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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).
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!
No positives for us yet a week and a half in (a week with the whole school back), but relatively large numbers of students absent waiting for test results (5 or 6 in my year group so 30 or so in the whole school). Only one staff member in the same boat so far. We serve a deprived community in an 'enhanced' local authority and border onto an area of concern so I think we're lucky so far...
Can't see us getting through another week without a positive case somewhere...
Had a good chat with my union today who said staff and students absolutely can wear masks during lessons according to section 44 of the health and safety act. The law protects us so we can wear PPE using our own judgement. Since the government states 2m distancing, or 1m+; this means when you have to get closer (less than 2m) to a student you should be using PPE. Not just washing hands. They said they will support me if my college asks me to remove my mask. Not planning on wearing it all the time but will when I cant keep 2m from everyone.
To the parents who dont work in schools and colleges, your kids are being exposed to hundreds of other kids. The bubble system is ignored in our place and there is no enforcement of social distancing. I've witnessed some staff not care and have a 1 to 1 chat with students less than 1m away with no PPE or shielding.
No explosion of cases in Scottish schools it would appear.
Thankfully.
No explosion of cases in Scottish schools it would appear.
Thankfully.
I thought cases in Scotland were on the rise? Might not be showing up in schools but the kids could be spreading the virus to parents etc.
Not planning on wearing it all the time but will when I cant keep 2m from everyone.
I know of one teacher taking this approach, and been challenged by their head for doing so. And I know a teacher at another school who has had complaints from parents for not wearing a mask when working with pupils and less than 2m from them. Teachers are stuck, not being able to do right. Everyone’s interpretation of what should be happening in schools is different, which is no surprise when national guidelines are open to interpretation. And then you get ministers saying that our schools are “Covid safe”… how?
Teachers are stuck, not being able to do right.
Normal!
I had a robust discussion with line management. They were saying we were making schools covid safe, they would not admit that we were just reducing risk. I know that they were just towing the party line but that's not acceptable. The high heid yins are surrounded, as in a lot of things, by yes men/people who don't questions.
So parents and kids hear safe therefore don't understand the silly wipe down/mask/other rules.
No explosion of cases in Scottish schools it would appear.
Thankfully.I thought cases in Scotland were on the rise? Might not be showing up in schools but the kids could be spreading the virus to parents etc.
Just a thought, but if the evidence says that most spread is currently via social interactions and not in schools - hence the rule of six - whyTF don't they produce some data to back up the decisions?
Sat in my room waiting for tutor group to arrive, teacher next door coughing a lot, has he been tested, I dont know. Kids walking about coughing, have they been tested, I dont know. Its quite stressful tbh and I'm a fit healthy person who isnt overly worried.
Kid in tutor group off with "chesty cough, not covid" have they been tested? Doubt it unless they did it and gotvresults over weekend
Son of teacher in school off with a "cough". Said teacher in school.
First positive Covid test at my Son's school, it's to be expected really, it's a huge school.
Although they're being very coy about it, Son reports that they're now enforcing mask rules, bubbles etc and not just 'encouraging' them and they're distributing the masks they said they'd distribute when they first went back.
Thankfully the R rate etc is still very low in our area so there's a chance we might just pull this off.
I'm wearing a mask if I move among the students in class, but removing it when I'm teaching from the front. I'm staying at the front as much as possible.
We were on masks in corridors anyway.
To add to the first KS3 pupil, now we've had a positive test in Yr11, so they're out for 2 weeks. Arse.
Most frustrating and anger inducing thing? Both kids (unrelated families) had been sent into school by parents after they'd had tests done, and the school was only informed when the tests came back positive. ****ing idiots!
Yep, same in my wife's school, parents sent kids in despite there being confirmed cases at home and kids showing symptoms. Years 9 and 10 now home for 14 days as well as 1 year 7 class, plus teachers. Schools are going to close by default unless something changes.
Most frustrating and anger inducing thing? Both kids (unrelated families) had been sent into school by parents after they’d had tests done
Similar with our school, two year groups now sent home to self isolate for 14 days because kids sent to school when someone in the household had symptoms.
I’ll leave others to comment on this. Personally, I’m fuming about it…
https://twitter.com/neupresident/status/1317908976491761664?s=21
My year 9 daughter has had another kid test positive in her year group today.
