COVID-19: School Closures

[Harvey B]

I would expect schools to be among the last things to re-start.

Agreed

 

[yorkie]

...What it is like?...

In secondary schools the numbers are very low, with under half a dozen students in schools attended by many hundreds normally.

There are a lot of staff willing to volunteer to be in, but they aren't needed.

A lot of keyworkers are not sending students in, even though they could. But that may change over time and you could see more kids in school. I was talking to a keyworker parent today who said her son wasn't doing much school work when she was working so was thinking of sending him in.

They are doing the online work (that they would otherwise be doing at home) for some of the day but also doing some more fun stuff too.

Most students of that age could be left home alone; the absolute youngest secondary students (ie. if they were born at the end of August 2008) are 11 years 7 months and I was certainly allowed to be at home alone at that age. Not all are sensible or mature enough though.

But more importantly I don't think it's at all healthy to keep students at home for so long. I'm worried about mental health, the obesity crisis becoming even worse (e.g. I know of 11 year old kids who can't fit into sports bibs that I can easily wear), and lack of education and social interaction causing all sorts of problems. For the vast majority of the students these are far bigger potential problems than the actual virus itself.

 

[Bayum]

I haven’t been in school since Monday as I’m in the ‘shielding’ group. I went in last week because supply staff were either overstretched with staff in schools and the remaining loads reluctant to come in for obvious reasons.

To begin with, we had a LOT of parents taking the mick. “Supermarket workers are listed as key workers and I work in such and such”, which when you look into it, the many chains in the country would not miss the role. Needed, but not ‘key’ in keeping products moving from place to mouth.
A lot of children had questions. A lot. Am I a vulnerable child? What does that mean? Am I the child of a key worker? A child with an EHCP is ‘vulnerable’, do their siblings count too? What about looked after children? Those on IEPs? Do both parents have to be key workers?By the time we had the actual list it was Friday afternoon and we had a fair few parents. We sent another email with the government guidance making it absolutely clear that if your child could be at home and looked after, that was the place for them. Unfortunately, we had many NHS and emergency service workers get back in touch and say they’d managed to revolve their rotas so that one of them could be at home when the other was working etc.
I’m in a small school, so this week we’ve had <20 children each day. We’ve organised tasks for the children to do and tried to get some ‘learning’ in there.
Some schools are working in partnerships - they’re taking rotas and one school chips in one week and another another week. But who covers? Who is happy to cover, who is unwilling to because of the potential for them to become poorly? Don’t forget, we’ve been tasked with looking after children, some of whom will have parents in clinical settings looking after patients with coronavirus disease.
I think it’s safe to say both the teaching staff and children are lost. We’ve had guidance for what to do regarding the end of Key Stage assessments (Y2&6 SATS, Y9 and 11 assessments for secondary) and we’ve had two or three changes to those since last Wednesday. We’re trying to check in with the children as best as we can, whilst trying to ensure that those children who are most vulnerable but are not coming into school are being looked after. On the administrative and safeguarding side of things, schools have been at the forefront of ensuring these children whose parents receive benefits/are single/looked after children/military/evergreen or whatever have been fed. We worry about these groups of children over holidays because of the financial stress feeding children can have on these families. We’ve been looking at and discussing ways of providing for these families and different areas are going around it in different ways. Other than that, it’s pretty much as is. Some schools are providing full on teaching every single day via computer-led sessions or a video+audio interface. Quite what impact this will have on this generation of children in the future remains to be seen. Someone mentioned reception teachers struggling particularly - reception IS difficult, but it’s a role many teachers understand and work on the basis of starting with a clean slate. Crossing Key Stages, - Y2-3, Y4-5, Y6-7, Y9-10, Y11-12 will be particularly challenging as the learning builds hugely on prior knowledge with a big increase in expectation - more so than other year groups. Can’t really think what else to add really. Hope that we have things in place for families who get hard hit by coronavirus infection - it’s an awful lot of grandparents and parents of parents who will lose out on a lot. Those losses will filter down into schools when we go back.

 

[Bayum]

The situation was confused as GCSE and A level students leave in May anyway, hence the matter of it possibly being their last day of the year.
Most schools I know of have no mornthan
However teachers and those I know with children outside of these years have been told not to rule out a possible return after Spring Bank holiday.

