Reopening schools question.

Thats what cut and paste and find and replace were invented for!

That’s how my daughter ended up with a school report that swapped between her name and one of her friends names….😄😂

Doesnt exist in schools

Does in Scotland.

Leaked plans for September.

Leaked plans

That’s how my daughter ended up with a school report that swapped between her name and one of her friends names….😄😂

At the gender was consistent!!

Thats what cut and paste and find and replace were invented for!

That’s alright then!😂

“Mega Bubbles” – That be a 1700 sized bubble in my case.
This works for Primary and Junior schools, but Secondary?

Leaked plans for September.

Even with the bits they’ll drop from the official announcement because they get a bad reception in the ‘leak’, there’s a fair bit of short termism in there with little regard for impact on kids future lives and the economy in 5 years’ time… Gav has not got a (insert expletive here) clue…

Leaked plans for September.

Leaked plans

Sounds like a bloody nightmare!

I could see year group bubbles working in secondary, although not ideal – if you have five teachers to a subject they teach a year group each.

We’re a sixth form college, with two year groups of 1000 students each. I can see us ending up with Y12 in for the morning and Y13 for the afternoon?

if you have five teachers to a subject they teach a year group each

That only works for core subjects really – no non-core subjects in my school have that many teachers.

As a DT teacher I’ll be babysitting then ☹️ maybe delivering some lessons (though not practical) to ks3.
Looks like GCSEs like DT, food, art, etc. will get dropped next year, and maybe even the year after.

Looks like GCSEs like DT, food, art, etc. will get dropped next year, and maybe even the year after.

And then maybe never return. As an Art teacher we might just about weather it, but I can see DT, Food, Health & Social Care and others disappearing in many centres as they’re hard enough to staff now without a couple of fallow years…

Yep, it’s going to be shit 😆

Could be worse. You could also be Head Of Year to next year’s Y11…

That, my friend, is a poisoned chalice!

I’m a tutor of the outgoing yr11, so will be a yr7 tutor next year.

I’m also STEM lead in the school, but I doubt things like clubs, STEM competitions (at least physical ones, like robotics or hackathons), trips, or visits from external providers will be happening anytime soon.

Could be worse. You could also be Head Of Year to next year’s Y11…

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😁😁😀🤣🤣 good luck!

I expect triple science will be canned too.

Hmm… a lot of this sounds scarily familiar…

NYTIMES: When Covid Subsided, Israel Reopened Its Schools. It Didn’t Go Well.

Johnson gave an “upbeat” speech this morning praising teachers for preparing schools to be safe.. and going round and round and round about how important schools are… he doesn’t appear to talked about what he, or the government, are doing, or plan to do, to make schools safe… other than keep insisting they are safe. Those small details are for others…

It’s as if Johnson sits on his throne and declares “Make It So” and then it magically happens….

Johnson gave an “upbeat” speech this morning praising teachers for preparing schools to be safe.. and going round and round and round about how important schools are… he doesn’t appear to talked about what he, or the government, are doing, or plan to do, to make schools safe… other than keep insisting they are safe. Those small details are for others…

He, and Scottish Government, have also forgotten that all the extra faff and changes cost money.
Apparently there’s a magic tree somewhere that grows gallons of hand sanitiser and similar.

Our school has announced that year groups are staggered for breaks and classes/year groups to be kept apart as bubbles.
However, all pupils must come to central lobby to hand wash in between all lessons, via a narrow corridor from any direction…cue 800 pupils all sharing the same space at least 4 times a day.

The BBC keep trotting out the government’s talking points about ‘no evidence of transmission in schools’ and ‘not a serious risk to children’ unchallenged.

There is no evidence (from this country) of school transmission because a) we didn’t look, and b) we shut them all.

You have to at least start with the default that secondary age kids, being small adults, are likely to pass on the virus, and because the rate of asymptomatic cases is higher, possibly be more free to do so.

And we know children are low risk for suffering health problems themselves, but that’s not the issue here.

