Reopening schools question.

You want a school story? Primary school this one (a big one)…

Staggered drop off and collection times abandoned already, so adults all at the gates at the same time for collection… head goes out to shake the hands of grandparents collecting.

I don’t see why the staggered start times shouldn’t remain forever. It makes sense to reduce the burden on local streets and traffic and reduce the amount of parents on site. It has worked well at my son’s school.

Parents have been asked to wear masks for pick up and collection. I haven’t done a pick up/drop off yet but my wife says that adherence is good. The people who don’t seem to be adhering seem to be those in the most at risk groups though strangely.

head goes out to shake the hands of grandparents collecting.

What a dumba**

It’s about ‘breaking down barriers’ and ‘getting rid of the fear’ apparently, not just a lapse of judgement. Primary schools are the heart of many a community, and the school gate chat a key social interaction for many people… and heads need a strong lead from the government on this… not left to invent their own approach for protecting (or not) those collecting the kids (IMHO).

@mjsmke our faculty has 9 in it, 6 would happily walk, 2 are actively looking for jobs outside teaching. If 2 go in our faculty it becomes pretty difficult to staff. There’s already some massively stressed folk.

Remember… it’s hard for teachers to “walk” in the state sector, and not see out this tricky term… there are pretty tight rules on notice periods… I suspect they will get tested this term though… (with help from the unions, despite the backlash likely from press and politicians).

https://www.tes.com/jobs/careers-advice/pay-and-conditions/teacher-resignation-dates-and-notice-period

Kelvin – what happens if they ignore those dates?

it’s hard for teachers to “walk” in the state sector,

Its really not. It might be tricky for me to get a new job in a school before xmas but if I had a non teaching job lined up I could give a month.

what happens if they ignore those dates?

Their career is over. In the state sector at least.

Edit: what AA says.

Their career is over. In the state sector at least.

Nah, with chronic shortages of science teachers I reckon I could get a new job before xmas, I’ve seen it done, claim stress get signed off, head would be happy to see me go and whilst I might not get a job nearby, if I was willing to travel a bit further I’d be laughing.

First confirmed case at our place. We made it four days!

Its going to hit the fan big time soon I reckon.
Staff or student?

Don’t know – staff just got the same email as parents.

Start of term has been full on. For once I’m quite impressed with the plan our SLT have put in place. Now I hope we see it through for the long haul. Period 3 extended to 2 hours 5 mins so that each year group can have a separate lunch. Years 8,9,10 have a break in the middle of P3 year 7 at the start and 11 at the end. Year 11 finish their period 4 15 mins later than the rest of the school and buses and are then staying on for an extra hour to catch up.
Year groups in different wings of the school. Teachers moving every lesson except practical subjects. Unfortunately Science falling between practical and class based subject so there will be little practical work done this year. No mixing.Masks in communal inside areas. Clockwise around the outside of the school Building.
Staff are positive and actively engaged. Obviously not all kids are onboard. Unbelievable it’s still the first week back!! I’m cream crackered

First case at my wifes school, year 7 tested positive, elder sister came home from university after testing positive, despite this and showing symptoms youngest still sent to school. Looks like the bubbling is working, only 1 form group sent home (they took outside advice before making a decision). Can’t we how the school can stay open if some parents are going to be this selfish. Should be reported and prosecuted for actively flaunting quarantine rules.

Looks like the bubbling is working, only 1 form group sent home

How does this show its working?

Re staff leaving. Here it’s 4 working weeks notice for mere teachers.
In my old place it was one whole term. I have short notice was told that they would recoup costs my union went through the additional costs and school decided it wasn’t worth it. Fortunately I didn’t have to rely on the head’s reference (we never go on).

Th amount of energy being expended in our school keeping bubbles going, staff moving around school, teaching in different classroom all the time, it feels like we are on a war footing! Staff are all pulling together really well, but it’s not sustainable. Staff are exhausted already.

amount of energy being expended in our school keeping bubbles going, staff moving around school, teaching in different classroom all the time, it feels like we are on a war footing!

Combined with 240 000 break, lunch before and after school duties for all the different timings!

2 weeks in and there have been positive tests in 3 primary and 1 secondary school in my town already.

How does this show its working?