Last month she had to isolate as she was in the same classroom as another kid tested positive.
I can only see the numbers increasing.
Half term can’t come soon enough.
I keep poking my 'germ bags' pupils at arms length with a metre stick
It’s skwarkbox though, so take with a tonne of salt.
https://fullfact.org/health/schools-contact-tracing-not-escalate/
Seen some reporting that schools are now being advised by the DfE not to report further positive cases in a school to them after the first one.
From our local experience, the schools are left to identify pupils who have been in close contact with the one who tests positive, and then tells them to isolate. At my daughter's school, four cases in a year group meant it was easier to send the whole year group home.
Yr7 to 11 is a worrying figure.
The yr12 to 24 is stoodents and well reported on.
Hmmm
Is Year 7-11 due to school, or outside school? Other youth activities/sports, hanging around with mates, generally being a teenager kind of stuff.
Other youth activities/sports
Don't think much of this has started up yet? Our school is rigorously running bubbles, but students within them are in close contact in classrooms and corridors - it's inevitable. As a member of staff walking across site it's impossible to keep over 1m at times.
Don’t think much of this has started up yet?
Scouts, BB's, Bike Club, Air Cadets, Football, Golf are all up and running here.
Is Year 7-11 due to school, or outside school? Other youth activities/sports, hanging around with mates, generally being a teenager kind of stuff.
Straw clutching? where else are they sat right next to loads of other kids in a poorly ventilated room for an hour?
Excellent Twitter thread comparing the government’s plans and stated approach when schools returned, to what is actually happening:
https://twitter.com/tweetsbyames/status/1331327502715924480?s=21
Straw clutching? where else are they sat right next to loads of other kids in a poorly ventilated room for an hour?
You can't catch the virus by sitting in an enclosed room... the statistics are clear... 100% of positive tests are made AFTER testing hence why our schools are being told to strongly advise against testing and continue to exclude kids who test negative despite being told not to get tested.
The virus can be best controlled by NOT testing.... especially in kids who are likely to be asymptomatic. 2 dead vulnerable carers from COVID-19 at a local school already but that's a small price to pay to control the spread of testing and testing leads to more positive cases.
Straw clutching? where else are they sat right next to loads of other kids in a poorly ventilated room for an hour?
Nope, not straw clutching, but a trustee of a youth organisation with serious doubts that just because we were allowed to do face to face activities (prior to lockdown 2) that didn't mean that we should.
Straw clutching? where else are they sat right next to loads of other kids in a poorly ventilated room for an hour?
Well I've heard a few stories recently of kids having sleepovers. One mother nearby apparently said, "She wanted it for her birthday so what could I do"... Say no? Thing is in each of those cases at least 2 parents have agreed.
Scouts, BB’s, Bike Club, Air Cadets, Football, Golf are all up and running here.
And just to confirm Matt's not in some weird bubble of covid ignorance - that is the norm here (until Level 4 restrictions), and add Dance Classes, Swimming lessons, Art/Craft stuff etc too. From what I can see the level of Covid Secureness at those is variable - probably depending on the subjective views of those in charge locally.
We also let them meet outside (it's amazing, it's almost like the 80s when teenagers hung around the parks/streets!) but it's bloody miserable weather so inevitably they will congregate where they can get some shelter - a bus shelter, under a bridge, someone's garage... and all this is unsupervised (so don't expect even notional social distancing or consistent mask-wearing), probably involving shouting/singing/laughing as kids should. And there's definitely some illicit car-sharing going on too. Anecdotally those who have had to self isolate locally are mostly not the "at school contacts" but the out of school ones.
You can’t catch the virus by sitting in an enclosed room… the statistics are clear…
Eh?
continue to exclude kids who test negative despite being told not to get tested.
the public (and perhaps politicians) don't want to hear that you should still isolate after a negative - and that's not surprising 2 weeks in isolation for a whole family is a huge pita even if it's not hurting you financially. That was the hysteria around testing in April - and its why PHE/DHSC were caught off guard on test capacity - they only wanted to test where there was a clinical need, but the public felt entitled to test because they believed it would free them up when it doesn't.
100% of positive tests are made AFTER testing
Of course. They cant be made before testing.
