead. If enough teachers say NO the Govt will have to back down

There's so much happening scientifically that we need to give it time. Hopefully by September we will understand more about Covid-19 & treatment will be more effective but most importantly IF people act responsibly and stay home as much as possible the R rate will be much lower and testing & tracing will be possible.

At that point it should be far more safe to go back to school.

@SansaSnark yes I'm nearish Bristol. Also heard that a school has been closed near Bristol due to at least 2 teachers testing positive. I'm not sure any students were even tested...

Whereabouts in the country are these secondary schools that are opening for years 10/12 from June 1st?

Radio silence from ours so far. I assume they're still working with the LA, who don't sound particularly keen to get schools back, but we're an academy so who knows what'll happen.

Our (lovely and supportive) HT is meeting with the union reps tomorrow, so perhaps some movement after that, but yesterday he informally said no chance of reopening wider than Y6.

Heard on the grapevine that ours is doing 1/5 of all y10 tutor groups each day, so every y10 child in one day a week, not sure yet what a ‘day’ is or for how many weeks??!!

@worldsworststepfordwife

I think this is what we will do too. Unsure how it’s going to work with the optional subjects though at GCSE!

Is that an FE college or academy school type college. Would love to know where.

How will this work? If a child gets ill during school & subsequently tests positive or is told by a medic it's likely they have the virus, does all the class plus teachers go into 14 day isolation. Get back after 2 weeks and have the same happen again?

Or us just carry on regardless bonkers ?

Or is it*^

DS is in Yr 10 at an independent school. We have just received notification that they MAY reopen for Yr 10 only from June.
Am really torn: yr 10 missing so much face to face teaching but worried about how safe he/we will be.

Sorry - my post wasn't clear. All Year 10 aren't returning, but a fifth of them each day over a week. Teachers in all of those days to teach them.

There has really been no mention of anyone being concerned about this, or being able to say no like a PP said. It feels like a done deal.

@GirlsInGreen I asked this in the school Zoom meeting today and was told that nobody knew. 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

@GirlsInGreen
I read in the guidance that if a child or adult shows symptoms they get tested and are positive then that whole group has to isolate for 14 days. The families of members of the group do not have to isolate unless the member of the group shows symptoms.

Someone- unions or government or a journalist whi actuslly cares- needs urgently to clarify this year 10 and 12 thing before it's too late. Every day in the briefing all that is said is staggered return to primary years R 1 and 6. The guidance then suggests otherwise.

Even Sweden don't have 17 year olds in school.