Because they reviewed the contact the kids had with staff and other kids, had this reviewed externally and acted appropriately. One teacher was also sent home as she for some reason had not been able to maintain 2m at all times. For year 7 in this school there is next to no movement, they stay in the same class room all day, even breaks and lunch unless they go outside. Even outside they’ve segregated the kids to specific areas. The infected child was also dropped off by parents so wasn’t mixing on public transport.

TL:DR The teachers and support staff have working their butts off to make sure it works.

Would this have been the same for older kids who have to move around more for science lessons and other subjects that require specific classrooms, probably not.

I work in an independant boarding school, wife is head of SEND at the local college, and my boys both go to the local Primary.
We had a suspected CV19 case within 48hrs of the boarders being back, despite them all returning to school with a CV negative test result. Boarding house locked down, all lessons for those locked down delivered via teams, all meals in house etc (not easy when the house has no dining room). Full on war-footing in responding and dealing with the quarantine. Thankfully the subsequent test came back negative. It showed the system worked, but how sustainable this is long term is questionable. Its not just the teaching staff but all the support structures that are already creaking from the uplift in hours required. To top the week off my eldest got sent home from primary school yesterday – child in his bubble (2 year groups, so approx 120 kids) tested positive, so thats a 14 day quarantine at home. His brother is to continue going to school unless he shows symptoms. I can see the bubbles collapsing very quickly, its going to be a nightmare as we head into flu season – I can see us home schooling again for both kids very soon.
My wifes college is trying to run a hybrid (some virtual, some in person) timetable, but trying to convince 16-18 yr olds to maintain social distance and wear masks is like pissing in the wind.
Its a f-ing minefield out there & whilst I’m amazed at the positive attitude of staff, and the new ways of working that are genuinely better than the ones we had before, the majority of parents seem to genuinely not give a damn.

Would this have been the same for older kids who have to move around more for science lessons and other subjects that require specific classrooms, probably not.

Fair point, although with our classrooms is actually not possible to be 2m away from pupils with 30 in the room and unless they move in and out of the room one at a time, many others will be within 2m

The number of kids off with symptoms and getting trsted is very high, I expect all/vest majority will have colds but attendance is falling already. Teacher in my department was off for 3 days getting tested came back negative.

The number of kids off with symptoms and getting trsted is very high

Schools up here been back for 5 weeks now, attendance across Scotland on wednesday was 92%.

Schools up here been back for 5 weeks now, attendance across Scotland on wednesday was 92%.

Nearer 80% here.

Not School but University. Group of lecturers met up for a Team meeting pre-term in the building (without permission) No social distancing. You can guess the rest. One tested positive, whole team has to self isolate and work out how to deliver to students on-line. Fortunately, this was before any student contact. There has been a “WTF” reaction from colleagues. Idiots.

Scotland has less covid

48% of my class this morning off after a positive test for one of them – a rather conspicuous 4m diameter circle of empty seats.

2 weeks in and there have been positive tests in 3 primary and 1 secondary school in my town already.

Are you surprised? It is bound to happen unfortunately – school kids aren’t immune from the virus and it is going to be quite commonplace, especially in regions that currently have high infection rates.

Confirmed case in sons primary

Are you surprised? It is bound to happen unfortunately – school kids aren’t immune from the virus and it is going to be quite commonplace, especially in regions that currently have high infection rates

True but the local authority has one of the lowest infection rates the country.

True but the local authority has one of the lowest infection rates the country.

Same here, 2 confirmed in local schools in an area with very low levels.

First week back, it’s all about the holidays, not the level of local infection. Two weeks of asking people to stay local before the return to school buildings might have been useful. As the term gets going, then it’s all about local cases.

Yep schools effects will be seen in a week or 2 now.

Dept of 9 staff. 3 tests carried out all negative. That’s one dept mind and we don’t know across the school due to policy I’m not allowed to talk about or even mention.

That’s one dept mind and we don’t know across the school due to policy I’m not allowed to talk about or even mention.

More and more staff at my school walking around coughing, I know one had a negative test but the lack of info and increasing stress is going to see a melt down somewhere!!

Yep schools effects will be seen in a week or 2 now.

Or now in Scotland…

No names, no pack drill, but we’ve now had a positive test in one year group.
PHE have told the whole year group to isolate for 2 weeks + tutor and a couple of TAs.

PHE have told the whole year group to isolate for 2 weeks + tutor and a couple of TAs.

That seems more appropriate tbh. The secondary near me that had a case only had 20 told to isolate, turns out the kid hadnt been to school yet!