Continuous update in progress. Most recent 5.30 p.m. 2nd June, in blue just below. .
The government encouraged all primary schools to re-open on 1st June for Nursery, Reception, Year One and Year Six pupils. I sent a survey to Kent and Medway primary schools on Sunday asking their plans and have now (Tuesday 2nd) had responses from more than 15% of schools surveyed, as set out in the table below.
This has now been partially overtaken by data from KCC from the 360 primary schools that have responded to their own enquiry. This reports 118 primaries opening to all three school years on Monday 1st June, and 58 more opening to one or two of the year groups. Another 78 are opening Tuesday or Wednesday, the delay being due to an Inset Day, Deep Cleaning or other reason. Eight are on a second week of half term, leaving 98 who are not open (possibly doing so later on, some next week, or else unable to, or unwilling). That is a figure much larger than I was expecting. Of the 95 schools that have chosen not to reply, some may be from large uncooperative Academy Trusts. This is not incompatible with my own findings, although these expand the information, and it would be good to receive further results directly.
I look below at some of the key elements that have emerged, although it is important to recognise that the schools which have replied are self-selecting and so may not be typical.
The key government document, updated on 1st June, offers a template for opening schools although Kent and Medway have adopted a whole kaleidoscope of ways to address their individual circumstances and challenges. You may have seen a number of television examples illustrating some of the possible steps being taken to achieve these, including devices to ensure social distancing and deep cleaning.
I have no quarrel with The Times main headline Tuesday.Coronavirus: Safe Return of all Primary School Pupils 'will be impossible'. Schools too small for every year group to go back before summer, PM warned, as explained below.
| ‘Week 2 (June 8th): we will welcome back any year 6 pupils that wish to return in bubbles of 8, Week 3: in addition to year 6, we will welcome back any year one and reception pupils that wish to return in bubbles of 8, Week 4: in addition to year R,1 & 6, we will welcome back any year 5 pupils that wish to return in bubbles of 8. Key worker children will be welcome as usual and home learning will carry on. In all cases the staff will be wearing PPE- a face covering, an apron and gloves, the government does not believe this is required, however I feel we need to protect each other just as we protected our nurses. It is also common practice in Europe’. |
Government has made clear there is no penalty for parents who wish to keep their children at home, and schools have the additional responsibility of providing these with some form of education. Some staff are not able to return at present because of their personal situations. It is not clear what the situation is for others who simply feel unable to return at present because of the inherent risks. I can see some schools being unsympathetic and taking action against them. There are schools in great difficulty because of a shortage of staff, for these and other reasons.
One key factor is places which can vary strongly with social background of families, many schools in disadvantaged areas expecting fewer than half their school roll to arrive in week one. This creates a further uncertainty with an expectation by some that more children will return the following week – but only if week one works well – although some school plans cannot cope with such an increase because of limited space?
Kent & Medway Primary Schools Reopening June 2020 (My Sample to 2nd June) | ||
Kent | Medway | |
Opening 1/2nd Jun R,1,6 | 23 | 4 |
Opening 1/2nd Jun, two Yr Groups | 8 | 1 |
Opening 1/2nd Jun one Yr Group | 5 | 1 |
| Staggered Opening from 1/2nd Jun | 8 | 4 |
| Opening Some or all 8th June | 12 | 0 |
Later | 3 | 0 |
Not opening | 0 | 0 |
TOTAL | 59 | 10 |
TOTAL KENT SCHOOLS | 456 | 79 |
| It is very unlikely that we will be accepting children beyond Keyworkers, vulnerable pupils, Year R and Year 6 (split into 2 groups and in school on alternate weeks) before the end of the summer term. |
| We will continue to supply home-learning packs for families at home too. We have left these very much to the parents' discretion as we are conscious that trying to teach primary aged children while working from home can be really difficult. The packs include 5 days worth of English and Maths and then a range of activities from the foundation subject curriculum. We have used a range of resources and we always have printed copies available for parents who cannot print at home. Our teachers are not delivering live lessons. |
‘It does have to be right, We have a 10 page risk assessment. Version 12 of staff communications to ensure every ones safety and of course amendments to almost every policy’. |
| We have had to split our 60 year 6 children into groups of 12 as we couldn’t fit in 15, even after moving all of the other furniture out. Our Nursery children are split into two bubbles as are Reception and Year 1. Therefore we are using all classrooms plus the library, wrap around care kitchenette and a therapy room to teach in. The school hall is full of furniture from the classrooms. Every teacher and TA that are able to work are in. We are at full stretch and cannot take more children under the current social distancing guidance. We have used staggered starts and end times which are working well and we are running a half day on Wednesday for additional cleaning and for teachers to have PPA time. Some teachers are still having to plan for their own year group (who are not in school) and are teaching a different year group bubbles. |
My very sincere best wishes to every headteacher, staff and governing body in Kent and Medway as they face up to these unprecedented challenges.