The virus can be best controlled by NOT testing…. especially in kids who are likely to be asymptomatic
Oh. my. god.
That sounds like when Trump said to stop testing people so the number of cases go down.
Also, asymptomatic people can spread it.
> WHOOSH <
Eh?
Schools are SAFE, it's impossible to catch SARS-COV-19 in a school.
This is why PHE keep telling the school no matter how many positive cases no need for anyone else in the same class to self isolate because they didn't catch it in school and it's impossible to do so.
Of course. They cant be made before testing.
> WHOOSH <
So how to control the spread of the virus?
If only there was a way of preventing kids testing positive?
and its why PHE/DHSC were caught off guard on test capacity – they only wanted to test where there was a clinical need, but the public felt entitled to test because they believed it would free them up when it doesn’t.
Yep because someone who tests negative twice, a week apart is obviously far more at risk of spreading this virus than someone who hasn't been tested. Good British Common Sense... no need to "ask the scientists"
Wait.. hold on ....
If only there was a way of preventing kids testing positive?
What if most kids that contract SARS-Cov19 are asymptomatic ...
What if we prevent them getting tested....
Oooohhhh we can make it illegal for them to get tested... what if we send them home to their family but don't let them leave the house .. then they can't go and get tested and if they can't get tested then they can't have the virus. Bish bosh ole fella... (or whatever choice of infantile language Boris uses to tell people)
Fortunately as with most of our governments incompetence there is a bit of a flaw....
They can ignore negative tests and pretend they are invalid but they can't easily ignore positive ones and if you pay privately you can get tested at home without symptoms.
Hence why I now have an 11yr old sat in the next room... because a bunch of parents got asymptomatic kids tested....and surprise surprise lots tested positive and they had to close the year.
Luckily non of these kids had brothers or sisters that could possibly infected others before they got tested ... oops.
One of the other schools got closed after some selfish grandparents who were also carers had the selfishness to get infected and pass the virus on top the school ... I guess they won't be prosecuted as they are dead but they obviously deserve what they got. The families are real ****s they are claiming that the asymptomatic child was infected at school and infected the grandparents who had been isolating other than the grandchild going to school. Like seriously what tossers... don't they realise schools are safe?
stevextc... your heavy and repeated sarcasm can make it a bit tricky to decipher the actual point you're trying to make. especially if just dipping into the thread
EDIT just re-read it and still mystified. "Illegal to get tested" .... eh ??
Darn it, I swore I wouldn't get drawn into this thread again..
The head of one local primary has been getting quite fruity with their language when it comes to being repeatedly refused tests for his pupils, while his staff are dropping like flies with positive tests.
The thing is, this is exactly what was promised... wide scale testing for schools, together with a tier system to cope with local outbreaks identified via testing... neither have happened, schools have just been left to cope with the spread. And by "cope", I mean pretend it's not happening, and just watch staff and pupil levels dwindle. They're left with closing years and moving to mixed learning "as a result of positive tests" only after enough parents pay for testing for their kids after falling ill themselves... schools can't act based on the widespread testing that hasn't happened, or move through the tiers that the government set out, and the government then refused to actually let them use, and finally this week binned completely. Schools, their staff, their pupils, the family of pupils... all have been lied to and abandoned by this government.
And how about schools trying to shut early for Xmas, because they are very short staffed, pupils are receiving second rate learning at best because of that, and to give pupils and staff alike some time to isolate before the government sanctioned xmas get togethers? They've been told they can't and... in stevextc speak... it's illegal for them to take such a (common sense?) (science led?) (people first?) (joined up thinking) (grown up?) measure.
We seem to be getting letters, well emails, almost daily from my eldest's comprehensive with news of another COVID positive.
They have only been isolating close contacts, generally form groups, though kids are mixing form groups in streamed subjects.
Last week they sent all of Year 9 home as they didn't have enough teachers to staff the whole school. This week they managed 2 days before sending Yr8 home.
It's abundantly clear that the Gov have decided that allowing schools to close would be deemed "failure".
Oh and at my youngest's primary school they seem to have been having a bit a flair up in Yr3 but hardly any siblings/family members are getting tested apart from the the kid with symptoms.
They have only been isolating close contacts
Schools are told what to do by PHE.