Coronavirus Impact

[Keith Smith]

As an interim measure they could bring a fifth of the class each day, so every child goes to school one day a week. Then, if there are no virus outbreaks, amalgamate groups to increase the number of days each child is in school.

 

[calibeach76]

On a slightly parallel tack, I found this an excellent and very insightful article:

We’re all in the big numbers now | Alistair Haimes | The Critic Magazine

It is the end of the affair. We are no longer at epidemic levels of covid-19 prevalence in the UK (0.27% of the population infected, where 0.4% is the low end required to be “epidemic”)…

thecritic.co.uk

It basically argues that there is mounting evidence that the virus has a definite 'life span' epidemiologically and that the issues now are going to be about unwinding the lockdown eg persuading teachers etc most of whom are at negligible risk to come out of the bunkers.

They also argue that SAGE and the government employed a deliberate policy of frightening the population into obeying the lockdown, which if it turns out to be true (publication of the actual SAGE advice still seems to be unconscionably coy) would be unfortunate, given that large sections of the media are quite capable of terrifying the population without the government's help.

Excellent post

 

[Big Ron]

As an interim measure they could bring a fifth of the class each day, so every child goes to school one day a week. Then, if there are no virus outbreaks, amalgamate groups to increase the number of days each child is in school.

Or, realising that the virus is here to stay.......just go back to school and allow the next generations that will live in this World do just that and get on with their lives?

 

[Bellcrew]

Daughter#1 is a primary teacher, and their instructions are just as above. They tested it with the key worker children they have now....apparently chaos as kids just ran amok when they saw each other and forgot every 15 mins that “you can only be with your ‘team‘’” etc... Might be different in different types of areas (our family in Denmark say that their children do understand and behave well) but the general concensus here was “unworkable, I predict a riot.....I predict a riot”.....
So maybe consider that social distancing won’t necessarily/always work at primary level?

The primary school next door to me is open for the children of essential workers and vulnerable youngsters. There is no evidence of social distancing between the children and teachers or the cleaning of equipment after use.
They are outside for 70% of the day with sporadic teacher lead play, what happens the other 30% of the day is anyone's guess.
No masks or gloves are being worn by anyone, I wonder why this is fine for these heroes and not for the rest of the profession.

 

[Big Ron]

The primary school next door to me is open for the children of essential workers and vulnerable youngsters. There is no evidence of social distancing between the children and teachers or the cleaning of equipment after use.
They are outside for 70% of the day with sporadic teacher lead play, what happens the other 30% of the day is anyone's guess.
No masks or gloves are being worn by anyone, I wonder why this is fine for these heroes and not for the rest of the profession.

Basically agree with that. I think there is obviously an increased number of contacts when all the kids get back but quite simply;
- the virus isn’t going away, so it will be caught eventually if not now
- THIS is the World now, and people have to live in it
There are many supporting arguments such as the more people that catch it now the less virulent it will become, but rather than explore the nuances of those .....My views are that we have to learn to live with this virus, so let’s do that.
As an aside, telling Head Teachers that they are accountable for the health of Pupils might be ok in ‘normal’ times but to emphasise that now is a cast iron guarantee that Heads will say “I can’t do that”....that is what I’m hearing.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Basically agree with that. I think there is obviously an increased number of contacts when all the kids get back but quite simply;
- the virus isn’t going away, so it will be caught eventually if not now
- THIS is the World now, and people have to live in it
There are many supporting arguments such as the more people that catch it now the less virulent it will become, but rather than explore the nuances of those .....My views are that we have to learn to live with this virus, so let’s do that.
As an aside, telling Head Teachers that they are accountable for the health of Pupils might be ok in ‘normal’ times but to emphasise that now is a cast iron guarantee that Heads will say “I can’t do that”....that is what I’m hearing.

I genuinely don't understand the last thing in your post Ron, in that I don't understand why Dept for Ed hasn't already issued a detailed set of principles and guidelines to be followed by schools in preparing to have kids back. Or is it that they have, but the heads don't agree with it?

All I can see on Gov.uk is a one-screen set of trivially basic, now-wash-your-hands type recommendations for schools. And headed with the warning: "This guidance is of a general nature and should be treated as a guide, and in the event of any conflict between any applicable legislation (including the health and safety legislation) and this guidance, the applicable legislation shall prevail." What bloody use is that, right now?

