I grabbed this from the Scottish Cycling page, relating to last Autumn.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the difference between organised and informal was back to how it was before – needing the appointment of a Covid Officer and following certain guidelines.
I’ll go further - I will be staggered if this is not the distinction. The legislation already has the wording explaining organised in there - so it will need to be run under the covid rules of a national governing body.
Apologies in advance...
That is the clincher for me as far as compliance is concerned, this is setting up a shambles when we are allowed to travel. As soon as we are allowed out our area then you can meet 4 adults, in fact; you could argue 15 for a "organised group exercise." All within their LA of course meaning honeypot sites will be heaving. It is going to be utter carnage the next three weeks trying to make their mental back to school plan work and then stay within 5 miles of LA during the Easter holidays and beyond because the fun sponge says so? If I am lucky I might get allowed up the hills sometime in a couple of months time, depending on tier and the afterthought of tacking it on? Not happening, lockdown ends 3 weeks on Friday. I will put her £400 towards fines.
Ahhhh....thanks for listening; feel better for that.
The car parks at the local “honeypot” sites have been packed pretty much all through this lockdown. Far more busy than a normal February. Presumably because there is little else to do. Yet the numbers have dropped more sharply than anybody predicted, which would tend to suggest that people meeting outside isn’t really an issue anyway.
We had closed the pumptrack but it opens Friday.
Like Duckman I'll be laughing at the back to school three week timetable that is nigh on impossible to follow and seems to do no one any favours.
So three weeks time I'll be riding what I fancy (within authority, ScotBorders and probably solo). I'm royally peeved at the moment.
Just been told that a couple of 30something triathletes with no underlying health conditions and who been training better because they now work from home have had the Jag because their pal is a volunteer and rang them to come in. My 80 to dad got it the same week as they did.
. It is going to be utter carnage the next three weeks trying to make their mental back to school plan work
It's what the unions wanted too, or at least the EIS, they pushed really hard for blended learning. My feeling is that they haven't really represented their members on this. I could have a skewed view but all the teachers I know think blended learning is going to be a load of heartache for staff and pupils for minimal benefit.
My school has split the senior pupils alphabetically into 3 cohorts and each attends on separate days. Sounds sensible until you see the fine detail, I have one cohort that contains 13 pupils (5 too many for the room) so they might not even get to see a geography teacher in the contact time. Another cohort contains just 1 pupil. That's going to be pretty intense. These kids have got a shitty deal and all I can do is try to do my best for whoever lands in front of me. At least it's just for three weeks.
Pupil anxiety is already through the roof and loads of complicated arrangements don't help.
Pupil anxiety is already through the roof and loads of complicated arrangements don’t help.
This sums up a lot of the things I'm hearing.
I think there is a difficult full year ahead as pupils of all ages settle back in.
The whole situation remains difficult and painful. It's easy for us to complain and it's easy to grumble. I'm stuck in my council area like everyone else who doesn't have a solid work related reason to travel. It's much harder to come up with workable options on how to reduce damage enough that we don't get repeatedly overwhelmed by infection rates, time and again. The controls have to be tight and they have to be detailed and they'll never accurately deal with all situations. For us as individuals, it isn't really that complicated or even that difficult day to day. Don't be a dick; be careful when you are out to avoid groups or strangers; look after yourself and those you care about.
Whatever very limited harm arises from our individual outdoor actions will be minimal, more especially when compared with those of that total asshat who thought 'Eat Out to Help Out' was a sensible idea or those people who had foreign holidays last year or Xmas with their families, both of which has so clearly led to massive increases in infections and lots of extra deaths. The end is not in sight yet and it could clearly still get a lot worse again before it gets better. I think this last point is what a lot of folk are not currently seeing, where desires and hopes for a better spring with families, friends and outdoors are drawing many folk out a bit too soon.
We split the timetable in August. Every period became doubles 1,3,6 week A 2,4,7 week B period 5 stays single. Now we have school A and school B coming on a rota. In practice my AH class gets 7 periods over 3 weeks.
We split the timetable in August. Every period became doubles 1,3,6 week A 2,4,7 week B
We did this at the start of this lockdown but we've reverted to the single week for the return. Visualising what timetable structures mean in practice is definitely not my strong point so I rarely spot problems, I leave that bit to colleagues whose brains work that way!
