Coughs and sneezes

In the last month or so we have been working with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and the Primary Care Trust (PCT) to monitor and support schools in the face of the swine flu pandemic. Intially it was treated according to the plans prepared earlier which assumed a more serious illness than the one that we actually seem to have. It is, in most cases, slightly milder than seasonal flu. It currently seems unlikely that the illness will cause serious concerns for most of us but it may be the case that continuity in education could be a problem through spasmodic bouts of pupil and staff absence through autumn and winter.
In the circumstances it may be sensible to give some thought to how education could be sustained if the curriculum becomes disrupted. So I have begun to set out some ideas on the Bucks Grid for Learning. I have also opened up a collaborative page (called a wiki if anyone is interested) so art teachers could share ideas and comments. You will need to logon to Bucksgfl using your username and password to contribute - although anyone should be able to read it. It can be used by primary and secondary teachers and I rather like the idea of cross phase co-operation. In truth I set up the wiki because I am intrigued at the opportunity to work together in the face of a common issue using this simple technology. So swine flu is not a dire emergency to be solved but an excuse to try something out. Do have a look and contribute if you can.