The situation was confused as GCSE and A level students leave in May anyway, hence the matter of it possibly being their last day of the year.

However teachers and those I know with children outside of these years have been told not to rule out a possible return after Spring Bank holiday.

Most schools I know of have planned a 4-6 week rota at the absolute maximum until we have clearer guidance.

 

[yorkie]

@Bayum I thought from the outset that Y6 should go to their allocated secondary school, and what you say confirms my suspicion that secondary schools have ample spare capacity while primary schools struggle. admittedly it may not be possible to have them there right now, but there should be plans being made right now to do this after Easter at the latest.

At at least one secondary near me that I know of, there are loads of volunteers who are simply told not to come in as they are not needed. I can think of no reason not to do this; several Y6s have already been attending extracurricular activities there anyway.

This would relieve pressure on primary schools as well as potentialy making the transition easier.

 

[infobleep]

Thanks for the informative replies and the work you and your colleagues are doing.

 

[Bayum]

@Bayum I thought from the outset that Y6 should go to their allocated secondary school, and what you say confirms my suspicion that secondary schools have ample spare capacity while primary schools struggle. admittedly it may not be possible to have them there right now, but there should be plans being made right now to do this after Easter at the latest.

At at least one secondary near me that I know of, there are loads of volunteers who are simply told not to come in as they are not needed. I can think of no reason not to do this; several Y6s have already been attending extracurricular activities there anyway.

This would relieve pressure on primary schools as well as potentialy making the transition easier.

Unless they are on the database for the secondary school, then we are responsible for that child’s education. The Y6s MIGHT never come back to primary, but whilst they’re on our books they’ll continue to be able to come into school if one of their parents is a key worker.

 

[krus_aragon]

In secondary schools the numbers are very low, with under half a dozen students in schools attended by many hundreds normally.

Our local primary school has roughly 5% of its pupils still attending. Naturally, primary age kids can't be left at home while their parents are at work.

At the other end of the scale, both of the FE/HE establishments I'm associated with pivoted to distance learning, but are completing their assessment with tasks done remotely.

 

[yorkie]

Unless they are on the database for the secondary school, then we are responsible for that child’s education. The Y6s MIGHT never come back to primary, but whilst they’re on our books they’ll continue to be able to come into school if one of their parents is a key worker.

Yes but my suggestion is that should be changed under these exceptional circumstances.

 

[Bayum]

Yes but my suggestion is that should be changed under these exceptional circumstances.

Even if there’s still a chance we might go back before September?

 

[infobleep]

Even if there’s still a chance we might go back before September?

I think that chance is slim. Some people, like yourself and myself, are shielding for 12 weeks, which takes them and us into June. I can't see things changing much for schools.

 

[krus_aragon]

Even if there’s still a chance we might go back before September?

In my area, Y6 kids would be spending increasingly more time at their high school by the end of the summer term, as a part of their transition scheme.

 

[Bayum]

@Bayum I thought from the outset that Y6 should go to their allocated secondary school, and what you say confirms my suspicion that secondary schools have ample spare capacity while primary schools struggle. admittedly it may not be possible to have them there right now, but there should be plans being made right now to do this after Easter at the latest.

At at least one secondary near me that I know of, there are loads of volunteers who are simply told not to come in as they are not needed. I can think of no reason not to do this; several Y6s have already been attending extracurricular activities there anyway.

This would relieve pressure on primary schools as well as potentialy making the transition easier.

I never said primary schools are struggling. We have the volunteers and we have the children.

In my area, Y6 kids would be spending increasingly more time at their high school by the end of the summer term, as a part of their transition scheme.

Yeah, I don’t know what happens in various parts of the country. In North Yorkshire we were doing something similar, but it was a mess. Who is responsible for the children at various points? We had parents and children picking and choosing which days they wanted to be at secondary and back at primary. We’ve put a stop to it and most of the head teachers of our secondaries we are affiliated with have put a stop to it as well. It wasn’t productive or conducive and just caused problems.

I think that chance is slim. Some people, like yourself and myself, are shielding for 12 weeks, which takes them and us into June. I can't see things changing much for schools.

I think it is slim too, but to transfer the data through SIMS etc would require work which would be ongoing as part of the transition information in July. For the time being, it’s easier and simpler for the children to be under the primary school where we know who the vulnerable children are and who the key workers are. That’s before you get into the discussions needed to be had for those children whom have safeguarding or child protection folders which need discussing and handing over to the secondary safeguarding officers.

