[mrjonathanr]

Hi all, I would be very interested to know what different schools are doing about children changing for PE lessons. Crowded and claustrophic PE changing rooms may present a greater risk of transmission. My daughter’s school, for example, has the kids come attend in PE kit all day on days when they have that lesson.

Thank you in advance for any responses. Feel free to add anecdotal comments below!

Jon

[SA Chris]

Ours both have PE twice a week (outdoors if weather allows) need to go and come home in PE kit. Also daughter in P4 has "outdoor learning" once a week too so goes in "outdoor clothes" (leggings and wellies), so half the uniform we bought is going to be unused.

[mrjonathanr]

Cheers Chris. Hmm, just read my post back, it’s a bit incoherent.

Basically, does your kid have to use the school changing rooms or not?

[SA Chris]

No, not allowed to use them, so need to wear PE / Outdoor kit all day.

[Duma]

Wears PE kit to school on relevant days, and only changes if wet/muddy after the lessons.

[Johnny Brown]

As I understand it, ours are doing PE in their usual clothes (they don't have a uniform).

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks for the replies, keen to get an overview.

[SamT]

Lads are both at secondary school in sheffield.  No uniform,  changing rooms shut, been told to come into school in PE kit on the days they have PE.

[Duma]

Wears PE kit to school on relevant days, and only changes if wet/muddy after the lessons.

this is (state) secondary in Bristol

[gme]

The school mine attends all do sport on Wednesday afternoon and are told to wear kit all day so don’t need to change. Guess they come home muddy.
No extracurricular sport at minute until things settle but we are told this is planned for two weeks time.

[gme]

This is an independent school but the same thing stands at the local comp.

[Nibile]

Is this about power endurance for junior comps?

[gme]

Deadhanging I thought.

[galpinos]

Manchester Primary, turn up in PE kit for PE days.

[Oldmanmatt]

Now have the four at two different Secondary schools.

One is all over the Covid crisis, taking no chances and doing everything possible. There, both my year 7 and my year 9 kids are travelling to and from school in PE kit, but they have increased lesson durations to minimise movement between classes. Max 3 subjects per day on academic days and only one other (1hr) lesson on PE days.

The other school.

Crap. Shit attitude. Held a whole year 7 assembly yesterday, no distancing, and congratulated the kids on “having lived through the pandemic”.

[BrutusTheBear]

I run a small unit for 8 pupils within a mainstream secondary school with 1200ish pupils.  So pupils are asked to turn up in their PE kit on days they have PE and keep it on to avoid changing rooms.  Each year group is in a 'bubble' anyone else reckon calling 240 people a 'bubble' is akin to calling an elephant a mouse??
But here's the rub ladies and gentlemen, from the inside as it were..  There ain't no social distancing in secondary schools.  Class sizes are simply too large, children come into close contact at pinch points within the school, children come into close contact with each other because they 'forget' about social distancing, children come into close contact with each other entering and exiting classrooms, on the way to and from school, by choice at break times. From my personal experience whether they use changing rooms or not is a moot point.  I don't blame them, they're little humans that need and thrive  on social contact.  The mitagating factors and government advice on making schools safe are unworkable in my school and I would hazard a guess in most schools.  So if the children have the virus it's going to be transferred.

[SA Chris]

No social distancing in any schools. Our kids have staggered mealtimes, and playtimes now, but in primary they stay in a class "bubble" all day, shoulder to shoulder with other kids at grouped desks.

However, they've been back nearly a month now, and zero clusters linked to transfer among schoolkids in Scotland. Either none have been on contact with someone carrying it (unlikely) or children simply don't transfer it?

[BrutusTheBear]

primary schools are a much simpler proposition to keep children in actual bubbles as they generally have the same teacher and class all day long.  If the virus is spread by teenagers and it is prevalent within a community it will be spread within schools in those communities, can't see how it wouldn't be.  So let's hope it's not prevalent amongst  teenagers and that they don't spread it..  we'll find out soon enough.

[nai]

My youngest just joined eldest at secondary.  They've implemented some pretty good measures to minimise contact between year groups and reduce footfall around the school.

They have staggered start and finish times, staggered break and lunch times.

Each year group has their own section of the school and they mostly stay in the same classroom all day.