I feel for Scotland having to launch its faith experiment, and I hope for the best, but I’m also hopeful that, if it does start building community cases in a month’s time, the rest of the UK will take note before similar happens there.

The BBC keep trotting out the government’s talking points about ‘no evidence of transmission in schools’

No evidence of transmission isnt evidence of no transmission, more people would understand that if they were in school more!

Looks like GCSEs like DT, food, art, etc. will get dropped next year, and maybe even the year after.

Well at least some good will come of it.

Well at least some good will come of it

Yeah, creativity isnt needed, just cheap little workers!

Well at least some good will come of it

Ah, someone who never eats a meal at a restaurant, never listens to music, doesn’t watch films, has bare walls at home, prefers drab concrete buildings, hankers after a Lada Riva, a Raleigh shopper is for Christmas, never uses a modern gadget such as an smartphone or appreciates justice, environmentalism or passion for anything.

*sighs*

There’s a certain Mr Cummings who (based on his time at the DfE) would be quite happy if that were the case.

The BBC keep trotting out the government’s talking points about ‘no evidence of transmission in schools’ and ‘not a serious risk to children’ unchallenged.

The wording was very careful… but the repetition of it without additional context or explanation will result in the public hearing “no transmission in schools”, which, given we have local schools here that were shut because of transmission, is obviously well short of the truth.

Get ready for “cowardly lefty teachers” being the problem next month. I know of some who have quit, because of family members they want to be in a position to shield, and will look to rejoin if they can after this period is over. Not all teachers are in a position to take such drastic steps to avoid a workplace without social distancing or reasonable mitigation measures, obviously.

There’s a certain Mr Cummings who (based on his time at the DfE) would be quite happy if that were the case.

Free schools or no schools… non-qualified teachers or no teachers… this is the Cummings way… schools and staff free from the influence of “the Blob” of eduction experts and expertise.

Well at least some good will come of it

Hmmm, troll or ****? Not sure.

Surely possible to be both?

Schroedinger’s poster…

Hmmm, troll or ****? Not sure.

Given the UK in general and especially Englands laughable standards of real subjects they would do far better studying things that will actually kids them a job.
Moreover the state school system is educate people… it’s failing spectacularly in real subjects.
I get emails saying how missing a single day will cause my childs education to fail yet they waste years on non-subjects.

Most importantly there is no mandate to waste kids time on useless subjects and most importantly subjects the schools have no right to even interfere with. Seriously WTF is PHSE… who thought it was a good use of the education budget to do the parent’s job?
How on earth will these kids compete in a global market against Chinese and Indian kids?

Studying classics only works if you are at public school and want to be in a Tory cabinet

Ah, someone who never eats a meal at a restaurant, never listens to music, doesn’t watch films, has bare walls at home, prefers drab concrete buildings, hankers after a Lada Riva, a Raleigh shopper is for Christmas, never uses a modern gadget such as an smartphone or appreciates justice, environmentalism or passion for anything.

Which has what to do with wasting kids time playing at teaching DT or food?
You hardly need to do “food” at school…

Music: For every Brain May there is a Freddy Mercury, A McCartney for each Lennon

I’m lost on any connection with architecture and engineering? I prefer structures that don’t fall down … Cars and bikes need designing by engineers not artists or marketing FFS… What happens when you let arty types design a bike or car is a Raleigh shopper or an escort MkIV.

China is turning out superb scientists and engineers, India is turning out superb technologists and data scientists and many in India are pushing for a bigger focus on science we are turning out what?

The UK is returning to the times of Newton and Kelvin where science and engineering are the preserve of the rich who can play at it for a hobby rather than the heady 60’s and 70’s where someone from any background could hope to do this.

Seriously WTF is PHSE… who thought it was a good use of the education budget to do the parent’s job?

People in “the blob” that see what happens if you assume all parents are intelligent, caring, knowledgable, and attentive… when the truth is that many lack one or more of those characteristics.

