Bubbles

[WhySeaEmm]

Ds's school sent home a letter saying students will be kept in bubbles with 1/2 members of staff, and the bubbles will not be allowed to mix. How will this work in reality? What about shared toilets?

Keyworkers kids in 2, 3, 4 and 5 will be in their own bubble.

We couldn't do it at my secondary SEN simply because our school is tiny and just won't allow for it, plus the kids can't be/won't be kept in one place for long (SEMH).

Thoughts on bubbles?

Several other countries have used them successfully. Makes sense to me.

With things like toilets and shared spaces they’ll be cleaned more regularly plus the children will be reminded often about proper hygiene.

Important thing is that social distancing just isn’t possible with small children, at least keeping them in the bubble reduces the number of people they’re going to infect/pick it up from.

Who is going to clean toilets, flushes, door handles, taps etc throughout the day? Our cleaners come in at 3 30pm.

TAs in our school

All staff have been asked to clean throughout the day at my school. Not sure how I feel about it but cleaners are doing no extra hours.

But won't all staff have their own bubble to teach/ supervise?

These bubbles will use every member of staff and classroom when nursery / reception / year 1 and 6 return.
Not sure what happens to the rest of the school.

That’s in my school. We have 2 members of staff per group so we will be responsible for all the extra cleaning.

I am a parent working three days a week and have been thinking about offering to go in and clean on my two days off. Although that would be dependent on the boys being in school. I imagine lots of parents would do this. Although I could be wrong. I have been thinking about how I could help as I am a bit rubbish at helping with work but I can clean.

I would also clean but ours are saying no parents even in the grounds for pick up.

I imagine all children in the bubble will have to go at the same set time, and the teacher will have to do a quick spray around afterwards.

Oh gosh I didn't even think of that. They will want to minimise the number of people in the school of course. I just want to do something!

The infection risk from flushed toilets is about the highest from any activity save someone coughing in your face!! So all going at same time wouldn't be a good idea AT ALL. Even if anyone could suddenly achieve super simultaneous toilet timing for 5 year olds......

I sent this article which includes the risk in toilets to my SLT. (Posted first by a Musnetter of course!)
erinbromage.wixsite.com/covid19/post/the-risks-know-them-avoid-them

Teacher/TA will have to spend 5 days a week with their bubble, eat with them, serve their hot dinners, teach them, supervise their handwashing and constantly clean the classroom and everything in it plus clean toilets and empty bins throughout the day. Also, if they (children) show any signs of covid, one staff member will have to sit in a room and supervise the ill child until they are collected. They can wear PPE for personal care.

Plus set work for their children who are still home learning...

Our school have said they’ll either continue to offer remote learning OR open for relevant year groups. They’ve made it very clear that it’s impossible to provide both. Head has sent letter to parents to gauge interest in returning.
Children need to bring in packed lunches. Not sure about FSM.
Re virus from loo flushing. Our loos have lids, these need to be put down prior to flushing - as they should in normal times.

As I've just posted here: The Fifth Republic - safe space? Solidarity Comrades! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom/3907983-The-Fifth-Republic-safe-space-Solidarity-Comrades#96568108

Sorry should have just copied, this is what I wrote on the Fifth Republic thread:

Have just been thinking, how can safe supervision ratios be maintained even with 2 adults to a (half) class if one of the adults is either:

• giving a child 121 because of SEN
• disruptive or harmful behaviour, either sporadic or ongoing
• they wet themselves because they're not allowed to go to the toilet without supervision of hand washing
• adult needs the loo or some other kind of break
• a safeguarding issue arising from 3 months at home is disclosed
• it's time to clean again

...... and then another of these issues arises at the same time?

Surely sometimes - often? - another adult is going to have to intervene?? Pop goes the bubble!

OK there may be ways most of these issues can be planned for. I pity Heads at the moment, I really do.

Any thoughts on siblings?

Should a Y6 and Y1 sibling be in the same bubble?

What about staff with their own children in school - same bubble?

If you had year 1 and 6 in the same bubble then we have to admit it’s not learning, it’s childcare.
We are in bubbles, 2 adults to (up to) 15 children. They will learn, eat at same tables. Separate break times and lunch times. We do break duty each day then cover each other for loo break as needed. Loos will have extra cleaning but we can give them a wipe as needed.
No lids on loos so must be flushed each time with door closed I am thinking.
Own stationery. No personal belongings.
I think it will just become routine. We were getting good at hand washing and wiping tables etc before lockdown. Year 6 mind you so they are relatively sensible.
We had loads of complaints from parents about sore hands. I will go apeshit if that happens again sorry.

@NCTDN I don't think home learning will continue to be set for Reception, Year 1 & 6 if they're in school - just for the other years.

So me as a secondary teacher may have 4 "bubbles" that I teach every week if the current plan at my school continues.
Dd1 will be in the keyworker bubble
Dd2 will be in her yr1 bubble
Youngest will be at the childminder's with different children on different days.
My husband also works..

... Anyone else see the flaw?

@WhyNotMe40 it's certainly not perfect but the aim is just to reduce contact and make isolating easier. So, for example if your DD's Year 1 teacher becomes ill, your whole family can stay at home until she has been tested to avoid passing it on to everyone in your other bubbles.

But that is not the guidance. The guidance would be only dd1 stays home.

And without contact tracing, if I caught it from dd2 I could have passed it on to 60 families, my youngest to 8 families plus the (age 60) childminder, and my dd1 to her teacher and the rest of her bubble.

But as a teacher of a year group not going back, I am expected in but will still need to plan my own classes work! If I'm not in there's not enough staff to have reception, year one and year 6.