Classroom windows are left open whatever the weather

Not allowed to stay indoors at breaks and lunch whatever the weather

*Neither of the above been seriously tested yet

They do have to change in and out of PE kit unless it's first or last lesson of the day

Unfortunately we had an email this afternoon stating that there had been a case and the child and several "close contacts" have been isolated.  Doubtful it was picked up in school after only one day back but not a confidence building start.

[mrjonathanr]

Thanks to everyone who voted, more opinions would be very welcome.

Brutus, I suspect the bubble of 200 is to limit numbers sent home to that year group if there’s a confirmed case. How effectively year group bubbles can be maintained... well that’s one of the reasons for my enquiry about changing rooms.

[BrutusTheBear]

Thanks to everyone who voted, more opinions would be very welcome.

Brutus, I suspect the bubble of 200 is to limit numbers sent home to that year group if there’s a confirmed case. How effectively year group bubbles can be maintained... well that’s one of the reasons for my enquiry about changing rooms.

  Yes. I am aware of the purpose of the 'bubble', I'm intrigued by the use of that language though to describe quite a large group of people.
I don't want to make my school sound like a free for all though.  We have in place such things as a one way system, open doors and windows, regular cleaning of facilities and classrooms, designated areas for year groups, careful management of equipment etc. etc.  Just an observation from a my lunchtime wonder around a secondary school today that whilst there are stickers on the floor, posters and verbal reinforcement etc.. on the whole social distancing is not being observed by the pupils.
Part of my role is also providing outreach support to SEND departments at other schools in the district and a neighbouring district. I'll be visiting a large range of schools over the coming months.  Our town is served by 2 secondary schools of similar size.  The school that is my base has gone for static teachers and no face coverings.  The other school has gone for static classes (teachers move around school not pupils) and compulsory face coverings in communal areas.  Given they serve the same community it will be interesting to see whether there are different developments at each school and/or differences in pupil behaviours.
I feel desperately sorry for headteachers that have had to make these decisions, have barely had a moment to breathe over the summer and will undoubtedly be blamed should things go wrong.

[gme]

primary schools are a much simpler proposition to keep children in actual bubbles as they generally have the same teacher and class all day long.  If the virus is spread by teenagers and it is prevalent within a community it will be spread within schools in those communities, can't see how it wouldn't be.  So let's hope it's not prevalent amongst  teenagers and that they don't spread it..  we'll find out soon enough.

No one has ever said social distancing would happen in schools nor is it happening anywhere in Europe or the world as far as I can see. Loads of countries, including Scotland well ahead of England and as far as I know few, if any, issues.

You obviously have some beef with it but to me it’s so important kids go back to school it’s worth the risk.
Only thing I do agree with you on is the Changing rooms thing that seems a bit pointless but I am someone who thinks they should just get on with it as normal.

[mrjonathanr]

Wouldn’t you bother trying to contain any transmission within year groups? Bear in mind that a lot of kids are asymptomatic and changing rooms create conditions for transmission between year groups.

[BrutusTheBear]

GME your assumption is incorrect, I don't got beef.  I have 2 children 6 and 9 years old, they needed to get back in school and am happy for them to do so.  A large number of the cohort I specialize  in working with need the routine and structure of school in their lives, so the return is welcome to them and their families.  We have been working bluddy hard through lockdown to give them some of that structure and routine whilst at home but it's not the same.. 
Perhaps, I have come across the wrong way but I am trying to point out that sharing a changing room or not isn't going to make a difference and that 200+ people isn't a bluddy bubble!
We'll see how it all pans out but I suspect the very different approaches of the 2 secondary schools in my town won't have significantly different outcomes.
MrJR year groups are mixing on the journey into school, my unit works across the year groups,  depending on the school they pass in corridors and siblings are across year groups.  I think it's there to reassure as is the word bubble when applied to a year group.

[BrutusTheBear]

No one has ever said social distancing would happen in schools..

apart from the government in their advice to schools on opening 
Number 6
Prevention
1) Minimise contact with individuals who are unwell by ensuring that those who have coronavirus (COVID-19) symptoms, or who have someone in their household who does, do not attend school.

2) Where recommended, use of face coverings in schools.

3) Clean hands thoroughly more often than usual.

4) Ensure good respiratory hygiene by promoting the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ approach.

5) Introduce enhanced cleaning, including cleaning frequently touched surfaces often, using standard products such as detergents and bleach.

6) Minimise contact between individuals and maintain social distancing wherever possible.

7) Where necessary, wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).