Coronavirus (Non-Politics)

[Sandbach Shrimper]

Neither do people that work in supermarket but no one cares about them.

Quite. You don't see supermarket staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, NHS staff etc. complaining and refusing to work. Why do teachers think they're so special? There's definitely a class element here - middle-class lefties in comfortable jobs happy for the working class to deliver the stuff they're buying online but don't want to go back to work themselves until every little risk is eliminated. And it's kids from less well-off backgrounds who will suffer most from schools being closed.

I say reopen schools in June but make it optional. Kids with parent(s) who need to go back to work or just want to get rid of the kids can send them to school, those parents who don't want to - either through fear or having vulnerable family members - can carry on home schooling. That way you'll naturally get better social distancing as there'll be fewer kids than normal in school.

Either way, the government blah blah [politics remoced]

 

[Special Blue]

Quite. You don't see supermarket staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, NHS staff etc. complaining and refusing to work. Why do teachers think they're so special? There's definitely a class element here - middle-class lefties in comfortable jobs happy for the working class to deliver the stuff they're buying online but don't want to go back to work themselves until every little risk is eliminated. And it's kids from less well-off backgrounds who will suffer most from schools being closed.

I say reopen schools in June but make it optional. Kids with parent(s) who need to go back to work or just want to get rid of the kids can send them to school, those parents who don't want to - either through fear or having vulnerable family members - can carry on home schooling. That way you'll naturally get better social distancing as there'll be fewer kids than normal in school.

Either way, the government blah blah [politics removed]

Top post well said sir!

 

[Special Blue]

If I had to choose working in a school or working in a supermarket and knowing the risks I'd prefer to catch nits!

 

[pottster]

I think they want the virus to move through the population to attain herd immunity, but do it in a graduated way. I guess the protesters yesterday were helping that. It's hard to know what the plan is at the moment, as we only get released snippets. I'd say see where we are in a week and maybe get a better picture.

 

[OldBlueLady]

I honestly can't believe some of the more hysterical postings from former teaching colleagues on FB. Mostly from those who haven't been in schools during the previous months.

Year 6 children need to get back. Even without SATs, there's so much to do to get them ready for transition to secondary school and they need this time to prepare and to say their own goodbyes to primary schooling. I feel very sad for them that they're missing out on the residential stays, day trips and fun days that normally go on after SATs and which are great fun.

I haven't seen any guidelines for schools, but surely the obvious thing is to group them into small groups in classrooms across the otherwise empty schools. Split them into friendship groups, where possible, to allow them some social interaction and camaraderie. Keep them with one teacher - who will not necessarily be their class teacher. This will minimise any risks to both parties. Stagger break times and lunch times, get out in the fresh air and find some team games to play within their small class groups.

Keep the little ones at home. These are the least hygenically aware, and will have no concept of social distancing.

Thinking practically, that's how I would do it, and if you still think the risk to your child or to your own health is too high, then keep them home.

I also quite agree with the poster who earlier said about supermarket workers - my son's Tesco didn't even have the right size gloves for them, instead sending through 8 boxes of extra small ones. It's only thanks to @Cricko providing some, that he had any during the worst weeks of this all.

 

[londonblue]

Neither do people that work in supermarket but no one cares about them.

Yes I do. In fact, my wife has made a big deal of making sure we keep them in mind when we clap on a Thursday night.

However, none of that is relevant because the post I was replying to was about teachers.

 

[RHB]

Yes I do. In fact, my wife has made a big deal of making sure we keep them in mind when we clap on a Thursday night.

However, none of that is relevant because the post I was replying to was about teachers.

Lots of people do care about supermarket workers and that is evident in the way they are treated by most customers. I've seen more folk being considerate to the staff that I have seen ignorant ones. That's not to say there are not people that don't care, but they tend to apply their ignorance to everyone.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Quite. You don't see supermarket staff, warehouse workers, delivery drivers, NHS staff etc. complaining and refusing to work. Why do teachers think they're so special? There's definitely a class element here - middle-class lefties in comfortable jobs happy for the working class to deliver the stuff they're buying online but don't want to go back to work themselves until every little risk is eliminated. And it's kids from less well-off backgrounds who will suffer most from schools being closed.