Although every school will be slightly different in the way it applies sensible and practical risk mitigations, I'm guessing that there's scope for 90%+ commonality of approach and this is where having a top-down mandate makes sense. LEAs, where appropriate, should certainly be consulted so they can feed in local factors if any, but there's going to need to be a fair bit of imposed standards from DfE or there will be confusion and potential chaos when parents start asking why their school is doing things one way when another school across town has a different approach.

Unfortunately with Gavin Williamson in charge (yes, the bloke known as "Private Pike" when he was Defence Sec) I don't have high hopes this will get sorted quickly.

 

[calibeach76]

I can now add to this, our village CofE school of c 68 pupils in total are opening from 1 June on a 4 day week. Initially, we had said we will wait until September or until the psychologically harmful (especially to young children) social distancing measures are removed. I am not concerned about anything else. The school are not enforcing social distancing and will be to a large extent operating as per normal. On this basis I will be sending ours back initially 2 days a week then back 4 days over the course of the first fortnight. Social distancing and all it entails will never be my new normal.

 

[Big Ron]

I genuinely don't understand the last thing in your post Ron, in that I don't understand why Dept for Ed hasn't already issued a detailed set of principles and guidelines to be followed by schools in preparing to have kids back. Or is it that they have, but the heads don't agree with it?

All I can see on Gov.uk is a one-screen set of trivially basic, now-wash-your-hands type recommendations for schools. And headed with the warning: "This guidance is of a general nature and should be treated as a guide, and in the event of any conflict between any applicable legislation (including the health and safety legislation) and this guidance, the applicable legislation shall prevail." What bloody use is that, right now?

Although every school will be slightly different in the way it applies sensible and practical risk mitigations, I'm guessing that there's scope for 90%+ commonality of approach and this is where having a top-down mandate makes sense. LEAs, where appropriate, should certainly be consulted so they can feed in local factors if any, but there's going to need to be a fair bit of imposed standards from DfE or there will be confusion and potential chaos when parents start asking why their school is doing things one way when another school across town has a different approach.

Unfortunately with Gavin Williamson in charge (yes, the bloke known as "Private Pike" when he was Defence Sec) I don't have high hopes this will get sorted quickly.

Hi Velma’s Dad.
Common sense says “go back” and 3 Heads I know are saying they’d be happy for their kids to return.
Where I am getting told it breaks down is Accountability(They say Blame!) With slippery shoulders from Governments dumping on Heads.
Allegedly, Heads are being told, “you know you are responsible for the welfare of the children”.....which should be ok but ....”and all you have to do is not only stick to the Social Distancing Rules but all other Health guidelines that have been published by Health officials (and as yet have not been translated into changed Policies/Guidelines by OFSTED ) that you can’t possibly understand.... and you’ll be ok. But make sure you do!”

Heads I have spoken to are saying they’ve done c 50 separate risk assessments each which “I’m not qualified for”...so they’re putting the decision to their Board of Governors. All 3 Boards Declined to return as they can’t “guarantee” the safety of the children.

Lack of Government Leadership, yet again in my book, making a simple problem difficult?

 

[Velma's Dad]

Hi Velma’s Dad.
Common sense says “go back” and 3 Heads I know are saying they’d be happy for their kids to return.
Where I am getting told it breaks down is Accountability(They say Blame!) With slippery shoulders from Governments dumping on Heads.
Allegedly, Heads are being told, “you know you are responsible for the welfare of the children”.....which should be ok but ....”and all you have to do is not only stick to the Social Distancing Rules but all other Health guidelines that have been published by Health officials (and as yet have not been translated into changed Policies/Guidelines by OFSTED ) that you can’t possibly understand.... and you’ll be ok. But make sure you do!”

Heads I have spoken to are saying they’ve done c 50 separate risk assessments each which “I’m not qualified for”...so they’re putting the decision to their Board of Governors. All 3 Boards Declined to return as they can’t “guarantee” the safety of the children.

Lack of Government Leadership, yet again in my book, making a simple problem difficult?

God it sounds like the Death of Stalin. Glad our kids are grown up (sorry that sounds selfish).