 

[yorkie]

OK glad to hear you aren't struggling but I have heard that on average it's more likely to be a challenge for a Primary than a Secondary right now; also you did say:

...But who covers? Who is happy to cover, who is unwilling to because of the potential for them to become poorly? Don’t forget, we’ve been tasked with looking after children, some of whom will have parents in clinical settings looking after patients with coronavirus disease.....

My point was that if cover does become a problem in a Primary, and it clearly isn't in a Secondary, then my suggestion could help.

 

[Bayum]

OK glad to hear you aren't struggling but I have heard that on average it's more likely to be a challenge for a Primary than a Secondary right now; also you did say:

My point was that if cover does become a problem in a Primary, and it clearly isn't in a Secondary, then my suggestion could help.

I think the problem is that many secondary-aged children are able to take care of themselves at home rather than primary children who do need looking after. This is where I think the problem has come/will come. I’m not certain how much help sending some Y6 children to secondary would be if I’m brutally honest. There’s a much smaller proportion of children going into school at the moment, so the proportion of Y6 children in school will fall as well.

 

[infobleep]

I never said primary schools are struggling. We have the volunteers and we have the children.


Yeah, I don’t know what happens in various parts of the country. In North Yorkshire we were doing something similar, but it was a mess. Who is responsible for the children at various points? We had parents and children picking and choosing which days they wanted to be at secondary and back at primary. We’ve put a stop to it and most of the head teachers of our secondaries we are affiliated with have put a stop to it as well. It wasn’t productive or conducive and just caused problems.


I think it is slim too, but to transfer the data through SIMS etc would require work which would be ongoing as part of the transition information in July. For the time being, it’s easier and simpler for the children to be under the primary school where we know who the vulnerable children are and who the key workers are. That’s before you get into the discussions needed to be had for those children whom have safeguarding or child protection folders which need discussing and handing over to the secondary safeguarding officers.

The summer will be an interesting time. Schools might even need to stay open.

 

[Harvey B]

The summer will be an interesting time. Schools might even need to stay open.

Why might they

 

[infobleep]

Why might they

Well if key workers need to work, the children need to be somewhere.

I mean the schools will be taking in children over Easter holidays. They don't usually do this.

 

[krus_aragon]

Yeah, I don’t know what happens in various parts of the country. In North Yorkshire we were doing something similar, but it was a mess. Who is responsible for the children at various points? We had parents and children picking and choosing which days they wanted to be at secondary and back at primary. We’ve put a stop to it and most of the head teachers of our secondaries we are affiliated with have put a stop to it as well. It wasn’t productive or conducive and just caused problems.

I was never directly involved with organising Year 6 transition (just working in schools at the time), but my understanding is that in my neck of the woods, it's organised between headteachers of primary and secondary schools, possibly on a county-wide level. Parents certainly don't get a look-in at all, beyond choosing which school they'll be going to.

I mean the schools will be taking in children over Easter holidays. They don't usually do this.

I've not heard anything about that through our local schools. (Though I may have been distracted by statements that free-school-meal provisions won't of course apply over the Easter holiday.) Do you have any sources you could refer me to?

 

[Bayum]

I was never directly involved with organising Year 6 transition (just working in schools at the time), but my understanding is that in my neck of the woods, it's organised between headteachers of primary and secondary schools, possibly on a county-wide level. Parents certainly don't get a look-in at all, beyond choosing which school they'll be going to.

I've not heard anything about that through our local schools. (Though I may have been distracted by statements that free-school-meal provisions won't of course apply over the Easter holiday.) Do you have any sources you could refer me to?

That’s how it ‘should’ be happening... But we had parents and children leaving for the final three weeks of the summer term to go to secondary, but picking and choosing - well, on this day I want them at primary because I’m working late, this day the primary Y6 class is having a trip to Lightwater Valley so I don’t want them to miss that, “I don’t want to be in the class performance so I don’t want to go to primary on these dates”. It was ridiculous. The safeguarding going on between schools for this was immense. As I say, this has since been put to an end in my neck of the woods.

 

[Bayum]

I've not heard anything about that through our local schools. (Though I may have been distracted by statements that free-school-meal provisions won't of course apply over the Easter holiday.) Do you have any sources you could refer me to?