I guess the next few weeks with schools opening we will see what happens to the infection rates. No doubt the numbers will rise. Also after April. Will be an interesting few weeks. Seeing the vaccine work on lowering case numbers vs just lockdown restrictions.
No doubt the numbers will rise
I'm not convinced that's a given but I'm also not willing to make any alternative predictions!
Yep, interesting indeed.
I wonder how/when the government/experts will make the flip to not looking at case numbers as the indicator of trouble.
. It is going to be utter carnage the next three weeks trying to make their mental back to school plan work
It’s what the unions wanted too, or at least the EIS, they pushed really hard for blended learning. My feeling is that they haven’t really represented their members on this. I could have a skewed view but all the teachers I know think blended learning is going to be a load of heartache for staff and pupils for minimal benefit.
I want to scream at someone for getting our hopes up about kids going back to school, when in reality the letter from the school yesterday reveals that the situation is going to be even worse over the next three weeks.
Pointless though, may as well shout at the clouds.
With an S1 and S3 child, they each get one day in school over the next three weeks. Meanwhile, because the teachers are now in school they are not delivering online content.
Not one day a week, just one solitary day.
Absolute farce.
The kids who are in school also need to go through the nonsense of mask wearing. Yay for following the science!
well said Highlandman
The kids who are in school also need to go through the nonsense of mask wearing. Yay for following the science!
Not quite sure I get you. do you mean you do not believe in masks helping?
Luxury 100th! Six over 3 for us. I wonder how many parent will have got the letter we sent out yesterday, seen what was on offer and gone; "nah, after Easter is grand thanks." When I had delusions of grandeur I did the course about 6 years ago. Took me a full 5 mins to work out how it "works" when I saw version 86 yesterday.
Meanwhile, because the teachers are now in school they are not delivering online content.
Not one day a week, just one solitary day.
This is a decision the school has taken, other schools are maintaining some form of online delivery.
The kids who are in school also need to go through the nonsense of mask wearing.
Going to have to agree to disagree on that one.
Meanwhile, because the teachers are now in school they are not delivering online content.
Not one day a week, just one solitary day.
Absolute farce
As a rep I checked this with 3 neighbouring authorities. They are all continuing online teaching, hence "blended"
Meanwhile, because the teachers are now in school they are not delivering online content.
Not one day a week, just one solitary day.
Everywhere I know is delivering face to face, increasing most weeks, and maintaining home/remote/online tasks. If anything, the workload just jumped up again for teachers.
Yep, interesting indeed.
I wonder how/when the government/experts will make the flip to not looking at case numbers as the indicator of trouble
With how this virus spreads and when you are free to move about with services open in your council area and vaccines down to 40 should yield some interesting data.
England now with schools back open, lets see what happens.
Everywhere I know is delivering face to face, increasing most weeks, and maintaining home/remote/online tasks. If anything, the workload just jumped up again for teachers.
Yeah, wasn't meant as a dig at teachers, it's clearly a nightmare for them.
Not quite sure I get you. do you mean you do not believe in masks helping?
I believe in the data showing that a properly fitted, fresh N95 mask helps.
But not in the data showing a basic cloth mask helps?
Yeah, wasn’t meant as a dig at teachers, it’s clearly a nightmare for them.
I think my bigger worry (and one I head mention in a meeting with Scot.Gov. folk last week, is that the impact or lockdown on pupils mental, social and physical health will take a long time to heal. Arguably much more than the academic achievement, and of course HwB is one of the main indicators of academic achievement, and lets not forget one of the three Attainment targets.
Happy, healthy and socially connected children learn better. Who knew?
An example: a teacher was saying yesterday they are observing how noisy the younger children are as they come back face to face. They also are observing already language development in many of the young children is behind where it would usually be. The children are therefore struggling to communicate as well, don't have some of the tools that schools would have helped them express themselves.
Like first week of term / school on steroids - and that it is going to take months if not years to work through.
I want to scream at someone for getting our hopes up about kids going back to school, when in reality the letter from the school yesterday reveals that the situation is going to be even worse over the next three weeks.