 

[Amarillo]

Useful video for dummies on smartphone contact tracing apps.

 

[Amarillo]

I genuinely don't understand the last thing in your post Ron, in that I don't understand why Dept for Ed hasn't already issued a detailed set of principles and guidelines to be followed by schools in preparing to have kids back. Or is it that they have, but the heads don't agree with it?

They have pretty clear guidance for parents. I’m confident that Headteachers and school governors will have equally clear guidance.

[Withdrawn] What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19

Information for parents and carers about attending schools, nurseries and colleges.

www.gov.uk

 

[Amarillo]

They have pretty clear guidance for parents. I’m confident that Headteachers and school governors will have equally clear guidance.

[Withdrawn] What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19

Information for parents and carers about attending schools, nurseries and colleges.

www.gov.uk

Here it is:

[Withdrawn] Coronavirus (COVID-19): implementing protective measures in education and childcare settings

Guidance for education and childcare settings on how to implement protective measures.

www.gov.uk

 

[Amarillo]

I can now add to this, our village CofE school of c 68 pupils in total are opening from 1 June on a 4 day week. Initially, we had said we will wait until September or until the psychologically harmful (especially to young children) social distancing measures are removed. I am not concerned about anything else. The school are not enforcing social distancing and will be to a large extent operating as per normal. On this basis I will be sending ours back initially 2 days a week then back 4 days over the course of the first fortnight. Social distancing and all it entails will never be my new normal.

Ben and Jack’s school is ten times the size with 630 pupils from Reception to Year 6 and 40 Nursery places.

We still have not received details on the reopening for Reception and Years 1 & 6, but the school has sent out a plea for room and playground dividers. We have offered the loan of 10 x 72cm room dividers, used to keep Ben and Jack out of our open plan kitchen area when they were toddlers.

I feel confident that teachers and other staff will be able to keep the “bubbles” of 15 children separate from other bubbles.

We have a friend who is a GP and has twin boys in Year 2. The boys have been at school throughout this period, including over the Easter break. Although I don’t know details, she has been delighted with how the school has handled matters with her boys.

 

[Big Ron]

They have pretty clear guidance for parents. I’m confident that Headteachers and school governors will have equally clear guidance.

[Withdrawn] What parents and carers need to know about early years providers, schools and colleges during COVID-19

Information for parents and carers about attending schools, nurseries and colleges.

www.gov.uk

Oh, there are some clear basic/unimplementable guidelines as well Tom. Daughters school...8 children in a bubble, with 2 teachers per bubble. Multi use screens must be disinfected every 30 mins (of whether they’ve been used) Every classroom to be ozone disinfected every 30 mins....so all the teachers in the school used to bring back 2 year groups on a partial week. Children in a bubble with a teacher they’ve never been taught by/seen before.
Social Distancing to be enforced despite the kids arriving at school (in middle of 3 large Council estates) already in their Social Groups where “his dad is my dad, but my mums her mum over there not his mum” etc.....

Her school is going back....and she’s ok with it but is dismayed at the detail on the unimportant things and the clear absence on wider/over arching issues.

 

[Wongo]

As tbe drug companies seem to have a 20 minute lab free test and a reliable antibody test then the quarantine nonsense at the points on entry and exit to UK should be removed. Where’s me Euro atlas?

 

[westfalia]

Where’s me Euro atlas?

You won't need it. You lot are going nowhere.
Fast


Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Not checked in here recently, do we still have a Pandemic...???
Guess so...

With regards to the young-guns.
My lads nursery has had the key worker kids in every day. About 6-8 children. No social distancing from what i can see on the live stream sessions.
I wouldn't expect to see any, anyway Let kids be kids...

Bit of math...
0-14 year olds 1 in roughly 450 000 deaths in that age category.
Statistically more chance of dying in the car on the way there...

My lad goes back start of June, can't wait for him to get back to some sort of normality.
He needs to socialise again with other children.

 

[Wongo]

You won't need it. You lot are going nowhere.
Fast


Sorry, couldn't resist.

We shall see, August-September

 

[Big Ron]

Not checked in here recently, do we still have a Pandemic...???
Guess so...

