[Poll] Should we re close school due to spike in Covid cases?

Partially yes. Completely no. Some schools have no actual social distancing measures in place.

Do you think we should close schools again because of the spike in COVID cases today?

Just wanted to know your views👍

Definitely NOT! Kids have lost far too much schooling.

No. I haven't even gone back yet! I want at least some time in school after 6 months of nothing
(and theres no way I can teach myself a levels from scratch from home!)

Tell that to the teaching unions and people on YouTube...

Does your school maybe do online teaching?

Hell no. The current R, Y6, Y7, Y11, Y12 and Y13 really need to be in school imo (happy to list the reasons why).

As a secondary school teacher, I'm in two minds on this. My school had excellent online learning provision during lockdown and personally I would feel very comfortable returning to this. However, I accept that not all students are in the same boat. The Government promised to supply disadvantaged students with laptops and, well you can guess what happened there. The problem at the moment is actually the lack of social distancing that happens. Many schools, my own included, are not managing this particularly well and students, while trying to navigate these tricky and confusing rules, aren't actually adhering to the rules very well. A lot of this is the fact that the rules are confusing/illogical - for example, two children in the same bubble don't have to socially distance onsite, but the moment they leave site, they have to. In addition, students don't have to socially distance in their bubbles, but sixth formers who are 16-18 are arguably at just as much of catching covid as I am so why shouldn't they socially distance from one another. What would reassure me is students actually making more of an effort to socially distance (many are I should add and we appreciate that, but many at my school aren't). From a teacher perspective, the lack of social distancing doesn't make me feel safe in my workplace and that's a shame, but I make sure to thank my students for socially distancing from me and respecting my right to be safe in the workplace because that allows me to teach them as effectively as I can.

As a secondary school teacher, I'm in two minds on this. My school had excellent online learning provision during lockdown and personally I would feel very comfortable returning to this. However, I accept that not all students are in the same boat. The Government promised to supply disadvantaged students with laptops and, well you can guess what happened there. The problem at the moment is actually the lack of social distancing that happens. Many schools, my own included, are not managing this particularly well and students, while trying to navigate these tricky and confusing rules, aren't actually adhering to the rules very well. A lot of this is the fact that the rules are confusing/illogical - for example, two children in the same bubble don't have to socially distance onsite, but the moment they leave site, they have to. In addition, students don't have to socially distance in their bubbles, but sixth formers who are 16-18 are arguably at just as much of catching covid as I am so why shouldn't they socially distance from one another. What would reassure me is students actually making more of an effort to socially distance (many are I should add and we appreciate that, but many at my school aren't). From a teacher perspective, the lack of social distancing doesn't make me feel safe in my workplace and that's a shame, but I make sure to thank my students for socially distancing from me and respecting my right to be safe in the workplace because that allows me to teach them as effectively as I can.


Actually do some research. Not all unions are like that. My union, NASUWT, tried to engage with the Government. It made clear that children needed to be back in school, but all they asked for was for the Government to have a plan B in the event cases rose. The Government do and guess what? It involves kids still going to school even in local lockdowns.

I completely agree with the fact that there is little to no social distancing in schools.

The bubble thing is really confusing too, like for the fact that students may have siblings, hence the bubbles will be pointless.

I also don't understand why some schools won't allow masks to be wore in a classroom - as one could argue that is a densely packed place with no ventilation, hence according to the rules masks should be worn in classrooms, yet this hasn't been implemented.

I completely agree with the fact that there is little to no social distancing in schools.

The bubble thing is really confusing too, like for the fact that students may have siblings, hence the bubbles will be pointless.

I also don't understand why some schools won't allow masks to be wore in a classroom - as one could argue that is a densely packed place with no ventilation, hence according to the rules masks should be worn in classrooms, yet this hasn't been implemented.

If only everyone had your mind set, sadly they don't imo. The teaching unions have been injecting mass fear into students and parents when schools were shut (I totally understand why it was a barbaric Idea to have primary schools opened in June (I was 100% against re-opening schools in June) but parents and some teaching unions are saying that the virus should reach a point 0 before re-opening schools is taking the mickey mouse. We are in September some people have exams to sit next year so schools need to be open.) The unions on the news have also been saying things like don't do online lessons because not everyone has a computer or WiFi whilst simultaneously saying don't open school until the virus is at a point 0 like how does that make any sense? I have frankly lost faith in the teacher unions (not teachers in general) and I am not going to be listening to them that much anymore. I trust individual teachers such as yourself not the unions.

Yes.
No matter what happens with schools ( going back in person, online, or not at all ), students are going to be at a disadvantage. Schools should not risk them and their families health to eliminate just a few of those.

To be fair, windows and doors should be open in all classrooms, but you are right about the bubbles being pointless and I too despair about that.


Again, it's really important to make a distinction here. NEU is the union which has been doing exactly what you say; NASUWT has not and has long said that schools should be as low a risk as possible (NASUWT accept schools cannot be no risk). It is NEU that advised its members not to offer online lessons for all manner for frankly spurious reasons. NASUWT again did not do that. It's worth distinguishing the two because NEU tends to be a very militant union with a strike-first policy where NASUWT goes for dialogue, then work to rule, then strike and is generally more moderate - this is why I unionised with NASUWT and will never join NEU. Ironically, though, the one activity schools could've done due to social distancing, exams, were cancelled last academic year and I find it curious more is not said about that.