Schools

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MACCA
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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Mon May 18, 2020 8:01 pm

evensteadiereddie wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 7:44 pm
Go on then, Macca, I'll bite. What is it you do for a living ? Genuine question, I'm interested to see what kind of risks you face at work.
Y

No PPE so to speak.
You decide whether I'm at risk or not.
Last edited by MACCA on Mon May 18, 2020 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.

evensteadiereddie
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Re: Schools

Post by evensteadiereddie » Mon May 18, 2020 8:10 pm

I'd say you are. Your choice, I suppose, and to be respected - just as though others who would reject what you are doing as being reckless are to be respected, too.
So have the potential risks and implications of what's happening wherever you work even been discussed ? At what level ? Is it left to you as an individual to decide whether you turn up or not?

MACCA
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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Mon May 18, 2020 8:44 pm

evensteadiereddie wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 8:10 pm
I'd say you are. Your choice, I suppose, and to be respected - just as though others who would reject what you are doing as being reckless are to be respected, too.
So have the potential risks and implications of what's happening wherever you work even been discussed ? At what level ? Is it left to you as an individual to decide whether you turn up or not?
Yes and no.

We were told we should remain working, regularly contacted by the council to see if we were, and could take on further work if we wanted as we were in need.

We opted to not work for 8 weeks to protect our family and the children.
We hoped it would blow over in that time, and it did to an extent.
We took a decision to return to work for several reasons although pressure off the council wasn't one of them.
Having returned to work its 100% the correct decision for all involved.
The response from all parties has been a positive one, and the children have responded far better than expected to the point their parents are leaving fantastic heartwarming comments.

We gave it a chance, and all involved are glad we did.

Fantastic results... so far.

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Re: Schools

Post by evensteadiereddie » Mon May 18, 2020 9:18 pm

Fair play to you and your team, Macca. All the best.

MACCA
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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Mon May 18, 2020 9:26 pm

evensteadiereddie wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 9:18 pm
Fair play to you and your team, Macca. All the best.

And to you and yours Eddie, hope to see you in the Turf again soon!
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Re: Schools

Post by BurningBeard » Mon May 18, 2020 9:41 pm

MACCA thank you for your recent input and insight on the thread, I hope you, your friends, family, colleagues and kids you're in contact with all remain safe.

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Re: Schools

Post by NewClaret » Mon May 18, 2020 11:23 pm

Siddo wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 7:50 am
Not having a go at you, but you weren't wrong. You assumed you knew the situation, didn't check or do any research, and posted what you thought was correct.
And that I believe, is the problem with social media and a lot of discussion about the pandemic.
I see this all the time when people think they know employment law by using what they believe to be common sense and thinking they are probably right. But the actual resolution can be miles away from their supposition and they find that difficult to accept.
This is true, Siddo.

On the Covid threads I don’t do any research. I’d much rather we were all discussing football, but since the only active threads are Covid ones at the moment, I just throw my uneducated opinions around.

Do tend to pre-qualify them with statements like “I’d be surprised if” or “in my view” (i.e. expressing an opinion, not a fact), as I did in this case.

Stick by my view on this though, and dsr’s numbers - for whom I thank for doing my research for me - largely supported it. More Labour councillors than any other party, a constituency that has been Labour for years, currently led by an MP with heavy connections to the Unions.

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Re: Schools

Post by NewClaret » Mon May 18, 2020 11:25 pm

dsr wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 12:28 pm
My theory is that teachers are hard workers who see their job is key and want to work; but the unions are opposed to that and want to stop teachers from working. I really don't see how teachers going to school to teach kids breaks that theory.

I think perhaps a lot of people have seen a post about teaching, have seen that there is criticism, and have decided that it must be unfair because teachers are wonderful. I have very carefully steered away from any criticism at all of teachers, except perhaps in their choice of union bosses. It's the unions that I am criticising.
Totally agree with this post.

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Re: Schools

Post by NewClaret » Mon May 18, 2020 11:51 pm

Billy Balfour wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 5:33 pm
70 cases of COVID-19 at French schools days after re-opening

PARIS - Just one week after a third of French schoolchildren went back to school in an easing of the coronavirus lockdown, there’s been a worrying flareup of about 70 COVID-19 cases linked to schools.

https://bit.ly/3bHKwJV
According to tiger76’s post above, its 70 cases in 40,000 schools. Not so worrying in that context.

