More kids will misbehave when schools reopen in September as they’ve been off for so long, teachers warned
TEACHERS have been warned more kids will misbehave when schools return as they’ve been off for so long.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will today unveil plans for a full return to the class room from the beginning of the academic year.
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The advice will see schools warned to update their behaviour policies to include punishments for breaching the new hygiene or “bubble rules”.
Teachers will also be warned children who suffered from adversity, trauma and a lack of routine during lockdown are now much more likely to misbehave.
They may struggle to get back into learning, and schools have been told they will need to work hard to “reintegrate” them back into school life.
Schools will be told to discipline the unruly children, but urged only to expel them as a “last resort”.
Published later today, the guidance will include:
- No in-class social distancing for primary pupils, with secondary students advised to stay one metre apart
- Teachers told to keep two metres away from pupils, and as far away from colleagues as possible
- Children to sit facing forwards in the same direction, with no circular tables
- No face coverings because they “interfere” with teaching and learning
- Teachers advised to spend no more than 15 minutes closer than one metre to someone
- £120 fines for parents whose children don’t show up
- Some subjects dropped to allow students to catch up on English and maths
- A new focus on tackling “persistently disruptive” pupils because increased poor behaviour is more “likely” because of lockdown
- Routine Ofsted inspections to be suspended
Teachers have already raised fears over pupils coughing and spitting at each other as well as their teachers.
Secondary school teacher Nik Jones from Country Durham told LBC he and his colleagues were being spat at.
He said: “I think what we have to remember is if it’s happening to one member of staff in that school it’s probably happened to a lot of members of staff in that school, and if it’s happening in that school it’s probably going to be happening elsewhere.
“It’ll only take one or kids to do that who genuinely have the coronavirus, and all of a sudden we’re in a situation where that school, those students, those staff members and the families all attached to that school are in quite serious danger.”
Previously an explosive report by the government’s top scientists warned lockdown has caused a “shock” to kids and will affect work opportunities for the rest of their lives.
In a SAGE report into the impact of school closures, it said: “A cohort of children have experienced a shock to their education which will persist and affect their education and work outcomes for the rest of their lives.
“Similarly, the current lockdown may lead to an increase in adverse childhood experiences.”
The document also warned this could include domestic violence, poor parental mental health, child neglect, and abuse.
Full details of the return will be announced at midday, followed by a Downing Street conference later this afternoon.
Schools in England are set to use “year bubbles” to get every child back learning this September.
They have been urged to separate entire year groups with staggered start and finish times to keep them apart during breaks and lunch.
According to The Huffington Post, the move would see bigger schools enact bubbles of 30, with entire classes kept together to keep them safe.
Secondary school pupils could be isolated in their year groups – limiting their interactions with students of different ages.
Despite the new measures, the Government is also expected to tell schools to focus on core subjects, with a full curriculum possibly not back til 2022.
At the moment parents are not being fined if they don’t send their kids in during the pandemic.
Only kids in reception, year one and year six have been allowed to return to the classrooms since the coronavirus outbreak, but other years can come back if there’s space.
Secondary schools in England have also been allowed to reopen for some students from Years 10, 11 and 12 since June 15.
The Government had to abandon plans to get every primary school child back in for a month before the summer.
But not all schools have reopened fully. Some do not have the staff and others do not have the space.