• Dear Guest, Please note that adult content is not permitted on this forum. We have had our Google ads disabled at times due to some posts that were found from some time ago. Please do not post adult content and if you see any already on the forum, please report the post so that we can deal with it. Adult content is allowed in the glory hole - you will have to request permission to access it. Thanks, scara

Coronavirus

Mikey10 said:
https://www.theguardian.com/comment...rnment-policy-covid-19?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

So, essentially we need a competent government and a clear plan.

Oh dear.
Click to expand...


Good article that, although I didn't read it all because I found myself agreeing with most of it, I will pause and go back and finish it later.
One thing I have to say is the "entirely predictable" care home deaths, it really should have been predictable but lots of people didn't.
Now, I'm bringing this up because tbh its my job to predict this, albeit for different reasons, and I am ashamed to admit that I didn't see it.
Obviously me not predicting it hasn't cost anyone their life and it would be easy to shrug my shoulders and say no harm done, but I think that so few people predicted it does maybe indicate a certain out of sight out of mind attitude to our older generations.
Especially those in care homes.
 
johnola said:
Utterly pointless film flam article calling for plans many months deep into the crisis, pointedly avoiding making any suggestions and no new thinking whatsoever.
Click to expand...

Like 99% of these articles and the ones harking on about historic slavery in the U.K., none make a relevant suggestion, just all a load of noise
 
Good luck to the NHS front line staff of all ethnicities who were rightfully praised, defended and used as point scoring by MPs, the same MPs who are now are defending And joining protests of thousands to potentially crank up their work load again. These people are just like rabbits in the lights confused about what band wagon to jump on next if it means a soap box in the Houses of Parliament
 
Grays_1890 said:
Like 99% of these articles and the ones harking on about historic slavery in the U.K., none make a relevant suggestion, just all a load of noise
Click to expand...

I don't think anyone really questions the evil of slavery. But it'd be nice if a few more of these articles did firmly reference this country's hugely significant role in getting the abhorrent practice banned, especially considering just how widespread the practice was at the time across the world.
 
JerusalemMan said:
I don't think anyone really questions the evil of slavery. But it'd be nice if a few more of these articles did firmly reference this country's hugely significant role in getting the abhorrent practice banned, especially considering just how widespread the practice was at the time across the world.
Click to expand...

Of course it’s wrong was always wrong but sorry if in 2020 I’m not looking back at a trade that’s been out of use for over 200 years, especially as it was a pleasure of the rich and wealthy and a practice endorse by the royal family. My family came from the pits of Durham and many sent to their near certain death in WW1 and 2 with compulsory draft. The other half escaped from Nazi Europe. Point is we all have our history. Move forward not back
 
Back to covid though. No deaths in London reported today and admissions and new infections falling fast.

I’m optimistic enough to feel that covid19 will not break in a monster 2nd wave. SARS didn’t and it hasn’t elsewhere.

And that with our national response, give or take a few hotheads, and organisational chaos In our institutions, we’ve now got the toolbox to control it without the need for anywhere near such unbelievable measures we have seen this spring.
 
Bad news for some working parents

The plan for all primary school years in England to go back to school before the end of term is to be dropped by the government.

There had been an aim for all primary pupils to spend four weeks in school before the summer break.

But it is no longer thought to be feasible and instead schools will be given "flexibility" over whether or not to admit more pupils.

Head teachers' leaders said it had never been a practical possibility.

It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hanrooster conceded at Monday's Downing Street briefing that secondary schools in England may not fully reopen until September "at the earliest".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a cabinet meeting later to discuss the next steps to ease lockdown restrictions, before Education Secretary Gavin Williamson delivers a statement to the House of Commons on the reopening of schools.

There are separate rules for managing the threat of coronavirus in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Children in England began returning to primary schools in a phased process last week, with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils heading back first.

Mr Williamson will give an indication later of how many more pupils in England have returned, but he is also expected to say that primary schools will no longer have to prepare for the return of all pupils, as previously proposed by the government.

Instead schools will have the option to increase numbers - but it will be up to them to decide whether they can bring in more classes and will take away the "pressure" to get ready.

The announcement will mean that many children in these other year groups will not be back in school until September.

Head teachers had warned several weeks ago that it was not a realistic possibility to accommodate all primary year groups at the same time, with social distancing limiting their capacity.

Class sizes are now only 15 pupils or less - so if each class occupied two classrooms, school leaders argued that they would have no space for all year groups to return.