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Re: Schools

Post by jackmiggins » Tue May 19, 2020 3:40 am

Problem is that children tend to be asymptomatic. Will be interesting to see any effects to teachers and local communities to schools in two to three weeks - earlier if testing is carried out.

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Re: Schools

Post by evensteadiereddie » Tue May 19, 2020 8:06 am

Interesting to hear this morning that MPs are not interested in taking the risks of attending Parliament in Westminster, preferring to work from the safety of their own homes, however many they may have. I'm shocked, shocked I tell thee !

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Re: Schools

Post by Steve-Harpers-perm » Tue May 19, 2020 8:22 am

MACCA wrote:
Mon May 18, 2020 8:44 pm
Yes and no.

We were told we should remain working, regularly contacted by the council to see if we were, and could take on further work if we wanted as we were in need.

We opted to not work for 8 weeks to protect our family and the children.
We hoped it would blow over in that time, and it did to an extent.
We took a decision to return to work for several reasons although pressure off the council wasn't one of them.
Having returned to work its 100% the correct decision for all involved.
The response from all parties has been a positive one, and the children have responded far better than expected to the point their parents are leaving fantastic heartwarming comments.

We gave it a chance, and all involved are glad we did.

Fantastic results... so far.
Hope you, other staff and the children and their own families in your setting all stay safe. Must say it makes your views towards teachers and schools a little baffling.

evensteadiereddie
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Re: Schools

Post by evensteadiereddie » Tue May 19, 2020 9:02 am

I did wonder that myself, Macca. Clearly, the work you and your team is magnificent, well done and thanks to you all and, as you said, you decided in the "hope that it would all blow over" to carry on working unprotected and, presumably, still are.

Your choice but surely now that the risks are clear and it hasn't" blown over" - far from it - you must respect those who, so far and I stress so far, have not been given enough evidence to suggest they and their families will be safe if schools reopen.

I eavesdropped a video conference my missus was involved in with the head and 90 staff of her school, she's Head of Science, and detailed plans, crazily detailed plans are being put in place ready for a return but only when it's safe to do so.

All the staf,f whether scratting about in their tiny flats or looking forward to their depleted pensions from the comfort of their nice semi want to get back and pick up the pieces. Which professional wouldn't ? What they won't do is be as unrealistic and reckless as the "Daily Mail" urges.

Speaking of which, I wonder if that rag is having a crack at our "cowardly", "lazy", "unpatriotic" MPs and PM this morning ?

Anyway, well done, Macca, I hope your luck continues.

MACCA
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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Tue May 19, 2020 9:23 am

Sometimes there's little to no choice but to return to normality for some, obviously whilst sitting on full pay, work load drastically reduced and able to do any work from home, the eagerness to go back will be somewhat minimal for some.
If I'm the only one who thinks or can see that then fair enough.

I just dont know how people can say in 3 weeks things wont have improved significantly enough to return.

As I put early on, they are simply "planning on returning" I'm sure that will be reviewed every few days, but plans have to start somewhere.
I dont know what the end game is, what do conditions, stats, figures need to be before its deemed "safe enough", I honestly dont know, but IMO children cannot be expected their lives not to be majorly affected by having 6-12 months in isolation and out of education.

What's the counter offer of when's a good time, simply saying it's not safe is a bit of a cop out to me, everyone returning to work at present is somewhat at risk to something somewhere.

The thing that probably hasn't or doesn't help teachers is the way that everything always circulates around pay, packages, working conditions etc.

In a local school I and a few others on this board attend or use, there's been teacher strikes over their package deemed essential and needed, yet parents fined for taking their child on holiday, there's barely a week goes by without a teacher being off ill with stress etc. Supply teachers all over the place sometimes for the MAJORITY of the school YEAR

So yes my experience might just be unfortunate, and I do appreciate there are fantastic teachers out there as I have met and worked with some, but there are more than a handful in my opinion that just want an easier rude than the rest, and are forever complaining about anything and everything, rather than just getting kn with things like the rest if us seem to have too.

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Re: Schools

Post by Grumps » Tue May 19, 2020 9:32 am

When the goverment say something is either safe or not safe, people bang on about seeing the evidence, or the scientists being forced to change their views because some advisor was sat in a meeting.
What advice are the unions and councils using to say it's not safe?
It's certainly not from the head scientist at WHO, who says it's safe to return in stages, what evidence are they using that says she's wrong?

