AIBU No going back to school I’m furious.

I think the solution will be found very soon. It looks increasingly likely that social distancing rules will be relaxed, so that people need only be a metre apart. As Raab said, this will be a political decision rather than a scientific one.

One metre distancing will mean that 30 children can fit in a classroom. There will need to be other measures in place, but these are achievable, unlike the unsurmountable problems caused by two metre distancing. I would hope there would be some consideration for high risk staff and those pupils living in households with high risk family members (not holing my breath).

Whether or not this is a wise decision remains to be seen.

It really is quite disheartening to read that some posters regard schools as nothing more than childminders, whereas they should be safe places of learning. As ever, there are people who think they know better than schools and teachers, but actually haven't a clue what they're talking about.

If the government is serious about its pious concerns about the less advantaged losing education, I wonder if it will now invest in restoring all the cuts which have been made over the last decade.

Lucca Because you have read it before ... and it was muddle-headed at best the first time.

GagaJo Hope all is well with you as you were so worried.
Are people wearing masks in the street, has it been advise, and what are the distance rules in school and are teachers wearing masks

Urmstongran Oh dear! You really should buy a different newspaper. The unions are not acting as wreckers. That's precisely what the incompetent government wants people to believe. Fortunately (or unfortunately for the government), most people really haven't fallen for it.

I am infuriated by what is happening to schools, I am sorry that teachers have had everything turned upside down, I am concerned for struggling parents, but most of all my heart goes out to the children, especially the vulnerable ones and those with no brothers or sisters at home.
I am truly beginning to think don't bother about covering the curriculum, just get the children back together now to socialise, to communicate face to face and to regain some daily routine. Six months without teacher input isn't the end of the world, but children deprived of contact with others is. The rota system needs to be implemented, anything is better than nothing.

Ellianne. The problem is teachers are not allowed to “ not bother covering the curriculum “
Given a bit more autonomy in the classroom things would be easier at the best of times never mind the worst of times!
Please pass your suggestion to the powers that be , I’m all in favour of such a development ! Do away with the constant “lesson observations” the need to test progress every five minutes

Send your ideas to Mr G Williamson c/o the DfE.

I'm a bit baffled about the claim that six months without teacher input isn't the end of the world - I thought people's main concern was that children's learning is being affected, especially those from disadvantaged families.

growstuff, from what you been stating on this thread, it is obvious that you have undertaken at some point in time every employment position ever brought forward in the education establishment.

Therefore us of so little knowledge and experience in our lives should, you may feel, doff our caps to you and your overwhelming proficiency before responding to your posts. However, us of so little intellect can only draw conclusions from what we see.

In the above, what we see is a sector failing the children it is supposed to serve, failing the British economy that it is supposed to be an integral part of and failing parents throughout Britain who after more than three months only wish to see their children once again increase their education and in that also once again socialise with their year groups.

Therefore as also seen, with so many industries and sectors in Britain have overcome huge barriers and challenges to become fully operational once again, cannot the "Education Establishment" perceive the growing anger among so many in the United Kingdom on viewing the continuing failure of our schools.

Anyway, I am off into our offices where I praise the powers that be that such negativity as that in education does not, and cannot exist. ?

What do you imagine the ‘Education Establishment’ to comprise Grandad?

I would genuinely like you to explain that title.

Brick wall.....Head.

growstuff

Send your ideas to Mr G Williamson c/o the DfE.

I'm a bit baffled about the claim that six months without teacher input isn't the end of the world - I thought people's main concern was that children's learning is being affected, especially those from disadvantaged families.

It clearly isn’t the main concern. Childminding is.

I agree with Grandad1943.

growstuff

Send your ideas to Mr G Williamson c/o the DfE.

I'm a bit baffled about the claim that six months without teacher input isn't the end of the world - I thought people's main concern was that children's learning is being affected, especially those from disadvantaged families.

A teacher made that comment when asked by a TV reporter last night!

DH said 'in that case, what is the point of school?'

Sorry, teacher made which comment ? I’m a bit hay feverish and thick this morning

I regularly read 3 newspapers a day growstuff - the Mail, the Guardian and the Telegraph. I can only guess which would be the only one I ought to be reading!
?
I enjoy them all. Gives a bit of balance.