"The 'ambition' to bring back all primary year groups for a month before the end of the summer term was a case of the government over-promising something that wasn't deliverable," said Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union.

"It isn't possible to do that while maintaining small class sizes and social bubbles, so we aren't surprised that the policy has been jettisoned," he said.

Paul Whiteman, of the National Association of Head Teachers, said "we're pleased to see the government will not force the impossible" and that the plan had too many "practical barriers".

Schools have remained open throughout the lockdown for children of key workers and vulnerable children.

But last Monday primary schools began the process of inviting back another two million children across three year groups.

Secondary pupils in Years 10 and 12 are to begin returning for some sessions in school from 15 June.

It is thought that primary pupil numbers have been increasing as parents have become more confident - but there have also been local concerns about different regional rates of infection.

Teachers' unions have warned that it is too early to return to school - and some local authorities have delayed a return to school in their areas.

But the Department for Education has argued that children need to get back to lessons - and that safety has been "paramount" in the plans to bring back more pupils.
 
markysimmo said:
Bad news for some working parents

The plan for all primary school years in England to go back to school before the end of term is to be dropped by the government.

There had been an aim for all primary pupils to spend four weeks in school before the summer break.

But it is no longer thought to be feasible and instead schools will be given "flexibility" over whether or not to admit more pupils.

Head teachers' leaders said it had never been a practical possibility.

It comes after Health Secretary Matt Hanrooster conceded at Monday's Downing Street briefing that secondary schools in England may not fully reopen until September "at the earliest".

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chair a cabinet meeting later to discuss the next steps to ease lockdown restrictions, before Education Secretary Gavin Williamson delivers a statement to the House of Commons on the reopening of schools.

There are separate rules for managing the threat of coronavirus in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Children in England began returning to primary schools in a phased process last week, with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils heading back first.

Mr Williamson will give an indication later of how many more pupils in England have returned, but he is also expected to say that primary schools will no longer have to prepare for the return of all pupils, as previously proposed by the government.

Instead schools will have the option to increase numbers - but it will be up to them to decide whether they can bring in more classes and will take away the "pressure" to get ready.

The announcement will mean that many children in these other year groups will not be back in school until September.

Head teachers had warned several weeks ago that it was not a realistic possibility to accommodate all primary year groups at the same time, with social distancing limiting their capacity.

Class sizes are now only 15 pupils or less - so if each class occupied two classrooms, school leaders argued that they would have no space for all year groups to return.

"The 'ambition' to bring back all primary year groups for a month before the end of the summer term was a case of the government over-promising something that wasn't deliverable," said Geoff Barton, leader of the ASCL head teachers' union.

"It isn't possible to do that while maintaining small class sizes and social bubbles, so we aren't surprised that the policy has been jettisoned," he said.

Paul Whiteman, of the National Association of Head Teachers, said "we're pleased to see the government will not force the impossible" and that the plan had too many "practical barriers".

Schools have remained open throughout the lockdown for children of key workers and vulnerable children.

But last Monday primary schools began the process of inviting back another two million children across three year groups.

Secondary pupils in Years 10 and 12 are to begin returning for some sessions in school from 15 June.

It is thought that primary pupil numbers have been increasing as parents have become more confident - but there have also been local concerns about different regional rates of infection.

Teachers' unions have warned that it is too early to return to school - and some local authorities have delayed a return to school in their areas.

But the Department for Education has argued that children need to get back to lessons - and that safety has been "paramount" in the plans to bring back more pupils.
Click to expand...
In the private sector, those that simply ignore the tough problems find themselves out of a job.

In teaching it appears to be a fast track to becoming Head.
 
So what's your answer to having to have twice as many classes, with the same number of teachers and assistants to teach them with, and the same number of classrooms to teach them in?
 
Seedy Ron said:
So what's your answer to having to have twice as many classes, with the same number of teachers and assistants to teach them with, and the same number of classrooms to teach them in?
Click to expand...
Off the top of my head:
  1. Alternate days so that all kids get at least some time in school
  2. Double-shift the school day - half on an 0800-1230 shift and half on 1230-1730
  3. Use sports halls, assembly hall, canteens, playgrounds/fields in the summer to increase space
  4. Extend the term through the summer holidays to make up for lost ground to date and through these measures
There's a lot that can be done and that took all of 30 seconds to consider. I'm sure the great minds running the teaching unions can come up with even more clever ideas should they wish to.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back