I say reopen schools in June but make it optional. Kids with parent(s) who need to go back to work or just want to get rid of the kids can send them to school, those parents who don't want to - either through fear or having vulnerable family members - can carry on home schooling. That way you'll naturally get better social distancing as there'll be fewer kids than normal in school.

Either way, the government blah blah [politics remoced]

I'm still waiting on the answer for how many dead kids you think is acceptable to close the schools. Thanks.

 

[londonblue]

2 weeks is a long time in this current climate and as it stands with things ‘improving’ I will be sending my children back. For their mental health and their educational needs. One needs extra help especially with the transition to secondary school. If in a week/week and a half time things have started toget worse then I won’t send them. There’s got to be a point we cannot keep kids out of school forever.

I’m not a ****ing teacher and there is only so much I can do to ‘homeschool’. I wouldn’t be so bothered if the schools were putting the effort in with work for them but they aren’t. My year 6 children have had zero work from their teachers! My year 1 gets regular work and it’s helping. I’m having to use these free sites like Bitesize and Oak Academy for the year 6 kids, if they have a question about something I don’t know the answer. I can’t give the same answer as a teacher. They need that attention.

They’ve been out of school for a very long time so far, if we wait until September it’s going to be a really long time. Think about people who have children with ADHD trying to keep that child entertained when stuck at home. Think about all those other parents struggling, think about safeguarding. How many children will be at risk because they’re stuck at home for a prolonged period.

From our schools and my sister and mother in law who both work in schools, they’re happy to go back yet the unions are the ones pushing them to try and keep them at home.

I know it’s a tough situation and the school have sent us an extensive list of the countermeasures they will put in place. They have looked at the Danish bubble model and seen how it works. I like the concept and understand is their best option.

Put me down as you wish for wanting to send my children back but I don’t want their education or mental health to suffer. They could pick up the virus from my wife who is a key worker and could bring it home. And the same could be said for when I go back to work.

Then you need to complain to either the head or a governor, and give good constructive criticism that will help them improve. This is a situation for which no school will have prepared and for that reason they were (understandably) caught on the hop. If you have a conversation with someone from the school then you might a) get the help you need, b) help the school improve, and c) realise that the school staff are doing a huge amount of work that you might not be aware of.

 

[londonblue]

Lots of people do care about supermarket workers and that is evident in the way they are treated by most customers. I've seen more folk being considerate to the staff that I have seen ignorant ones. That's not to say there are not people that don't care, but they tend to apply their ignorance to everyone.

Indeed, there's nothing like sharing the ignorance!

 

[Ricey]

Which is impossible to do at the school I'm a governor of.



Which is impossible to do at the school I'm a governor of


Keep the little ones at home. These are the least hygenically aware, and will have no concept of social distancing.

Thinking practically, that's how I would do it, and if you still think the risk to your child or to your own health is too high, then keep them home.

I also quite agree with the poster who earlier said about supermarket workers - my son's Tesco didn't even have the right size gloves for them, instead sending through 8 boxes of extra small ones. It's only thanks to @Cricko providing some, that he had any during the worst weeks of this all.

Then you need to complain to either the head or a governor, and give good constructive criticism that will help them improve. This is a situation no school will have prepared and for that reason they were (understandably) caught on the hop. If you have a conversation with someone from the school then you might a) get the help you need, b) help the school improve, and c) realise that the school staff are doing a huge amount of work that you might not be aware of.

As I’ve said I will be speaking to the head. And as for them doing huge amount of work I might not be aware of. One of the teachers uses the Facebook feed style system he has to brag about what he’s doing with his kids. I’m not putting all teachers in the same bracket I’m just venting about the junior school. Everything I put on here I will say to the head and the teacher himself.