I'm trying to think, sorry, Lucca (perhaps that is why I have a permanently stuffy nose despite going nowhere, seeing no-one?).

I think it was on the local news, so ITV West Country or BBC Points West, I wasn't concentrating that much but that made me pay attention as it was such an astonishing thing to say. She was in a car, possibly driving out of school after preparing for return, and it was a brief comment.

Sorry to be vague.

Formal learning isn't the be all and end all at this moment in time. Welfare, routine, discipline and happiness are far more important. I'd want my child to have their soul restored before worrying about their academic achievements.

OK here's a concrete suggestion. Give schools the same extra money that has been allocated to Universities 3 billion pounds extra funding. This in spite of the fact that universities have been closed since the beginning of lockdown. But nowhere have I seen a word of criticism in the press.
There would still be problems recruiting staff, although we could perhaps invite all those teachers who have left the profession in the last ten years. The retention rate for teachers is appalling ( almost 50% leave in the first five years). But I doubt if they would want to do it. And when you read the ridiculous and unhelpful comments on this thread you know why.
Perhaps all those who are commenting could explain how schools can hire more premises, have more cleaning products and staff, hire suitably police cleared staff, protect those staff and completely comply with all the government regulations without any extra money, when most schools have been cutting staff and supplies for the last few years just to maintain the status quo.

I agree with your DH Callistemon.

Do you mean the kind of thing responsible parents should be doing Ellianne?

I wonder if it's actually occurred to some parents that teachers have 30 pupils at a time. If they find their own children difficult, maybe they should have a bit more respect for teachers.

PS. Most teachers try to improve academic performance as well as the childminding stuff.

For thjose who ask how other countries can do it I can only repeat and repeat Gagajo's last paragraph ^

"BUT COVID is nearly eradicated here. Two weeks ago they were down to 15 cases in a whole week (NOT deaths, people with C19)."^

Having failed to act soon enough when infection rates were manageable,, our Government in its wisdom wants us to attempt to shut in groups of unrelated children together in closed rooms while keeping the individuals 2 metres apart and the rest of us all staying 2 metres apart too.

It is nothing to do with "educational establishment" or political maneouvring or even being just plain bloody-minded that makes so many individual and experienced teachers and retired teachers say again and again "It won't work!" It is a wish to contain this virus until the numbers infected have fallen to a rate equivalent to that of Switzerland and other countries who acted fast.

It seems that many parents are not sending their children to school - so they may swing the balance so that it does work, by lessening the numbers of children in the schools until the prents feel they could return. That is what teachers have been saying all along - open them up gradually, not all at once, and be prepared to pause if necessary!

I left teaching about a year ago. So glad I don’t have to work at the moment. I really feel for my colleagues who have been working non stop to provide the best education they can in these difficult circumstances. I know they have spent many days getting the school ready to welcome the children back. Classes have been split into two groups with one group in school Monday and Tuesday and the other group in school Thursday and Friday. The school is deep cleaned on Wednesday. At the moment it’s only years 6, 1 and reception.
The classrooms are small and even if distances are reduced to 1 metre a full class could not be accommodated safely.

trisher You'd certainly have heard about closed down universities in my family. My son has just finished his first year and has hardly had any face-to-face teaching since Christmas. It seems likely that online learning will continue after September, although he still has to pay £9,250pa fees.

The latest is that students expecting to do a year abroad (including language students) will be doing a "virtual" year abroad - and still be charged full fees.

The reason universities have been given a handout is because they're going to lose fees from foreign students and many would go bankrupt. School closures don't have the same effect. All this waffle about deprived children is a load of garbage. Of course they matter, but this government didn't care about them before lockdown and it's just a weapon to stir up support for schools to provide a childminding service.

Interesting suggestion trisher re funding for universities. Yes, maybe the government should be giving the extra funding to the younger end of the education chain. Could certain Uni places be deferred for a year? I'm sure we don't need an overflow of media or non essential graduates at the moment.
And all the 3rd year university students who are due to spend the year out teaching abroad or on study placements could be brought into English schools to help out.

X post growstuff. Will digest now.