S4-S6 pupils

Candidates for Highers and NAT 5s could be returned to school as a priority. Without S1-S3 there will be adequate classrooms and teaching staff to maintain social distancing. Additional transport and face coverings would assist rural schools.

Why the contribution is important

The new curriculum begins in June, with some schools expecting to set prelims as early as November. Home schooling is not as effective as classroom based teaching for the majority of this age group.

by EleanorM on May 09, 2020 at 07:39PM

Current Rating

Average rating: 2.6
Based on: 8 votes

Comments

  • Posted by FlufflyClouds3 May 09, 2020 at 19:51

    You're right, home schooling is not as effective as in-person teaching. BUT you're wrong about everything else. There's a reason why those paid to think of these things as a job haven't advised such. Because the virus doesn't care who is having to cancel important exams and who isn't.
      You CAN'T maintain social distancing in crowded classrooms. Remember, they'll still need to fit the class into one room, so the earlier years not being there makes very little difference. Plus, you're effectively asking teachers to get ill and/or die.
      Being alive and not finishing off grandma is more important than exams. You also talk about additional transport and face coverings, but think it through. Do you really think we have enough of those? Even the health service is struggling with enough face coverings and you want to divert public funds to rural bus services instead of trying to make sure those who're fighting for other people's lives don't die because of it?
      We need to think of the bigger picture here and not just use our teenagers are a control group.

  • Posted by Lorraine10 May 09, 2020 at 20:02

    Fluffy clouds agree with what you say but I think EleanorM may have been meaning cloth coverings for the pupils rather than actual face masks that the NHS use. No one should be using them but lots of people are making face coverings for the general public which is fantastic.

  • Posted by Sludge78 May 09, 2020 at 20:09

    If schools do return have them as am or pm classes to reduce social interactions at break. For those not in school have all councils operate equally utilising things like Microsoft teams and zoom to provide a teaching experience.

  • Posted by SAR May 09, 2020 at 20:12

    Schools have not been properly cleaned for around 20 years. This needs to be done before anyone returns. And I don’t mean a wipe over with a dirty mop like usually happens.

  • Posted by FlufflyClouds3 May 09, 2020 at 20:28

    Lorraine, ahh, okay, I get you. Fair enough, I did misunderstand that, but my point still stands, since, as you said, they're not exactly ideal for actually stopping it.
      Sludge, the problem still stands that they would infect their teachers, and then each other within the enclosed classrooms. And many schools are in old, stuffy buildings too where this is exasperated. Remote learning is definitely the only safe way to do it right now.
      Also, SAR, properly sterilising the buildings will cost huge amounts, put the staff doing the cleaning at risk and will only be effective until the first young person who's infected exhales in an enclosed or semi-enclosed classroom. I understand your sentiment, though I do think 20 years is a bit of an unfair exaggeration.

  • Posted by Bornattherighttime May 10, 2020 at 08:03

    When we get closer to this actually happening, what happens in tech, music, PE, home ec? They need to share and be in each others space. And if schools dont go back soon, entire units of work will be left out of courses. Some schools 2020/21 curriculum have already started. How does SQA fairly assess that in May 2021?
    A total rethink / outside the box / start again curriculum is needed for next session for our s4 to s6 pupils.
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