In who's perception is it worse? Here the feeling seems to be positive (one day a week in class, 4 at home essentially as the status quo). I've listened in to a few of the teachers talking to the pupils and they seem as excited to be back next week as the kids. I'm quite sure those 3 days in the class will make no direct difference to whether someone becomes a brain surgeon or rocket scientist - but I'm pretty sure its going to have a positive effect on moral and hopefully means after easter the focus can be more on learning.
Friend of mine suggested that the entire 20-21 academic year from pre-school nursery to graduation at uni be written off and every single student resits the year. Obviously there will be downsides but for simplicity and quality of education, it isn't a bad shout when we see the current mess.
Ffs I'm depressed. All I want to do is hit Golfie with the laddie.
It's not even that far away.
Friend of mine suggested that the entire 20-21 academic year from pre-school nursery to graduation at uni be written off and every single student resits the year. Obviously there will be downsides but for simplicity and quality of education, it isn’t a bad shout when we see the current mess.
What do we do about the cohort of pre-nursery kids? People haven't stopped being born. Putting everyone back a year isn't a temporary measure, it'd be forever.
That's exactly right, everyone starts P1 a year later, much like many other countries. We keep it that way forever.
Friend of mine suggested that the entire 20-21 academic year from pre-school nursery to graduation at uni be written off and every single student resits the year. Obviously there will be downsides but for simplicity and quality of education, it isn’t a bad shout when we see the current mess.
Its a ridiculous shout. Do you think that all students across all stages from 2-22 have learned nothing in the last 12 months? It might well be the case that there is an argument for not moving everyone on in waves each 12 months and progression being decided on something other than age - but to write off a year would be rather brutal for students who have progressed despite the issues. Especially since there is no certainty that come Aug/Sept the world will be back to normal. And no idea what would happen to employers like teaching, nursing, medicine, etc who need a new cohort of graduates to come in and fill the vacancies.
Friend of mine suggested that the entire 20-21 academic year from pre-school nursery to graduation at uni be written off and every single student resits the year. Obviously there will be downsides but for simplicity and quality of education, it isn’t a bad shout when we see the current mess.
At first glance this might look like a half decent idea but with a bit of reflection it becomes clear that it isn't for a whole host of reasons some of which poly has mentioned. It might be appropriate for some secondary pupils to re do some subjects but that's going to be the exception rather than the rule.
Cohort intake into the workplace is a fairly obvious downside that we did discuss. Brightest who achieve despite the difficulties could opt to go through but the default for most would still be to repeat the year. Another downside is the impact of keeping a parent off work longer for pre-schoolers. A reset isn't without consequence, particularly for those at the beginning and end of the education conveyor belt but, given that it benefits the majority already in the system, the idea is hardly ridiculous. Considering the current home schooling / blended learning / key worker hokey cokey fustercluck and massively varied impact of distance learning for some FE practical & vocational courses over academia, less compromised by distance learning, it is probably worth serious consideration. The benefits far, far outweigh the downsides.
Friend of mine suggested that the entire 20-21 academic year from pre-school nursery to graduation at uni be written off and every single student resits the year. Obviously there will be downsides but for simplicity and quality of education, it isn’t a bad shout when we see the current mess.
There is a huge underlying assumption to this idea that the only learning and development that takes place for children is somehow between hours of 9-3, at some randomly nominated building, that only teachers can deliver/inflict any kind of learning and that children have to be forced through this factory of education.....etc.
So wrong.
The benefits far, far outweigh the downsides.
You are going to have to spell out the benefits.
Brightest who achieve despite the difficulties could opt to go through but the default for most would still be to repeat the year.
Basically everyone who wanted to move on would move on because there's no way it could be made compulsory. And that's the end of the idea because given the choice, most kids/parents would choose to move on I think. Having the option to repeat should be there but not be the norm. Whe've had enough stuff messed up by the pandemic let's not choose to mess other stuff up too!
it is probably worth serious consideration
To have any chance of working (still none!) it would need to have been in place months ago so that ship has well and truly sailed.
We are on a fortnightly timetable too single to start, all doubles then mostly. Cuts down movement
I get that it is a good thing to get kids back to school.