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Re: Schools

Post by Devils_Advocate » Tue May 19, 2020 9:43 am

Grumps wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:32 am
When the goverment say something is either safe or not safe, people bang on about seeing the evidence, or the scientists being forced to change their views because some advisor was sat in a meeting.
What advice are the unions and councils using to say it's not safe?
It's certainly not from the head scientist at WHO, who says it's safe to return in stages, what evidence are they using that says she's wrong?
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-n ... -briefing/

This is a few days out of date and hopefully talks have continued to progress between the govt and the Union but I think this gives a high level simple summary of the NEU's position and what they would like to see and have answered before they are comfortable to progress further.

Im not advocating this position or sharing it to get into an argument or for people to try and pick at it and pull it apart because its not their view but just trying to help you understand the Unions position as you asked in your post

Edit: As its mentioned in the article below is info on the NEUs five tests

https://neu.org.uk/neu-five-tests-gover ... an-re-open

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Re: Schools

Post by martin_p » Tue May 19, 2020 9:47 am

Grumps wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:32 am
When the goverment say something is either safe or not safe, people bang on about seeing the evidence, or the scientists being forced to change their views because some advisor was sat in a meeting.
What advice are the unions and councils using to say it's not safe?
It's certainly not from the head scientist at WHO, who says it's safe to return in stages, what evidence are they using that says she's wrong?
The fact we have an incompetent government who have consistently got things wrong and lied to us?

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Re: Schools

Post by TVC15 » Tue May 19, 2020 9:53 am

martin_p wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:47 am
The fact we have an incompetent government who have consistently got things wrong and lied to us?
Not disagreeing but in terms of where have unions got their advice from its a simple answer - The BMA.
I’m haven’t read anything the WHO have produced for schools but I would question whether that was country specific - let alone the regional / city specific differentials we are looking at in the UK.

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Re: Schools

Post by Grumps » Tue May 19, 2020 9:53 am

Devils_Advocate wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:43 am
https://schoolsweek.co.uk/coronavirus-n ... -briefing/

This is a few days out of date and hopefully talks have continued to progress between the govt and the Union but I think this gives a high level simple summary of the NEU's position and what they would like to see and have answered before they are comfortable to progress further.

Im not advocating this position or sharing it to get into an argument or for people to try and pick at it and pull it apart because its not their view but just trying to help you understand the Unions position as you asked in your post
I have absolutely no problem in anyone saying children shouldn't go back to school unless it's safe to do so

However, what this crisis has shown, which is clear on this thread, there is always a report out there that argues against another. The unions asking for sight of various reports is all well and good, but there will be other reports which contradict those.

Most EU countries says there's been no increase in cases since schools went back. If someone looks deep enough there will be something, somewhere to say they are wrong

At some point someone will have to make a decision, and stand by it.

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Re: Schools

Post by Grumps » Tue May 19, 2020 9:56 am

martin_p wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:47 am
The fact we have an incompetent government who have consistently got things wrong and lied to us?
The last time I looked WHO was not part of the government

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Re: Schools

Post by Devils_Advocate » Tue May 19, 2020 10:00 am

Grumps wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:53 am
I have absolutely no problem in anyone saying children shouldn't go back to school unless it's safe to do so

However, what this crisis has shown, which is clear on this thread, there is always a report out there that argues against another. The unions asking for sight of various reports is all well and good, but there will be other reports which contradict those.

Most EU countries says there's been no increase in cases since schools went back. If someone looks deep enough there will be something, somewhere to say they are wrong

At some point someone will have to make a decision, and stand by it.
Just giving you the info you asked for. Go and bicker about it with someone else like Jack Muggins or Paul Atky as Im happy to leave this to the Govt, health authorities, Unions, Teachers, scientists and where possible the parents and I'll go with the consensus that comes from that group of people

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Re: Schools

Post by Grumps » Tue May 19, 2020 10:06 am

Devils_Advocate wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 10:00 am
Just giving you the info you asked for. Go and bicker about it with someone else like Jack Muggins or Paul Atky as Im happy to leave this to the Govt, health authorities, Unions, Teachers, scientists and where possible the parents and I'll go with the consensus that comes from that group of people
I didn't realise it was bickering, looked like a grown up discussion, sorry you saw it different.

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Re: Schools

Post by martin_p » Tue May 19, 2020 4:51 pm

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... SApp_Other

An awful lot of teachers don’t think it’s safe to reopen schools. It’s not giving me any confidence over sending my son back.

