Support teachers to do what’s best

- reduce class sizes to maximum 20. This aids social distancing, also helps close the attainment gap and makes schooling more manageable for pupils and staff. this allows a better staff to pupil ratio to support those in most need.

- provide current 19-20 probationer teachers another 6months probationary year in schools with a top up pay to cover the final terms of school. This gives them the experience of classrooms they have lacked, more support, an opportunity to work 5 days instead of 4, observations to be completed that were missed and allow them to develop their skills further across different levels of the curriculum. This would also aid councils to support smaller class sizes as staffing would be there (last year and the new year intakes of probationer teachers)

-return infant classes (p1-p3) on a reduced timetable as previously done e.g. finish at lunchtime or 2pm. This would aid social distancing, stagger large groups of people meeting and allow teachers to support younger children and families during this traumatic time.

- don’t open schools before summer, this will cause undue stress to children coming back to a completely different environment. Instead allow children to adjust to change over the summer, where changes are occurring naturally.

- have transition days for nursery and p7 pupils during June only. Each class should have a minimum of 1 day to visit the school buildings, potential to meet staff and make connections to ensure familiarity.

- introduces phased return in terms of:
1.key workers. Their children should continue to be priority.
2. parents who cannot work from home. As stores, other business etc gradually reopen parents needs support. These children should be next in line.
3. All other children.
This method keeps numbers low for social distancing, parents keep their right to choose to send their children but supportive options are there. This should be phased across the first term to allow teachers the opportunity after the October breaks to resume whole class teaching safely.

My ideas are important because I am front line. I am a teacher and I feel like people who are not in the job, not in that role are making decisions which could negatively impact school life without realising how.

Teachers need support. We are not just child care. We need to be kept safe too.

This is the governments opportunity to really reshape our education system to meet the goals we have set out to do. We can’t compete with other countries if we are set up to fail. An example for this is learning through play. It is virtually impossible to do this properly without smaller class sizes or more staff. Neither of which can be truly achieved currently.

I’m asking for an overhaul. But a realistic and achievable one. One that could make a huge positive impact on our education system.