 

[Ricey]

Yes I do. In fact, my wife has made a big deal of making sure we keep them in mind when we clap on a Thursday night.

However, none of that is relevant because the post I was replying to was about teachers.

It is relevant because you said teachers don’t have PPE, neither did the supermarket workers who have continually had to work through this from day dot!

 

[londonblue]

It is relevant because you said teachers don’t have PPE, neither did the supermarket workers who have continually had to work through this from day dot!

It's not relevant because the article you posted, and I was replying to, was scapegoating teachers. When they start scapegoating other people we can discuss them. Either way, as I pointed out, people do care about other professions, so you were also wrong.

Remember the poem by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller?

 

[Ricey]

It's not relevant because the article you posted, and I was replying to, was scapegoating teachers. When they start scapegoating other people we can discuss them. Either way, as I pointed out, people do care about other professions, so you were also wrong.

Remember the poem by German Lutheran pastor Martin Niemöller?

Ok we will have to agree to disagree and no I don’t do poetry.

 

[Up the Shrimpers]

Schools in some areas will not reopen on the 1st June (Liverpool & Hartlepool) but just keep open for Key worker children.

A pre-school near me has said it is reopening for all 2 to 4 years old from 1st June and there will be no social distancing for either staff or children as it is just not possible.
It will be interesting to see how many parents actually send their children.

I see private schools not reopening until September at the earliest! Mind you they usually shut about mid June anyway so not worth it for a couple of weeks.

 

[OldBlueLady]

As I’ve said I will be speaking to the head. And as for them doing huge amount of work I might not be aware of. One of the teachers uses the Facebook feed style system he has to brag about what he’s doing with his kids. I’m not putting all teachers in the same bracket I’m just venting about the junior school. Everything I put on here I will say to the head and the teacher himself.

And so you should. This is a dereliction of duties by the teacher concerned. I wouldn't ever scapegoat teachers, I know full well how hard the majority of them work BUT when you get one bad one in a school and your child is in the class that gets them that's really hard to deal with.

If you've got nowhere with complaining to the teacher and you've also complained to the school in writing (email) - as I think I've already advised you to do then, then complain, in writing to the Chair of Governors. What is the school's Ofsted rating? That would be your next step - the LEA or, failing that, Ofsted.

I have spoken off the record to a few teacher friends about your situation, and all have been appalled. You've clearly been let down, and, no matter how unprecedented this situation is, that's clearly not acceptable.

 

[Ricey]

And so you should. This is a dereliction of duties by the teacher concerned. I wouldn't ever scapegoat teachers, I know full well how hard the majority of them work BUT when you get one bad one in a school and your child is in the class that gets them that's really hard to deal with.

If you've got nowhere with complaining to the teacher and you've also complained to the school in writing (email) - as I think I've already advised you to do then, then complain, in writing to the Chair of Governors. What is the school's Ofsted rating? That would be your next step - the LEA or, failing that, Ofsted.

I have spoken off the record to a few teacher friends about your situation, and all have been appalled. You've clearly been let down, and, no matter how unprecedented this situation is, that's clearly not acceptable.

In 2015 they went from requires improvement to good after a full inspection. They had a short inspection in July 2019. When we moved back a year ago today, the headteacher was leaving which we were gutted about as she was brilliant. They have a new head this year and he’s ok, talks a good game but is nothing like the previous.

 

[OldBlueLady]

In 2015 they went from requires improvement to good after a full inspection. They had a short inspection in July 2019. When we moved back a year ago today, the headteacher was leaving which we were gutted about as she was brilliant. They have a new head this year and he’s ok, talks a good game but is nothing like the previous.

If the school have not come back to you, then contact your Chair of Governors (contact details should be on school website), then Local Education Authority, and if they don't, then contact Ofsted.

 

[Ricey]

If the school have not come back to you, then contact your Chair of Governors (contact details should be on school website), then Local Education Authority, and if they don't, then contact Ofsted.

Thanks Kay.

 

[OldBlueLady]

Thanks Kay.

Welcome, mate x