However the 'blended' model will mean minimal quality in school teaching for S1-3 but in reality will be a kind of 3 week induction prior to full return after Easter. Any good practice built up during the online remote learning will be lost for the next 3 weeks.
In my opinion this is not worth it. It would be better sticking with the online learning with maybe some senior pupils in completing practical work etc and then return properly after the Easter holidays.
Also 55 year old unvaccinated teacher not exactly excited by the prospect of being back in front of classes.
I've got the timetable for what pupils will be doing but no idea what pupils I am going to have. Don't know how they have split it up yet. They are only going to be in for 1/2 the day and I can see certain pupils not bothering to turn up. We also have room displacements which I have to check against my time table but that can wait till the weekend. Got loads of stuff to do before then. I then get to teach all the same stuff I've done for the last 2.5 months all over again.
Brightest who achieve despite the difficulties could opt to go through
I think you've got a bit of a distorted view of how bad this situation is, academically speaking at least.
I think >90% of my certificate classes will get an award that's in the same ball park to what they would have got under normal circumstances and will therefore be ready and eager to move on to the next stage in education/employment.
Kids in P7 will also be itching to get to the big school, just like every other year. Denying all of the above by making pupils resit would cause untold further harm.
We've got a model that has M/T week1 senior phase group A then week 2 it's group B this is repeated through the week and down the school but bge S1 not in m/t week1 but in m/t week2. It's a nightmare but gets kids in. Main issue is the school groups are split alphabetically but issues with classes that don't divide evenly fitting into rooms with an imposed maximum occupancy. It's a massive amount of work for 3 weeks.
Especially as this is the focus and the post Easter model is "dunno" ( because no one does).
1. Children start education way too early in Scotland, their education suffers when compared to other European countries where kids start later, when more mature and able to learn. The pandemic and subsequent reset presents a perfect opportunity to permanently address this.
2. Can't be far off 100% of all Primary, Secondary and FE students have been negatively impacted by the disruption of lockdowns, tiers etc. Thanks to home schooling, blended learning, key worker rules and the need for shielding, there has been and continues to be huge disparity in the quality and quantity of education being offered. I'm qualified in training, learning and assessment (adult education) and have really struggled to home school my ASN 14 year old. I don't have the relevant skills and very little is being learned. My 18 year old's 'full time' FE course is via an iPad for, at best, 2 hours a day over 3 days. What chance does a non-academic or frequently unavailable parent stand trying to teaching calculus to a reluctant teenager? It is nothing short of a waste of everyone's time. Unless mum and dad are a) teachers in the relevant subject and b) at home and available, then virtually all students will perform well below par for the academic year. Bringing thousands of students up to scratch on a case by case basis is nigh on impossible. Far simpler to write the year off and start again.
3. Young people entering FE or the workplace should be properly educated and assessed in order to be deemed qualified to pursue their chosen career. Last year's teacher based assessments were a bit of a fudge but at least the Nat5, Higher, Adv Higher and FE students only missed a few weeks towards the end of term before study leave and 'exam' time kicked in. Teachers already had months of in-class interaction, prelims and submitted work on which to base their assessments. This year's disruption started earlier, is already far longer and involves teachers and students who have hardly got to know each other at all. Remote assessment is a non-starter, exams would be unfair and if they did go ahead, grading and appeals would be impossible. Young people, universities / colleges, potential employers and the wider public, who will come to rely on these young people, all deserve better. That can only be achieved by having another crack at the lost year.
4. Vaccination is ongoing but 2nd jags for the over 50s / vulnerable won't be complete until well after schools split for summer. 1st jags for healthy younger adults are unlikely to be much sooner. Sending pupils and FE students back before vaccination of vulnerable / older groups is grossly irresponsible and may result in deaths and long covid among teachers and older family members. Small wonder many teachers and union reps don't want a repeat of previous mistakes. Far better to delay return until the autumn term, by which time the vulnerable and over 50s, including teachers, lecturers and campus staff are protected.
I fully appreciate there are problems, not least the practicalities of keeping weans safe and occupied, mental health, WFH, recruitment, furlough etc but on balance, a one year reset still represents the only way to guarantee adequate education for young people while keeping the vulnerable safe. Be interested to hear similarly detailed counter arguments beyond 'ridiculous' or 'so wrong'.
