When school reopening was first announced, guidance was clear and confident enough that you got the sense they thought it would be safe to go back to school. Now, with the constant frenzied updates, you get the sense they're not sure. That lack of confidence and certainty spreads

Also in the beginning guidance was broad and flexible - it recognised you couldn't control every variable, and that was ok, since the goal was risk minimisation not elimination. Now, there is a proliferation of the minutiae and it feels like we can't see the wood for the trees

The constant back covering in the guidance is another part of the probkem. If you say things but then caveat them or (purposely?) leave ambiguity, people will take the most conservative interpretation possible, since they don't wish to be held accountable for that lack of clarity

Or put another way, if you don't seem to believe what you're saying, people won't believe what you're saying. And if you do believe what you're saying, say it really clearly. That gives confidence.

We, as a profession, have to accept there is a small amount of risk. It cannot be entirely eliminated, just like it wasn't for those who kept essential services going for us whilst we were all at home. And I think the vast majority in education accept this.

The problem is, when guidance constantly changes, when big decisions are made in a frenzied manner at the last minute, when so much seems to have a govt get-out clause - it spreads uncertainty not amongst those who refuse to accept risk and return, but amongst those who have.

And the same is true for parents. Do you know how to undermine parental confidence? Force Heads to write to them with constant updates and changes to planning. It sows doubt. It gives the impression nobody is sure what is safe and we are just making it up as we go along

We need less guidance - we've had hundreds of thousands of words of that - and more leadership. Less ever-cumulating complexity, more clear messaging. And more than anything, to see those asking us to do this acting in a way that makes us think they're confident it is safe too

I really want to open our schools. I really want the kids back and staff back and think the risk is low and can be managed. I know many of our kids and our staff want the same. I just wish we could stop having that undermined by a DfE acting in such a defensive, insecure manner

This can filter down into school too. High anxiety, legalistic, risk averse, insecure. In other words, the very opposite of what schools need to be if everybody is to flourish. And everybody - SLT, teachers, unions, LA, governors, parents, children, govt - has an interest in that

Examples? OK, look at these recent these changes. What do you notice? What impression does this give you?

Confidence? Calm? No.

Back covering? Shifting possible future blame? Panic? Yes.