The focus on success stories from China and India (and they are true stories, I’ve worked with geniuses from both countries) ignores that most kids leave schools in both countries with a low level of understanding and skills. The successes are many because the number of people is many. More useful to compare with similar sized countries to look for possible improvements (which I would agree are needed), such as Germany. You can have a broad curriculum without sacrificing science or engineering. You may need to invest (far) more in teaching in the subjects that support those fields, and to extend learning for all beyond school leaving age… including high quality vocational training, as well as a longer time spent in education more generally.

Ok, definitely a ****.

Please shut up with your I’ll informed twaddle. Like this…

Most importantly there is no mandate to waste kids time on useless subjects and most importantly subjects the schools have no right…Seriously WTF is PHSE…wasting kids time playing at teaching DT

You are such an idiot I don’t know where to start. But I do pity your offspring if they have to put up with you spouting this shite every day.

Seriously WTF is PHSE… who thought it was a good use of the education budget to do the parent’s job?

When you realise what an awful job most parents do it seems more important.

stevextc
Member

I’m lost on any connection with architecture

You don’t see the connection between art and architecture? That’s… unusual.

And DT is a valuable subject in its own right, not to mention a good gateway for students to pivot towards a STEM route- which is exactly what you say you want more of, it widens access to engineering etc significantly.

“What happens when you let arty types design a bike or car is a Raleigh shopper or an escort MkIV.”

Engineers do the engineering. But arty types do the cosmetics. Every car in the world was designed by an “arty type”.

The escort IV was just a facelift model so didn’t really have a designer as such but the escort III was designed by the same person who designed the Capri 2 and 3, the granada and transit 2, and the sierra and fiesta. Oh and the escort mk2. And he was an arty type- trained as a window dresser, educated at the Hamburg College of Fine Arts.

(yes I had to look most of that up)

OTOH, he did also do the Scorpio.

So in conclusion, you are completely wrong and even your own example proves you wrong. To be fair, this stuff does cause a lot of confusion- I’ve spent a lot of time at schools and at ucas events and the like explaining the difference between architecture and architectural engineering, or the mechanical engineering side of car and product development, vs the design side. But these are things you pretty much need to know, before you weigh in on the subject.

(with young kids, when they say they want to be an architect, they generally won’t know the differences, so I basically say “there are two types of architects. There are the ones that draw a fairy castle on a cloud. And there are the ones that work out how to hide the pillars and the plumbing, and make sure it’s a place you want to live, because clouds are cold and damp” You need both, if you don’t want all your buildings to be boxes, or totally impractical.

Ok, definitely a ****.

Please shut up with your I’ll informed twaddle. Like this…

Most importantly there is no mandate to waste kids time on useless subjects and most importantly subjects the schools have no right…Seriously WTF is PHSE…wasting kids time playing at teaching DT

You are such an idiot I don’t know where to start. But I do pity your offspring if they have to put up with you spouting this shite every day.

I don’t agree with much if anything stevextc is saying, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to be so abusive. At least he was able to articulate his reasoning – you call him an idiot, but give no counter argument. My father spent the whole of my childhood spouting shite – but I benefited greatly from being able to argue with him; I’m not sure I’d have gained so much if he’d just shouted people down.

I agree with Steve to a certain degree and I studied both art and design at A level, I’ve even got a degree in design. I’d keep food though making sure kids can knock up quick cheap food and not just bake a loaf of bread. Sports would focus on home based exercises like that Joe Wickes does and not rugby and tennis on cycle for 5 years. The focus would be maths and science but make them pertinent and interesting for the kids so they look forward to it. I’d also have lessons on decision making and self esteem as there are too many depressed youngsters. I’d cut back on English as Wuthering Heights is probably less relevant than writing a marketing add for instagram. Make sure they’ve got a good knowledge of excel and word.

If we are going to have design base it on the real world of design, I remember leaving uni where my lecturer would talk of the importance of hand drawing. My first job I was given a computer with AutoCAD, Adobe Suite and SU. Even then I spent half the day answering emails. Talking of emails I’d teach the to pick up the phone.

My friends 11 year old Korean niece came over for a few weeks last year, she’s reeling off maths problems that I could not remotely understand.