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Re: Schools

Post by aggi » Tue May 19, 2020 5:30 pm

I saw a survey from the Institute of Fiscal Studies that said, unsurprisingly, the less well off children suffered more by the schools being shut.

What was interesting though was that the parents of those children were less likely to send them back to school on 1st June (a half saying they wouldn't send them back compared to a third).

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Re: Schools

Post by fatboy47 » Tue May 19, 2020 5:38 pm

aggi wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 5:30 pm
I saw a survey from the Institute of Fiscal Studies that said, unsurprisingly, the less well off children suffered more by the schools being shut.

What was interesting though was that the parents of those children were less likely to send them back to school on 1st June (a half saying they wouldn't send them back compared to a third).

maybe the more affluent parents have lucrative occupations to pursue, and need their kids out of the way?

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Re: Schools

Post by martin_p » Tue May 19, 2020 5:50 pm

fatboy47 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 5:38 pm
maybe the more affluent parents have lucrative occupations to pursue, and need their kids out of the way?
I thought it was the teachers who were the affluent ones? I suspect their union is telling them to stay at home but send their kids to school! The fiends!

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Re: Schools

Post by aggi » Tue May 19, 2020 6:17 pm

fatboy47 wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 5:38 pm
maybe the more affluent parents have lucrative occupations to pursue, and need their kids out of the way?
There could be many reasons. My point was more that this isn't just about getting the schools open, you also need to convince the parents to send their children there.

MACCA
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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Tue May 19, 2020 8:01 pm

martin_p wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 4:51 pm
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/ ... SApp_Other

An awful lot of teachers don’t think it’s safe to reopen schools. It’s not giving me any confidence over sending my son back.

Course they dont, I'm yet to meet anyone who doesn't like free money.
Most people in the country would prefer to earn their money in the easiest way possible, teachers are no different.

Do the survey again after stopping their money for as long as the schools are closed and then see the opinions, I'm sure itd change.

There are many occupations that arent 100% safe to be working/open but are.
It's the good teachers who want to work, and teach the children I feel sorry for, some of their colleagues are letting them down :(
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Grumps
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Re: Schools

Post by Grumps » Tue May 19, 2020 8:10 pm

Hope barbers and hairdressers, waiters and waitresses, cafe owners, shopkeepers, and pub landlords etc don't wait till its 100% safe, or this country will never get up off its arse
Then again they don't have unions looking after their interests.
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Re: Schools

Post by martin_p » Tue May 19, 2020 8:14 pm

MACCA wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 8:01 pm
Course they dont, I'm yet to meet anyone who doesn't like free money.
Most people in the country would prefer to earn their money in the easiest way possible, teachers are no different.

Do the survey again after stopping their money for as long as the schools are closed and then see the opinions, I'm sure itd change.

There are many occupations that arent 100% safe to be working/open but are.
It's the good teachers who want to work, and teach the children I feel sorry for, some of their colleagues are letting them down :(
So just 5% of teachers are ‘good teachers’?

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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Tue May 19, 2020 9:01 pm

martin_p wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 8:14 pm
So just 5% of teachers are ‘good teachers’?
It doesn't take much, but you've lost me

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Re: Schools

Post by martin_p » Tue May 19, 2020 9:24 pm

MACCA wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:01 pm
It doesn't take much, but you've lost me
The poll I linked shows only 5% of teachers think it’s safe to return to work.

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Re: Schools

Post by NewClaret » Tue May 19, 2020 9:58 pm

Grumps wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 8:10 pm
Hope barbers and hairdressers, waiters and waitresses, cafe owners, shopkeepers, and pub landlords etc don't wait till its 100% safe, or this country will never get up off its arse
Then again they don't have unions looking after their interests.
Glad it’s not just me.

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Re: Schools

Post by NewClaret » Tue May 19, 2020 10:00 pm

aggi wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 6:17 pm
There could be many reasons. My point was more that this isn't just about getting the schools open, you also need to convince the parents to send their children there.
Everyone I’ve spoken to in recent weeks, who are trying to keep their kids entertained, educate them and work at the same time have told me they can’t wait to see the back of them. I think they’ll be queuing at the gates (hopefully 2m apart) :lol: :lol:
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Re: Schools

Post by AndrewJB » Tue May 19, 2020 11:29 pm

MACCA wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 8:01 pm
Course they dont, I'm yet to meet anyone who doesn't like free money.
Most people in the country would prefer to earn their money in the easiest way possible, teachers are no different.

Do the survey again after stopping their money for as long as the schools are closed and then see the opinions, I'm sure itd change.