Far simpler to write the year off and start again.
Seriously, take a minute to think about this. Kids have had a bad year and your solution is that they should re do it? How totally depressing, a year seems like an eternity for kids who are just itching to get on and get out into the world. Making kids re sit is a recipe for dissatisfaction and disengagement. Let's just acknowledge that it's been shit and think about how we can move on from it. Remember also that pupils were in school from August to December during which time a lot of meaningful work was done, what a waste of time to repeat that.
Far simpler to write the year off and start again.
I think we should be looking at what's best for kids, not what's simplest.
I’m qualified in training, learning and assessment (adult education) and have really struggled to home school my ASN 14 year old
It could be that re doing the year is the right thing for your kid but it would be the wrong thing for a lot of others.
Anyway, this whole discussion is pointless as there is no way it will happen.
brads
Full Member
Ffs I’m depressed. All I want to do is hit Golfie with the laddie.It’s not even that far away.
How far is far? I am in Heriot. Down the valley 10 clicks, rural. Back door into Caberston and I do not even go. Should be fine should it not?
Just got an email for my son. He's in the last two days of the term before the Easter hols on his normal timetable. Atleast it will get them back to some idea of what school is and a chance for seeing how it will work before the full return after the Easter hols
1. Children start education way too early in Scotland,
I agree. Best addressed through a thought through plan though, not an opportunity to just delay one solitary year for all children & young people up to age 18. There is also this challenge where later starting countries find that learners move more rapidly, so they have fewer years in school overall and a curricular timetable that moves faster.
2. Can’t be far off 100% of all Primary, Secondary and FE students have been negatively impacted by the disruption of lockdowns, tiers etc. Thanks to home schooling, blended learning, key worker rules and the need for shielding, there has been and continues to be huge disparity in the quality and quantity of education being offered.
I have two thoughts on this
- how much and in what areas have they been affected? Until we understand this there is no point making plans for a solution.
- I go back to my comment (and related to the young age point no.1) about where and how children learn and develop. The early years have a great way of looking at this - the child has everything they need to learn, develop and grow. What they need are experiences and adults that can extend their learning. This is not just sat holding a pen though - this is physical, social relationships, problem solving, understanding nature, learning to manage risk & challenge, understanding your community, shopping, cycling, meeting new people, playing music etc. Not purely a school only set of activities.
Far simpler to write the year off and start again.
I am not sure it is simpler.
Fancy telling my kid he isn't leaving school when he thought and has to re-take a year and leave school at nearly 19, and that he shouldn't get that job he is looking at for another year, so he will still be skint?
Do we have to fund an extra year of education in all schools, colleges and universities now? What about new starters into the courses this year who have been working - do we end up with oversubscribed college and uni courses? What about the apprentices - who pays for their extra year?
Finally - simpler is not focussing on what is best for the children and young adults.
3. Young people entering FE or the workplace should be properly educated and assessed in order to be deemed qualified to pursue their chosen career. Last year’s teacher based assessments were a bit of a fudge..... That can only be achieved by having another crack at the lost year.
I think you do a disservice to the hard work of the learners and teachers here.
4. Vaccination
I agree we have an issue. Personally I think teachers (police, fire, social workers etc) who are forced to come into contact with lots of people should be vaccinated asap.
The thought with young people is that their protection comes through the dwindling number of adults that will have and spread CV19. It is a concern though.
a one year reset still represents the only way to guarantee adequate education for young people while keeping the vulnerable safe.
A one year [s]'reset'[/s] [b] forced retake of all the work, delay of dreams and aspirations for a year, huge cost increase, policy made up on the hoof etc[/b] may actually also impact a lot of learners, teachers and families mental health and wellbeing. It will certainly impact economic earning for many school leavers by a year.
There are alternatives as well in my mind, it is not a binary to carry on or delete a year.
Teachers, educators, lecturers and more will be putting huge effort into the next few years of managing any issues there are. I would rather see the investment of time and effort go into better funding and support across all areas of education for the next three years (or more), to try and resource learners and teachers with what they need extra.
The Mrs just got an email from the school ...... so it looks like our two eldest S1 & S3 will be in one day each over the next 3 weeks. If this is right why bother?
