Delay schools opening

As a P1 teacher, I know how impossible it would be to implement social distancing with this age group. My classroom is not big enough for children to be spaced out to the 2m rule. I would love to go back to school and see all of my pupils but it would cause huge harm to take them back only to close again. I think a decision needs to be made very soon and a date announced to the public for when schools are returning, even if that date is August.

Why the contribution is important

I have experience as a teacher.

by Primary1Teacher on May 06, 2020 at 06:38PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 3.6
Based on: 28 votes

Comments

  • Posted by Foxysas May 06, 2020 at 19:12

    Absolutely agree, there is no way a school teacher is going to be able to demonstrate social distancing to 5 year old, impossible.
    No return until August please.

  • Posted by Gustavlinder May 06, 2020 at 19:20

    There is no need for social distancing between pupils in schools. There is plenty of evidence to support it. Take one look at Sweden which does not apply social distancing in schools. R-number below 1 and well past the peak. No deaths at all in 0-19 years age group.

  • Posted by digitalgareth May 06, 2020 at 19:23

    My partner is a teacher and my eldest is currently in P1. I need the schools open to be able to continue with my work (managing a charity) but I know from my partner's experience of covering the current Hubs and having seen my son near kids he knows that there is no possible way kids will distance. Infections will rise again

  • Posted by Sheddi May 06, 2020 at 19:26

    I think class sizes need to be reduced to allow social distancing with possibly half the pupils attending in the mornings, remainder in afternoon .

  • Posted by Colquhounr May 06, 2020 at 19:28

    Schools are breading grounds for all sorts of viruses. They should be last to go back. American research in the Spanish flu pandemic showed that States who closed schools early and opened late had lower death rates. Please learn from history. Schools are not a child minding service. That is a separate problem.
    Many teachers have health issues and should not be exposed. Teachers should have adequate PPE before they return. The government needs to learn from issues with e.g. bus drives.

  • Posted by robertson May 06, 2020 at 19:28

    I might even suggest going further - how about a gap year, which can be added at the end of all current pupil's education? It would seem from the discussions that the issue causing the Government the most angst is opening schools safely. Remove the whole thing from the equation.

  • Posted by Peeps May 06, 2020 at 19:30

    Agree . Secondary schools have movement of pupils every 50 mins . Teenagers will go into local community at lunch breaks . Numerous hard surfaces and equipment shared . How to ensure not contaminated?

  • Posted by Stubbornwifey49 May 06, 2020 at 19:35

    School buses need to have supervisors to ensure social distancing and good behaviour. Children and staff need to be screened before they enter school. Bring back permanent school nurses on site for the school day. At primary schools parents would need to stay with their child until they are allowed into school. Marquees could be set up outside to use if the weather suits. Cleaners would need to stay on site to clean toilets regularly throughout the day. At High Schools cleaners would be needed to clean each room between class changes unless the pupils remained in the same room all day and only the teachers moved between classes.

  • Posted by Robbie2005 May 06, 2020 at 19:47

    Lessons on how to do this safely can be learned from other countries.
    We must focus on the welfare of the child and they need to get back to school.

  • Posted by Movingforward May 06, 2020 at 19:49

    I agree with Gustavlinder’s comments.
    I have tried to read everything available on transmission from children to others and it doesn’t seem to happen.
    I think most young children who are healthy should be back in school as soon as we can do it.
    It really concerns me that vulnerable children are not being seen by anyone in authority at present.
    I think that even children in warm loving homes are very much missing school and their friends.
    This virus affects older people in terms of fatalities and serious illness, not children

  • Posted by theresasheldon May 06, 2020 at 19:50

    Schools cannot open now - if small numbers and social distancing is possible then a rotation scheme may be possible. Maybe alphabetical

  • Posted by Nursewifemother May 06, 2020 at 20:07

    I think if it is safe that schools could go back in July instead of august to allow time and support to catch up. However this would need to be half class in morning and half in afternoon. Delay new P1 until October as time at home beneficial.
    Priority needs to be on key workers though, as hub is essential for my NHS role

  • Posted by Itsjustmehere May 06, 2020 at 20:16

    Lots of staff work in schools and we have to ensure they are protected. Teachers did not become teachers to put their lives at risk or to have their lives viewed as expendable.

    It seems sensible to keep schools closed until August. Lives of Teaching staff and education support staff should never be viewed as a necessary risk.

    Science for the virus is new and we simply do not know enough about it yet to know if it does or does not transmit between children to adults working with them. What about additional needs schools, behavioural issues, practical subjects?

    How many NHS staff and social care staff have already died? Let’s not extend this tragic situation to education staff. I am aware that the economy is important but not to the extent of losing even more lives.

    I know this is hard for everyone, but we have come so far to blow it now by opening schools too early.

  • Posted by LornaA May 06, 2020 at 20:22

    It is impossible to implement social distancing within schools. Especially with younger children. Schools and classrooms would need to be totally reorganised and it is not fesable for this to be done before the end of the school holidays. With social distancing you would get max 10 in a class

  • Posted by dalmanations May 06, 2020 at 20:23

    The mental health of children will have to be our priority as and when we do return to school, which should not be until after the Summer holidays. To allow children time to settle, consideration should be given to everyone going back to their old stages/teachers, wherever possible, for a period of time, a month or a term, delaying the new school year.

  • Posted by NicholaHepburn May 06, 2020 at 20:36

    Absolutely no way should schools be open until this outbreak is in control and tracing can be done. Schools are hubs for transmission.

  • Posted by MrsAytsy May 06, 2020 at 21:27

    I agree, it would be beneficial for children to have closure from their year stage before moving onto the next, even if only for a few weeks. Particularly those transitioning to P1 or
    S1. I am not sure how this would work given that secondary schools are starting their new timetables soon.

  • Posted by katdoug10 May 06, 2020 at 21:35

    I have 3 children in school various ages and all need 1:1 support and the youngest will just want to hug her teacher and friends and will be devastated and distraught of this couldn't happen. Please don't send kids back till August .

  • Posted by ProtestTheHero May 07, 2020 at 12:58

    As a parent of a child who is struggling badly in the absence of friends/teachers/group activities/peer learning, a further three months of isolation would be catastrophic to his long-term development, emotional behaviour and educational attainment. It is impossible to estimate just how much damage six months out of education will do to a generation of children, but every extra week of school closures becomes cumulatively more damaging.

    Only two children under the age of 14 have died from Covid-19 in the UK, yet millions are missing out on absolutely critical educational opportunities as a consequence.

  • Posted by Kim May 08, 2020 at 11:13

    open the schools. protect our children's education. Children are low risk. Look at Sweden it did not close the schools.
    All evidence states children are safer.

  • Posted by LMD2020 May 10, 2020 at 22:55

    Schools should not go back until it is safe to do so, August at the absolute earliest. Social distancing measures must be effective and implemented fully first and children need time to understand what the changes in school will be like before they are inserted back into something that schools have had to do quickly, and potentially not had an opportunity to get right. Use the time available to plan and implement something that will work.
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