There are many occupations that arent 100% safe to be working/open but are.
It's the good teachers who want to work, and teach the children I feel sorry for, some of their colleagues are letting them down :(
Teachers are working from home. Many are doing shifts in school as well. It’s not “free money.”

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Re: Schools

Post by AndrewJB » Tue May 19, 2020 11:32 pm

Eton remains closed until September. Of all the columnists and the like demanding stat schools reopen, I haven’t seen any making the same demands of private schools.

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Re: Schools

Post by ksrclaret » Tue May 19, 2020 11:41 pm

AndrewJB wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 11:32 pm
Eton remains closed until September. Of all the columnists and the like demanding stat schools reopen, I haven’t seen any making the same demands of private schools.
I can certainly see why it's deemed necessary to get the state schools back, though. Privately schooled kids will have had a much better experience of distance learning, on average, due to much better and more frequent access to technology as well as a higher chance of having an adult able to guide them through it.

The education some of these disadvantaged kids are currently missing out on cannot be understated. If it goes on for many more weeks and months, especially in the younger years, it will only get worse. We need to get them back as soon as possible. I really hope a solution is found to this.

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Re: Schools

Post by AndrewJB » Wed May 20, 2020 12:07 am

ksrclaret wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 11:41 pm
I can certainly see why it's deemed necessary to get the state schools back, though. Privately schooled kids will have had a much better experience of distance learning, on average, due to much better and more frequent access to technology as well as a higher chance of having an adult able to guide them through it.

The education some of these disadvantaged kids are currently missing out on cannot be understated. If it goes on for many more weeks and months, especially in the younger years, it will only get worse. We need to get them back as soon as possible. I really hope a solution is found to this.
What this illustrates for me is there is an urgent need to ensure all homes have internet access, and some form of compute device - whether a thin client / Raspberry Pi type machine accessing cloud services, or basic laptops. Like clean water, internet access should be considered a human right.

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Re: Schools

Post by ksrclaret » Wed May 20, 2020 12:14 am

AndrewJB wrote:
Wed May 20, 2020 12:07 am
What this illustrates for me is there is an urgent need to ensure all homes have internet access, and some form of compute device - whether a thin client / Raspberry Pi type machine accessing cloud services, or basic laptops. Like clean water, internet access should be considered a human right.
Agreed. It's exposed another layer of division between the two groups, and it seems like access to the internet is only going to become more important over the coming years.

I seem to remember a policy very similar to that being put forward in the last Labour manifesto, but it didn't prove very popular and indeed attracted some derision. I wonder if, like a few other things in that manifesto, we will look at its implementation as an imperative tool to keep society going through this crisis.

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Re: Schools

Post by NewClaret » Wed May 20, 2020 12:31 am

AndrewJB wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 11:32 pm
Eton remains closed until September. Of all the columnists and the like demanding stat schools reopen, I haven’t seen any making the same demands of private schools.
Oh no, they’re different, obviously ;)

The one point I would make is that it seems a lot of effort to reopen for 7 weeks, or whatever it is. I’d keep schools open over summer and allow families to take their kids out if they want to take a holiday (presumably in the UK). My kids won’t be in priority years so I don’t expect them back until September earliest.

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Re: Schools

Post by dsr » Wed May 20, 2020 12:40 am

Looking on the bright side - any parents who want to take their child out of school for a few days to get cheap holidays (or whatever) will no longer have to suffer the "every day at school is vital" arguments. Not when they can quote the "it's hardly worth bothering for 7 weeks" arguments in exchange.

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Re: Schools

Post by fanzone » Wed May 20, 2020 7:12 am

ksrclaret wrote:
Wed May 20, 2020 12:14 am
Agreed. It's exposed another layer of division between the two groups, and it seems like access to the internet is only going to become more important over the coming years.

I seem to remember a policy very similar to that being put forward in the last Labour manifesto, but it didn't prove very popular and indeed attracted some derision. I wonder if, like a few other things in that manifesto, we will look at its implementation as an imperative tool to keep society going through this crisis.

I would put my left nut on the line and say 99 % of children off school will have a parent with a smart phone with an internet bundle attached to it.

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Re: Schools

Post by burnmark » Wed May 20, 2020 7:34 am

The likes of Eton and Stoneyhurst (not sure on their status at the moment in regards to prospective opening) have a much shorter summer term and finish towards the end of June. With no set date for a secondary return, part of them staying shut could in fact be, for want of a better phrase, ‘what’s the point?’