Schools have absolutely been ‘firmly suggested’ they should stay open over the Easter holidays. We’ve had to rota staff and ensure they’ve had their 14 days that they would have had over the Easter period factored in as ‘holiday’. So they’re either in school working with vulnerable and key worker children, working from home or ‘on holiday’.

 

[Bayum]

The summer will be an interesting time. Schools might even need to stay open.

This is definitely something we have been considering a possibility. We’ve even thought that we might be told to be open to all children and for teaching to resume in this time.

 

[krus_aragon]

Schools have absolutely been ‘firmly suggested’ they should stay open over the Easter holidays. We’ve had to rota staff and ensure they’ve had their 14 days that they would have had over the Easter period factored in as ‘holiday’. So they’re either in school working with vulnerable and key worker children, working from home or ‘on holiday’.

Thanks for the inside word. I haven't spoken directly with our local school staff for the past week, for obvious reasons, so I'm out of date with what the current gossip is for this side of the border. Those on FSM provision (currently being provided with a food bag to be collected each day) just o as far as reception, pick up what's waiting for them, and head home, with no human contact. Not very sociable, but very suitable social distancing.

 

[The Ham]

One of ours will be starting Primary School in September... but in all likelihood may not attend his nursery again before then. Reception class teachers may have a bit more challenge this year with kids who may have been out of education for many months.

One of ours is in a similar situation, fortunately they've in the school a fair account due to an older sibling which will make the transition a bit easier.

However we are doing some things to ensure that they are learning some things, but in a way which is fun and plenty of watching of Alphablocks and Numberblocks.

 

[infobleep]

I was never directly involved with organising Year 6 transition (just working in schools at the time), but my understanding is that in my neck of the woods, it's organised between headteachers of primary and secondary schools, possibly on a county-wide level. Parents certainly don't get a look-in at all, beyond choosing which school they'll be going to.

I've not heard anything about that through our local schools. (Though I may have been distracted by statements that free-school-meal provisions won't of course apply over the Easter holiday.) Do you have any sources you could refer me to?

Perhaps I'm confusing it with the free school meals being provided. It was just something I'd heard so it could have been that. Although Bayum suggests otherwise.

 

[krus_aragon]

However we are doing some things to ensure that they are learning some things, but in a way which is fun and plenty of watching of Alphablocks and Numberblocks.

They're an excellent pair of programs; our eldest (who's finishing her first year at school) took a liking to them, and her brother (who's due to start part time next year) caught the bug and loves them too.

As a parent, Alphablocks helped introduce me to the phonics system that kids learn (English) with, so I had an idea what to do when reading books started coming home. And as a teacher of maths & engineering, I can't sing numberblocks' praises highly enough!

 

[Scotrail314209]

Being a college student all I can say the closures have wreaked havoc on my education considering it happened at a critical time.

I now cannot do my final project due to filming needing to be done in the college and the surrounding area, which cannot be done due to the closure and lockdown.

My Mum is also a key worker which means I need to take time to do childcare too.

It has really went and wreaked havoc in all sectors.

 

[krus_aragon]

The Welsh Education Secretary (Kirsty Williams) has publically asked schools in Wales to stay open over Easter, and intends to extend the FSM entitlement through the Easter holidays as well.

There's a Welsh-language article on the BBC's website here, which mentions a video she released on Twitter. I haven't gone digging around for that video yet myself.

 

[Ianno87]

One of ours is in a similar situation, fortunately they've in the school a fair account due to an older sibling which will make the transition a bit easier.

However we are doing some things to ensure that they are learning some things, but in a way which is fun and plenty of watching of Alphablocks and Numberblocks.

Mine loves Numberblocks (the BBC-produced magazine is very good) and he has (I think) very good counting skills for his age.

Main concern for us is his behavioual/social skills in a busy school-esque environment, which had come on in leaps and bounds since last September. Don't want them to go backwards again and get him off to the wrong start at school.

 

[Busaholic]

An internet acquaintance of my wife has told her she's contracted the virus: she's a primary school teacher who has continued to work teaching the kids who still need to attend school. I find it particularly sad when someone in her position, or working as a carer or nurse, etc, falls ill with it and I can only wish her a full and speedy recovery.