Read on Twitter
Thread: Details of testing in schools is out 
Got to be kidding, as if we needed any more proof the DfE is totally out of touch, this could be the crowning glory.
Unbelievable
Reads more like a PR exercise than a Public Health initiative https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-schools-teachers-three-areas-back-dispute-over-covid-safety?amp=&__twitter_impression=true
Got to be kidding, as if we needed any more proof the DfE is totally out of touch, this could be the crowning glory.
Unbelievable
Reads more like a PR exercise than a Public Health initiative https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-schools-teachers-three-areas-back-dispute-over-covid-safety?amp=&__twitter_impression=true
2/ Worth beginning with the press release earlier today, dont worry not much work you just need to use January Inset day to retrain as public health officials.
Note that many support staff won't be in as schools cut their training to save money years ago
Note that many support staff won't be in as schools cut their training to save money years ago
3/ Step 1 retrain and retitle staff.
100 tests a day will need 9 staff, 11-13 tests an hour per testing bay, so we either need to spend all day testing or have a lot of bays.
How many staff do they think we have in 10 years into a retention crisis deepened by covid?
100 tests a day will need 9 staff, 11-13 tests an hour per testing bay, so we either need to spend all day testing or have a lot of bays.
How many staff do they think we have in 10 years into a retention crisis deepened by covid?
4/ Local school with 800 students off, so 72 staff to test them? Even if greater numbers massively increase efficiency what will it be 30-40 staff minimum?
5/ How many bays? 62 to test them in an hour, 31 to take 2 hours, they cant expect us to spend 3 hours a day testing can they?
What about a friends college with 2500 out of 4500 students isolating?
DfE said it wouldn't be much if a logistical challenge, and heads shouldnt worry
What about a friends college with 2500 out of 4500 students isolating?
DfE said it wouldn't be much if a logistical challenge, and heads shouldnt worry
6/ Last month we had 500k -800k students off in a week, whats that figure going to be in January if the Christmas impact on already rapidly rising cases is similar to Thanksgiving in the US?
Add in staff and needing 5m tests a week is believable requirement
Add in staff and needing 5m tests a week is believable requirement
7/ 20k schools, if community transmission was low, 5 staff per school means 100k staff
Reality if 13 tests can be done per bay we could be looking at ridiculous numbers.
Reality if 13 tests can be done per bay we could be looking at ridiculous numbers.
8/ On a side note what happened to the 750k NHS volunteers, or the army of track and trace workers we're paying for?
Shouldn't SERCO or Deloit be doing this for us?
Shouldn't SERCO or Deloit be doing this for us?
9/ This is why it seems more like a PR exercise. Department for Health must sign off communications, rather than fixing test and trace, getting our moneys worth out of the contract they're going to micromanage our coms?
10/ They know there are going to be ridiculous scenes as we try to implement this so they are pre-emptively blocking stories and pictures making it into the press
11/ Most crowded schools in Europe apparently have space to house whole testing centres, going to be fun in those free schools squeezed into urban areas without even a playing field.
Consequences of previous education policy is really biting during covid
Consequences of previous education policy is really biting during covid
12/ Another PR exercise, so educators have spare time to operate as DfE propoganda merchants?
Monitor social media and use "agreed materials"
Full on authoritarian
Wonder if @toadmeister will be standing up for our freespeech?
Monitor social media and use "agreed materials"
Full on authoritarian
Wonder if @toadmeister will be standing up for our freespeech?
13/ I hope the promise to reimburse reasonable costs works out better than previous promises on covid costs. It does appear we need a lot of staff, however should get unemployment figures down.
Anyway SERCO should be paying us.
Anyway SERCO should be paying us.
14/ I guess its another string to our bow, hope the training is better than test and trace call handlers, I wanted who is being paid to create it.
The quality of training is very important for the reliability of test results.
The quality of training is very important for the reliability of test results.
15/ Now this is something we can actually do, no consent then they have to isolate, I assume we won't be told not to send work home like we have for students whose parents previously took them out for safety concerns.
16/ So its antigen LFT tests we will be using. The ones GM stopped using because they were considered unreliable.
17/ And finally, ignore the report in the BMJ that these tests are unreliable, they are bloody great.
18/ Except...
19/ Why the difference?
Oxford trials done by experienced practitioners, Liverpool needed lots of extra staff to administer tests
As I said that 15 mins to 2 hours 20 mins training had better be amazing training.
Oxford trials done by experienced practitioners, Liverpool needed lots of extra staff to administer tests
As I said that 15 mins to 2 hours 20 mins training had better be amazing training.
20/ This policy comes from someone with no understanding of the reality of conditions in schools. Its a great headline but its more PR exercise than an effective public health initiative.
21/ Government is prioritising PR and reducing isolations rather than tackling transmission in schools, and chances are its going to be a lot more expensive.
Such a disappointment, isolating then PCR with pool testing before return would have been more welcomed,if staff provided
Such a disappointment, isolating then PCR with pool testing before return would have been more welcomed,if staff provided
22/22 Can't believe what I've just read, I question my sanity, I wonder what the average time heads are going to spend swearing as they read the handbook
23/ Had a fascinating chat with someone who works in testing and knows more than I do, the tests aren't necessarily useless they can be really useful in the right conditions
So exhausted this week covering for isolating colleagues i just realised I put the wrong bloody link in the very first tweet!
And I have no face palm emoji https://schoolsweek.co.uk/7-staff-roles-2-hour-training-and-dhsc-sign-off-on-press-schools-given-mass-testing-instructions/
And I have no face palm emoji https://schoolsweek.co.uk/7-staff-roles-2-hour-training-and-dhsc-sign-off-on-press-schools-given-mass-testing-instructions/
A brief summary of what the government has dropped on schools in the last few days of term when many are closing due to staff shortages.. #edutwitter #SchoolsScandal #r4today #GMB @LBC
