Email from DfE to Headteachers. Schools prepped to shut again?

[AntiMaskersAreTwats]

Do you think this means it likely schools will shut again?

I think that means that anything is possible and the should revisit their existing plans.

I will March this time, enough is enough!
What is the bloody end game here?

As a wholesale measure? No. And definitely not while all other venues like cinemas and pubs are allowed to be open. They have said that schools will be the last thing that gets shut if any restrictions are required. There may need to be localised short term closures if a large outbreak takes hold.

But half my class were off with it when I was I'll with covid and so was my TA and the supply teacher also got it and the only thing that happened was one letter home to say there were cases in the class and parents MIGHT want to get their child tested.

I work in a school. We get so many dfe emails, most of which this term have referred is back to the contingency planning framework. I wouldn't read too much into this. At work we've had to use our contingency plan - so far that has meant advising one class to all take a pcr. It isn't all about closing

I would say they are keeping their options open ,as the Omicron variant is spreading fast ,and they don't yet have enough data to say what impact this will have on hospital admissions etc

No, it just means keeping contingency plans and risk assessments on the boil so they are ready to go if needed.

Our outbreak plan includes going back to bubbles, no parents on site, staggering start / finish times, lunches in classrooms etc. Every school has to have a plan, and many have had to impliment parts of it since September to help reduce the impact of any Covid outbreaks.

I'd be very surpised if it meant school closures. I don't know of any school who has closed this term, but there are several locally who have taught year groups from home due to staff shortages.

I don’t think so, the framework is just stepping up measures to deal with things.

I think the situation in January is thought to involve a very high number of infections per day, and rising hospital admissions on top of an overstretched system.

Not hard to work out what the problem might be or what the options might be for management.

No one would want to extend the holidays though, if they could avoid it.

That sounds like a request to prepare for an outbreak in the individual school i.e. lots of cases and likely in school transmission, requiring temporary closure of years or the school, rather than nationwide closures.

My MAT is checking everyone that needs laptops etc has one, is making sure everyone can access teams etc, teachers are planning for next year as if they are in school but making sure it can be delivered remotely.
Do we think we will shut again, no. Do we realise its a possibility, yes. If we are instructed to close we want our students to have a seemless transition and the best available home learning.

'outbreak plans' means local public health advice or lots of cases in a school.

The government has done nothing to prevent it spreading rapidly in school, the absolute fucking cunts.

They infected loads of kids over autumn term, only to infect them again with Omicron after Christmas.

@Mybalconyiscracking

I will March this time, enough is enough! What is the bloody end game here?

Why are more people not asking this? It’s getting bloody stupid now, our school has cancelled nativity, yet I was at a Christmas party the day before in a packed bar and restaurant. I suspect the former is at the request of some over anxious parents who are welcome to hide in their houses forever but the rest of us would quite like a life now please.

The thing is, I can't think of a time where a message like that was sent out by the government and schools didn't shut.

It will all be directly related to how overwhelmed the hospitals are becoming, especially IC obvs.

I am so angry with the government for investing nothing in schools, and I'm also mildly angry with parents for being fine with this shit.

The government has done nothing to prevent it spreading rapidly in school, the absolute fucking cunts.

I'm no fan of this government and yes they are cunts but at least they've offered the vaccine to those who are 12+

Directly the schools shut furlough comes back into play. The government will be trying to avoid that at all costs.

@rrhuth

I am so angry with the government for investing nothing in schools, and I'm also mildly angry with parents for being fine with this shit.

What exactly do you think parents should do?

@Itsnotover

The government has done nothing to prevent it spreading rapidly in school, the absolute fucking cunts.

I'm no fan of this government and yes they are cunts but at least they've offered the vaccine to those who are 12+

Months late. Postcode lottery. One dose. Many have not had it yet.

And the vaccine is not strong against Omicron. Which was a known risk.

Covid is airborne, they could have done more.

They have been shit. They don't give a fuck about my kids or yours.

@Itsnotover complain?

Have you read the contingency framework?

It's very much framed in terms of keeping schools open.

But this is a reminder to schools that they must be able and ready to provide off-site learning. This will be needed as omicron returns us to household isolation, and so there will be perfectly well DC at home and needing schooling

No, it just means they have to prepare for all instances.

It’s normal to contingency plan. We are doing all the planning to switch back to online in HE if we need to. Doesn’t mean we will.
But we are back in full on emergency planning mode-which is making for a great end of term.

I noticed Unision/Unite and Nasuwt/ GMB are working together.
Labour is also making noise on school safety at long last.
I wonder if we could see a potential walkout.

Our senior school ran though contingency plans with parent's yesterday for GCSE 2 mocks and 1 formal assessment could replace GCSE if cancelled.

The ONS already said school are dangerous to work.
Only 43% of English teens have had 1 jab many had covid around half term and are now being made to wait 12 weeks.
Teachers never seem have any priority of vaccines.

Some teachers are off on long term sick.
If omicron is as transmissible as they say it is January could be hugely disrupted.
We doing usual lft in Hall 1st day back.
Problem is many don't realise how common reinfectionss are as they not counted in daily figures.
Many teachers have had covid 2 to 3 times.
Whole department off in October and they were double jabbed.

Doesny help that education minister and chair of educational committee are working with us for them a dangerous anti vax anti mask disinformation group.
They support a herd immunity strategy thats clearly not working.
They want schools open at all costs.

I support a strike as education has been treated so badly.

@rrhuth

I am so angry with the government for investing nothing in schools, and I'm also mildly angry with parents for being fine with this shit.

I am angry with the government.
They have done nothing to make schools 'covid safe'.
The only protection for children and staff squashed into classrooms is opening the windows and doors.
I think parents are being kept in the dark about the covid situation in schools.
Many seem to think all is fine, when in fact multiple staff are off and many schools and are just about struggling on to the end of term at the moment.
Some schools are trying to safeguard staff with masks and visors, but many others are still following the original advice that these aren't needed in schools.
We don't know what omicron will bring yet, but I hope more attempts are made to safeguard everyone in schools.