Stoneyhurst also have a large number of students and staff who are boarders with a number probably not even in the country at the moment.

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Re: Schools

Post by taio » Wed May 20, 2020 7:39 am

The government could take the same useless position to that of the Shadow Education Secretary. Oppose schools reopening and at the same time oppose online learning because children need the benefit of face-to-face learning with a teacher. I presume this broadly aligns to the position of the unions. Helpful.

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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Wed May 20, 2020 7:53 am

martin_p wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:24 pm
The poll I linked shows only 5% of teachers think it’s safe to return to work.
So 95% would prefer to collect their full wage packet for doing less work, no work, shorter working days, shorter working weeks, working around their family life, with no commute?
Well I never.

Like I said, take their pay away for the last 8 weeks, or stop it now until they are due to return, then give me the new poll figure in 3 weeks....

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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Wed May 20, 2020 8:01 am

AndrewJB wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 11:29 pm
Teachers are working from home. Many are doing shifts in school as well. It’s not “free money.”
I'm aware of that, but there is no getting away from the fact its far easier, and better suited for them to be doing so. Those doing the shifts in school are basically acting as carers at the minute, there's relaxed measure, tic toks and fun activities all round ( and fair enough, they're a baby sitting service for key workers so thank you )
The education side of things is little to none existent.

If its safe enough for them to do weekly shifts for 30 kids for the last 10 weeks, when the pandemic was at its peak, the R rate was 6, why isn't it safe enough for them to do full shifts for 120 kids in over 2 weeks time, when the R rate is 0.6- 0.9 and the government and scientists say its safe to start planning a staggered return?

I cant recall the teachers going against the scientists and government when they were planning to close, the advice was the correct decision and worth listening to then...

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Re: Schools

Post by jackmiggins » Wed May 20, 2020 8:07 am

I have much sympathy with the teachers who, no doubt, feel the whole situation is being dealt with in a half cocked fashion. At best, vague info and advice as to how this will all work, added to the STILL lack of PPE availability. Much planning needs to be done ie transport, arrival at school, lessons, toileting, meals and egress. Each school has its own specific physical constraints and demographic. Some will have a higher proportion of ‘difficult’ students.
I’m afraid that my feeling is that the government is chucking this over the fence at the schools.

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Re: Schools

Post by Swizzlestick » Wed May 20, 2020 8:10 am

taio wrote:
Wed May 20, 2020 7:39 am
The government could take the same useless position to that of the Shadow Education Secretary. Oppose schools reopening and at the same time oppose online learning because children need the benefit of face-to-face learning with a teacher. I presume this broadly aligns to the position of the unions. Helpful.
In the interview I saw, she wasn’t opposed to online lessons, she made the point that not all households had access to the necessary technologies and that online lessons wouldn’t provide the same quality of education as face to face teaching would, necessarily. She was broadly supportive as she commended those teachers that were doing it.

Similarly, she asked for full publication of the scientific advice surrounding the re-opening of schools and the establishment of a robust test, track and trace system, which are both reasonable requests. The latter point allies with the view of public health experts https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-tr ... ealth-expe
Last edited by Swizzlestick on Wed May 20, 2020 8:15 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Schools

Post by MACCA » Wed May 20, 2020 8:12 am

dsr wrote:
Wed May 20, 2020 12:40 am
Looking on the bright side - any parents who want to take their child out of school for a few days to get cheap holidays (or whatever) will no longer have to suffer the "every day at school is vital" arguments. Not when they can quote the "it's hardly worth bothering for 7 weeks" arguments in exchange.
Oh the local school to us dishes out fines for missing the last week of a term for an holiday as everyday is vital for every childs learning journey. That last week usually involves school plays, none uniform day (to raise money for school/charity), sports days, toy days etc.

But when teachers strike as a "last resort" over pay, that's ok, and the parent can use their work holidays, lose a days pay to look after them on their unexpected or scheduled break..

If anything the kids should work through the summer where possible to catch up, possibly just having any planned time off they had, or with a little 1 week break end of August to break it up should they not have had.
I'm sure a slightly extended 8-9 week term isn't too long.
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Re: Schools

Post by Steve-Harpers-perm » Wed May 20, 2020 8:18 am

Ever thought of training to be a teacher? Should be easy enough to get on a course with your experience in the nursery setting. It’s obvious you are passionate in your thinking the majority of schools and those who work in them aren’t up to scratch.

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