With regards to the young-guns.
My lads nursery has had the key worker kids in every day. About 6-8 children. No social distancing from what i can see on the live stream sessions.
I wouldn't expect to see any, anyway Let kids be kids...

Bit of math...
0-14 year olds 1 in roughly 450 000 deaths in that age category.
Statistically more chance of dying in the car on the way there...

My lad goes back start of June, can't wait for him to get back to some sort of normality.
He needs to socialise again with other children.

Pandemic? What, like Spanish Flu.....er, no. Despite the most fearful predictions t the outset...nothing like it.
Mortality rate roughly 1 in 2,000 with Covid?
Is that a Pandemic? Don’t know, doesn’t feel like it to me but I’ll just be glad when we start to talk about positive things. Planted two Camellias from pots today, that was very positive!

 

[Amarillo]

Bit of math...
0-14 year olds 1 in roughly 450 000 deaths in that age category.
Statistically more chance of dying in the car on the way there...

I can’t fault your maths.

But what about this scenario.

Young lad picks up CV19 from
classmate at school. Doesn’t show any symptoms. Mum takes him for a sneaky visit to gran’s back garden. Kindly gran provides a glass of orange squash. Virus passes to glass rim and then to grandma when she picks up the glass after grandson has left.

OK still more chance of being hit by a bus. But multiply that by 2,500,000 reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children and you have a possible scenario somewhere in the country.

 

[Big Ron]

I can’t fault your maths.

But what about this scenario.

Young lad picks up CV19 from
classmate at school. Doesn’t show any symptoms. Mum takes him for a sneaky visit to gran’s back garden. Kindly gran provides a glass of orange squash. Virus passes to glass rim and then to grandma when she picks up the glass after grandson has left.

OK still more chance of being hit by a bus. But multiply that by 2,500,000 reception, Year 1 and Year 6 children and you have a possible scenario somewhere in the country.

Easy, if you have someone who is vulnerable in the family make your choices with them in mind.
No guarantees they won’t get Covid.
No guarantees they won’t be lonely if they don’t see their Grandson.
That’s the point, there are no guarantees. Get on and choose.

 

[pjm-84]

Easy one. Don't take him to your Grandma.

 

[GrannyJen]

Easy, if you have someone who is vulnerable in the family make your choices with them in mind.
No guarantees they won’t get Covid.
No guarantees they won’t be lonely if they don’t see their Grandson.
That’s the point, there are no guarantees. Get on and choose.

So easy.

My nephew quite by chance met his daughter walking her children. 2 year old Son sees grandad and run towards him and grandad not being a robot stretches out his arms and hugs grandson. All over in half a minute. Covid passes on.

As the IPPS forecasts, two variables, the virus and human behaviour.

 

[Big Ron]

So easy.

My nephew quite by chance met his daughter walking her children. 2 year old Son sees grandad and run towards him and grandad not being a robot stretches out his arms and hugs grandson. All over in half a minute. Covid passes on.

As the IPPS forecasts, two variables, the virus and human behaviour.

Yes Jen, that’s life isn’t it, chance always plays a part, and it is not without risk.
But if we’d rather stop a normal education and life of all children because of a situation like that then of course we could continue like now with locking down children.
My view is that we have the perception threatened by this virus out of all proportion and whenever there is an unfortunate fatality close to us that just reinforces our personal fear. Fractions of A percent of the UK population versus a normal childhood. No contest.

 

[Amarillo]

We still have not received details on the reopening for Reception and Years 1 & 6

We have now received some details.

From Monday 1 June the school will be open to some 90 pupils, all of whom have one or more parents critical workers. This is up from 12 pupils who have been attending school throughout the lockdown.

From Monday 8 June the school will open for up to 180 Year 1 and Year 6 pupils, plus the children of critical workers not in Year 1 or Year 6. Year 1 and Year 6 pupils will be in "bubbles" of fifteen children. School will provide a packed lunch for those children who don't bring in their own, to be eaten in classrooms. School will be closed every Friday - except for the children of critical workers - for cleaning. Each family will be allocated a drop off and pick up time, and a one-way system will operate on school grounds for drop off and pick up.

No date has been given for the start of Reception Class, but we intend to send Jack to school from 8 June as the child of a critical worker (Clare works at Guy's Hospital).