“What happens when you let arty types design a bike or car is a Raleigh shopper or an escort MkIV.”

Ironically self-defeating argument. The Raleigh Twenty was enormously successful and much-loved. Iconic. I’ve owned three over the last decade. The only other bike I’ve owned three of has been a 2001 Cannondale F-series/CAAD3/4

The Escort MKiv maybe notsomuch.

Anyway, as someone has rightly noted – all vehicle appearances* are designed by ‘arty types’. So your issue is seemingly with any art that doesn’t concord with the arty-type in your head.

* Even crop sprayers

I don’t agree with much if anything stevextc is saying, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to be so abusive. At least he was able to articulate his reasoning – you call him an idiot, but give no counter argument. My father spent the whole of my childhood spouting shite – but I benefited greatly from being able to argue with him; I’m not sure I’d have gained so much if he’d just shouted people down.

Sorry – and that’s aimed at Stevextc too – not having a great day, and got angry with his bs.
Shouldn’t have been so nasty in my response.

The issue is that he keeps coming on this topic and saying how bad he thinks the British education system is, but doesn’t tell us how he’d fix it apart from highlighting other countries he *thinks* do it better.

He then waffles on about non-subjects – not recognising that a broad education including “fluffy” subjects as well as the core of maths, science and languages produce better rounded human beings.

In Stevextc’s ideal universe we’d apparently have no music, no art, no design, no nice food, and no drama. What fun!

PSHE is specifically designed to counter the BS that many children encounter at home – racism, sexism, abuse, religious intolerance. But Stevextc is obviously ok with all of that too.

Ha, getting angry again :-/

Must be a really impoverished life where the aesthetics of everything you buy and use bring you no joy, and where you continually rail against those who had the audacity to be interested in learning how to design them for you.

We should feel pity…

Sorry – and that’s aimed at Stevextc too

That cool…
blockquote>The issue is that he keeps coming on this topic and saying how bad he thinks the British education system is, but doesn’t tell us how he’d fix it apart from highlighting other countries he *thinks* do it better.

France, Germany, Poland (first and last I have experience of the education system)… as to be fair I acknowledge India and China population .. you could add in much of the ex-soviet union as well… though they now seem to be in a race with the UK and US to the bottom.

I used to work for an Indian company and have lots of friends and colleagues and to be fair the general level for middle class is very good. But back to the population thing… for our kids future it doesn’t actually matter if its only 10% of China and India competing in a global market.. and this is doubly dire outside of Europe.

He then waffles on about non-subjects – not recognising that a broad education including “fluffy” subjects as well as the core of maths, science and languages produce better rounded human beings.

Either we have time or we don’t. I get a termly email saying how missing a single day of school will have disasterous consequences.. this despite managing 6 years without a single day or even 1/2 off….I still get sent an email.
When I wanted to take him to his grandfathers funeral I got an email…saying how missing a day would be a disaster and they would require a week to consider…
You might say I should have done more but guess what, my father had just died and I didn’t want to have a fight with the headteacher and my OH’s employer.

In Stevextc’s ideal universe we’d apparently have no music, no art, no design, no nice food, and no drama. What fun!

I get a termly email saying how missing a single day of school will have disasterous consequences.. this despite managing 6 years without a single day or even 1/2 off….I still get sent an email.

You do realise these emails aren’t personal, they’re sent to every parent.
They’re aimed at the persistent offenders whose children miss a day a week or more, but to seem ‘fair’ they have to send to all.

In all honesty 1, 2 or even 5 days a year won’t really make a difference. But we have kids who muss 20-30% (in some cases more) of their schooling, and that is a massive issue.

3 years ago, year 11 tutee, parents took him for 2 weeks holiday when he had his mock exams! Excuse was ‘he’s not missing any lessons, because it’s just mocks.’
This was a student with an average 75% attendance over 5 years.
Work it out…39 school weeks a year, so 9.75 weeks missed a year. So over 5 years he missed nearly 49 weeks of school.
Did he do badly in his GCSEs? **** yeah!