Reception teachers... what are your plans for next week?

[ScarlettDarling]

We’re having half of our new class in mornings and half in the afternoons for the first few weeks in an attempt to get to know the children and to let them get accustomed to the setting.
What is everyone doing about carpet time? I feel so uncomfortable at the thought of 30 little bodies squashed together on the carpet all sneezing on each other (and me!) but can’t see how we can do without carpet time.
Our school risk assessment also rules out singing and chanting... practically everything I do and teach involves a song!
I’m desperate to go back and get into routine again but I’m finding the logistics really daunting at the minute.
Good luck everyone!

Our local authority has said no carpet time, at all.. so for the first settling days I will just have free play and then try to get them to sit on chairs for a story at the end.

When we have full classes and want to do phonics and other inputs, the working idea is to do half the class at a time, sitting at tables. (The other 15 in the outside area with my TA).

It's very different from usual

We've got 30 in a huge room - old school hall - and have taken the stance that if they're not social distancing during their free play and sharing resources, then it's a bit pointless to worry about social distancing for 10 minutes on the carpet for a story. We're not all gathering everyday, mostly in groups of 10 with key workers.

Thanks for the replies. To be honest my worry about carpet time is more having thirty little bodies squashed up to me, sneezing and coughing all over me! It's a difficult one. We have no guidance from our LA on this at all. It's going to be so weird. Fingers crossed for decent weather as I think we're going to spend a lot of time outdoors!

I wouldnt do carpet time. They will be too close together. If they spread it to each other it's more likely adults will get it too as they will all be contwgious at once. But even non covid being so close (touching each other) they will spread other coughs and temp viruses and all be off waiting foe tests.
Also bear in mind some kids will have just got bck from abroad)
It's airborne including by talking.
(Aside from the fact carpet is also a surface they have likely been walking on all day and coughs and sneezes landing on.)

That's kind of what I'm feeling. It's just really hard to imagine teaching early years without carpet time. It's going to be a massive change isn't it?