6/7 Days at School in June

Open the school estates over 6/7 days in June, using all available staff, to carry out core school teaching. The timetable could be from early morning to mid evening (08.00. - 20.00)

Maybe kids get 10/15 hours of main schooling over 6/7 days. Even if the last month of school is starting the next term year and giving them a head start, rather than them starting behind!

Why the contribution is important

The under 18’s are the most crucial group of people who will be working through the economic effect of this over the next 10 years. They need a routine and a responsibility.

Parents / Carers also need to review their own responsibilities - household, family, employment, schooling, mental health.

I have the following main fears;

- Scottish Children losing a year of structure that will have a huge influence on their career prospects and ultimately the options available to them in the future.
- Parents / Carers need to have a structure where they can also see normality returning and preparing for this (how they return to work, deal with the daily tasks, childcare etc)

We need to get the general public facing forward in how we deal with the lockdown.

by colinghill on May 10, 2020 at 08:43AM

Current Rating

Average rating: 2.1
Based on: 16 votes

Comments

  • Posted by ArtSam May 10, 2020 at 09:11

    I agree it’s important our children are educated, however we must do this safely & strategically, all teachers must be tested regularly, all kids must be tested regularly and anyone with Any small symptom Must stay at home, very strict social distancing in all areas of education buildings and outside areas and in the travelling to and from.
    To at least minimise the possibility of spreading the virus as inevitably some people show no symptoms but can potentially carry & spread the virus.
    Nurseries & younger children will most likely be the biggest challenge understandably our younger kids will struggle more with social distancing.

    A clear, concise plan, with extremely strict monitoring would give me the confidence for children, teenagers and adults to be back in education.

  • Posted by gw09garciachristine May 10, 2020 at 09:16

    This idea is terrible....it seems to me it's more about providing longer hours childcare for parents more days of the week, rather than having any consideration to truly improving children's health,, well being and nurturing their talents and skills with a view to future employment.

    The idea only looks at the narrow focus on pupil academic attainment...i.e. being physically in the school building to get teaching input
    "Good career prospects" will be influenced (as will future school grades, whatever they look like) by first and foremost a person's good physical mental health and wellbeing.

    Many experts in different fields are rightly Calling for a focus on play, health and wellbeing, during the recovery curriculum in period.

    Even the social aspect for pupils would not be of benefit if both children and staff would be worried about infection, stressed out at the 'forced' attendance at odd hours.
    These stressed children and adults then go home to families and 'spread' that stress... during what is already the most prolonged period of stress (mental and physical)
    and threat that many of us have endured in our lifetime.

    It's a mistake to think that "high quality teaching" cannot happen during the current lockdown conditions. Find the examples of good practice and replicate.

    When schools do reopen, special and radical consideration should be given to whether ANY child at primary and secondary transition stage should be asked to go to a new establishment. A period of time should be spent in their 'old' establishment (regardeless of whether the schools year had already technically ended and new on supposed to have begun). This is needed to help them emotionally prepare themselves to say good bye to peers, staff to get ready one step at a time, to move to their next phase.
    I think moving any child to a new school straight out of lockdown would be too much emotionally for them to handle.
    Slow down, spend some TIME getting things right for them for their change in school life.

  • Posted by SamM May 10, 2020 at 09:26

    I understand why this is desired but exhausted kids who have gone from home environment to extremely long days will struggle to remember social distancing, hand washing etc.

    Very long stressful days will also affect their immune systems.

    Focus should be on getting tech (and broadband) to the kids who have none. Then the structure could be the same as the school day with all lessons delivered online.

  • Posted by SST May 10, 2020 at 09:33

    Teachers have lives and family t too .
    How ridiculous to suggest schooling 6/7 days a week.

  • Posted by Sooziniz13 May 10, 2020 at 09:40

    Any return to school needs to be with face coverings and reduced numbers in each class, alternating numbers throughout the days/weeks. Do not like any idea of classes moving into weekends, messes with structure of work/family time.

    Perhaps a target of 2 classes a morning which sets up the learning for the rest of the day at home. Allows classes to be cleaned each afternoon and minimises potential contact spreading.

  • Posted by Sarahj May 10, 2020 at 09:42

    I really don’t think punishing children by making them have an extremely long day to “catch up” on learning g is appropriate. Children don’t just learn from worksheets and “teaching” they learn from experiences, interactions and real life situations. Let’s concentrate on their wellbeing? Let’s not make them feel they have missed out.....the more relaxed we are and the more we tell them it will be ok, the more likely they are to be ok. Making them feel that they need to catch up, spend long days “learning” and putting pressure on them will add stress! Children are more than tests, more than how many hours they are “schooled”. Chill out! The

  • Posted by mpiper May 10, 2020 at 09:50

    I agree with this suggestion.
    There are many unknowns about the coronavirus, however one thing that is very clear is that the risk to school age children, and in particular primary-school age children, is essentially zero if they have no underlying health conditions. The reason to close schools to date is to reduce community spread and protect the health of teachers, and this was the correct course of action.
    If children in general were a high-risk group, schools should remain shut until the pandemic is crushed, but thank goodness they are not a high-risk group (quite the opposite).

    Schools should be opened as soon as community spread reaches an acceptable level. Pupil attendance in the initial weeks should be entirely voluntary to support those parents who do not wish their children to return immediately. In primary schools we should consider the "bubble" approach of small groups of children taught together, as Denmark. Teachers with increased risk of any kind (including age) should work from home. It will not be school as normal, but it will be something.

    In summary, I believe there are 3 key reasons schools should re-open as a priority:
    1) The risk to children is low. Children at increased risk, or those were their parents wish it, should remain at home
    2) Social justice. It is the most vulnerable children who will be most scarred by school closure. This will widen the attainment gap. And children will pay for the educational scarring they are experiencing for the rest of their lives
    3) Maintain public support for the lockdown. In families where all parents work, and where furlough is not available or not offered (a very large proportion of the private sector), the choice is work and neglect your kids, or financial hardship and often destitution. This will erode public support for the lockdown (and for teachers)

  • Posted by Minigal May 10, 2020 at 10:39

    You can imagine how productive the last period of any subject will be from 7-8pm on Friday night!!!!

  • Posted by Dave_H May 10, 2020 at 10:43

    I think this is a good idea, but for a totally different reason.

    At the moment we really don't know what a return to school will do for infection rates.

    ONE week at school as a "test" would show if there is a spike in infection rates 14 days later. If there is, it has only been a short test and that spike will be small and can be dealt with. If there is no spike then it shows that a return to school after the holiday would probably be safe.
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