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Kids back to school in the U.K.?

Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
in The potting shed
Are students back to school in the U.K.?  I read on the BBC school was supposed to start Monday for some year levels, but haven't heard much since.  

I am supportive of parents decisions either way, and am not interested in a discussion of the pros or cons of either (feel free to start a new thread for that, I'm happy to give you my options  :) ).  

How has it been going?  My husband and I are both elementary school teachers here in Utah, and I was very interested to see how it went in England, as a trial run for our own school reopening in the fall.  Having taught in both countries, I know there is many similarities (class size, schedules, etc) that we can learn from what works in U.K. school settings.  
Utah, USA.
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  • pitter-patterpitter-patter Posts: 2,429
    We’ve opened the school on Monday for reception, year 1 and year 6. We have a maximum of 15 children in each classroom. Each classroom is a bubble in itself and the children are not allowed anywhere else apart from toilets and playground. All children are having packed lunches in their classroom and the teacher is eating with them. There are playground rotas in place so that only one group is outside at any one time and the children in each bubble have their own equipment which they take to their classroom.

    I find it exhausting and depressing. I can only have a break of about 15 minutes a day, and during that break I can only really go to the toilet. Interaction with other staff members is kept to a minimum and mostly through phones and emails.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    Thanks @pitter-patter.  That sounds similar to our districts current plan.. which includes some sort of hybrid home and school learning.  Each teacher will have their usual 26-30 students, but only 15 at a time in some sort of rotation.  Options being discussed are Monday&Thursday for one group, and Tuesday&Friday for the other half, with Wednesday an additional day for those below grade or without reliable internet access.. among other ideas. At the same time a teacher is spending the day teaching 15 students, the other half is being taught online.  It sounds like it will require one teacher to complete two full time jobs (teaching in person all day, and teaching/creating content online all day).  Personally, I found teaching online the last few months of school took up more time than teaching in person!  It took ages to create/edit videos and internet based lessons.  I also taught web live lessons three days a week, which were great because I was able to 'see' the kids.. but many/most did not attend.

    Do they have a plan for when they will add in the other years?  Will it be before summer holidays?  
    Utah, USA.
  • mrtjformanmrtjforman Posts: 331
    I can see it being tough on the teachers. But they are doing such a vital thing. I know it might not seem like it but without someone doing this job we wouldn't be able to get back to normal again. I'm worried it is too soon and we will have a second spike considering we seem to just be following what other countries are doing when we have got the highest death toll in Europe so should maybe not follow the same schedule - I reckon the UK wasted a month reacting on time when it was crucial and we are now not giving ourselves that extra month. Spain has practically eradicated the virus, we would be in the same position in a months time, we aren't yet but as long as we can keep the virus from spreading too much again we might be ok, so year 1 and 6 is as good a start as any.


  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    My daughter is a child minder and pre school teacher, she says the schools and the parents have the right to say if they will open or if they will send their children back.
    Her year 6 child will not be going back until September.

    The older one who is taking A levels next year is going back for the last four weeks of term just for one day a week, but will get all his boarding fees refunded for one term and will stay for one night at a reduced rate. 
    She is going to take him and fetch him to save him travelling on the train.

    She is starting work next week just to mind two children, she’s had to get rid of her carpet in the playroom and replace with Lino that can be washed down, she’s had to pay £200.00 for PPE, so it’s costing her more than the benefit scheme have allowed her.
    shes had to separate her house, put baby gates up and open the back doors for the children, no parents allowed in.


    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Mike AllenMike Allen Posts: 208
    Hi Lyn.  This is outragious.  OK many of us find the governments hanling of all this somewaht hit and mis, but this.  I would be inclined to challenge it all the way.  Best wishes.
  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    @Blue Onion  Lovely to hear from you again. I've missed your contributions from across the pond.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    @Fire Thanks!  Between mothering a six and nine year old, teaching (during term time, of course), gardening, and such.. life got busy for a while.  

    Summer was supposed to be super busy - we were to go to my sister-in-laws wedding in Bristol this weekend, and spend two weeks in Wales on holiday and two weeks in West Sussex with my MIL.  Then off to Pennsylvania to stay with my family for a few weeks.  I was going to forgo a veg garden this year and hire someone to mow the grass while we were gone.  But that has all changed, of course, and now I find myself with TIME.  A very lovely consequence of a terrible thing.  

    It's lovely to see so many familiar faces after my hiatus.  
    Utah, USA.
  • Blue OnionBlue Onion Posts: 2,995
    @mrtjforman I completely agree we need school to get back running so parents can get back to work.  BUT, done safely.  My husband and I are healthy, but I have a nine year old with Asthma and a six year old that has a standing prescription to steroids because every respiratory illness causes stridor (where the upper airway swells and narrows).  I worry about them.. and I expect children will be far down the list when/if a vaccine is produced for the masses.  Our state plans to implement drastic cuts in educational spending due to the poor economy, so I am not hopeful they will implement best-practices.. because they all cost money.

    @Lyn Those are some serious requirements.. far stricter than we have in my state.  Currently everything is pretty much back to normal, except for spaced out seating in restaurants and servers wearing masks, etc.  Our local daycare just needs to sanitize more frequently and kids of different age grounds can't mingle, like in the evenings as kids are picked up when they are normally all put into a room together as the numbers go down.  
    Utah, USA.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    Ours won't go back now until the usual August return, although I think they're going back a week earlier, so mid August. 
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • Mr. Vine EyeMr. Vine Eye Posts: 2,394
    At my school we followed our local authority guidance to delay opening til next week. 

    Next week is going to be an orientation week for staff and children. Staff in on one day, then staff AND one year group of pupils in on another day. Each year group are in separately.

    Although key worker child care is continuing all week as before.

    from the week after, Early Years and Year 1 are in on Monday/Tuesday, Wednesday is for cleaning so no pupils in (except Key Workers) and Thursday/Friday is Year 6.

    The age groups are split into two groups each - except Year 1, as we’ve now only got 4 children signed up for returning (out of 20)

    They have staggered start times, end of day times, playtimes and lunchtimes. 
    East Yorkshire
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