Years 2 - 5?? When would we find out?

[thirtywon]

Three weeks notice was given for the 1st June. Presumably the same notice period is required for additional primary year groups. When therefore do you think they'll be back?

@Russell19 I don’t understand all these spare teachers either. We are a small 1 form entry school. 3 keyworker bubbles - taught by y2, y3 & y6 teachers. 2 reception bubbles taught by yR & y5 teachers. 1 y1 bubble currently taught by y1 teacher. Only leaves y4 teacher currently setting homelearning across school but might need to go to a y1 bubble if more children want to come back - or if we need another key worker bubble. There’s no space / teachers for y6 as it is.

@hibbityhob only thing I can think of is if they are using TAs to teach bubbles but surely you wouldn't do that if teachers were spare?

How have some schools got teachers spare and others are struggling?

Depends on how many children you have coming back. And that sort of depends on the demographic of your school community. We've got lots of recent arrivals on 2 year visas. So, the bloke (usually) has the job with a visa, and they bring the family - so mum is usually at home with the children (and is used to being at home with children). Work ethic towards school is good, so they are happy that they can get their children to do the work. In their home countries, things aren't going so well, they are already concerned about their children's health being in a cold country, so are just keeping them off.

Year 6 is our biggest returning year group. Only got 7 out of 42 (I think, can't quite remember - hardly any) in EY. Year 6 is in week in/week off, normal class teachers are doing both bubbles. Bubbles are between 8 and 10 children (out of almost 2FE, so around 60% of them are in).

I'd be WAY happier in school with a year 6 bubble, or even one of the the KW bubbles to be honest.

We have spare teachers because our uptake is so low. For example in year 1 we have 6 children out of 60 who have returned.

Because of our demographic we have very few key workers, only about 4 or 5 key worker children in the whole school. Many vulnerable children but most refusing to come in and it’s not compulsory. We are continuing to encourage them but there’s only so much we can do. I suspect they won’t return until it’s compulsory again.

So looks like it's definitely not happening then. Relieved that I can relax into a few weeks of the new normal without waiting for another surprise overnight change.

@rawlikesushi

So looks like it's definitely not happening then. Relieved that I can relax into a few weeks of the new normal without waiting for another surprise overnight change.

How do you know this?

BBC are reporting it isn’t happening Russell, schools to have flexibility about taking more children.

@Useruseruserusee

BBC are reporting it isn’t happening Russell, schools to have flexibility about taking more children.

Ooooh really? Do you have any links? Thank you

www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-52969679

Interesting read. Seems an official statement will follow. I feel it's a bit of a cop out they are leaving it down to individual schools though.... anyone else?

This government is all about the copout.

They've left it to individual schools all along.

This is a good thing and a bad thing. Good that it looks as if they are trusting the professionals to do the right thing. Bad because we know that this is because they have no ideas, they aren't brave enough to actually make decisions, and that they have lost public trust. Makes the unions stronger, makes parental opinion more divided. They fucked the messaging, and I'm not sure how they are going to get that back.

I think the government don't dare lay down the law again with regards to Y2-Y5 returning after the farce that the phase 1 return became for 1st June. They've now realised they don't have a clue about how schools work and are thankfully leaving it up to the discretion of headteachers/LEA to implement (or not) as they deem fit!