School closed until September.

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That’s it for us. Everything was normal Thursday morning. It all started to go pear shaped Thursday afternoon. Friday the school was half closed. We were told earlier today that after a sudden flood of confirmed covid cases, the school is now closing fully. We won’t be reopening until September

@Bagamoyo1

School staff weren’t left unprotected. Kids have worn masks since schools reopened in March. And anyone over 18 could have been vaccinated weeks ago.

Except when they stopped being mandatory back in May? Our school dropped them then as per the government's advice.

Over 18s were offered vaccines from 18th June, they still needed to book their first vaccine, they didn't all have it that day! Walk in centres have only just begun in many areas of the country.

@WaverleyPirate

I cant believe the government did nothing to try to prevent covid in schools and now kids are paying the price.

The trouble is that anyone who tried to warn about the consequences or suggest safety measures got shouted down.

Absolutely this.

The pupils are paying the price for stupid Willy waving and untrue accusations of government about unions.

They are paying the price of a government who'd rather tell untruths than fund education.

For having a crappies stop of crap educations ministers.

Even their Tsar for covid recovery quit because they had no intention of actually funding what was needed.

If they didn't waste months and millions of pounds on a PR campaign trying to prove covid doesn't penetrate school walls, a bit of handgel is enough and children don't spread it we could have had a far better education system and safer.

Instead they've gone for "schools are open" and decided that's enough even if they are empty because everyone is off with or isolating due to contact with covid.

@Hercisback

Are they allowed to do this?

Is it a state school? If so, unless all students would need to isolate until the last day, then this wouldn't be allowed unless PHE said so.

They will be acting on PHE advise. Schools don't call the shots when it comes to closures usually.

There are only two weeks left until the end of term. (So currently 12 days)

A lot of children may find they have an abrupt end to the school year over the next fortnight.

If a bubble closes after Tuesday this week then many children will be out until September.

They will be acting on PHE advise. Schools don't call the shots when it comes to closures usually.

I know. I'm a teacher. PHE haven't usually been this cautious. Pleased to see they are now.

If a bubble closes after Tuesday this week then many children will be out until September.

That’s not right here. Ten days includes weekends and we have another week before that would happen

@MarshaBradyo

If a bubble closes after Tuesday this week then many children will be out until September.

That’s not right here. Ten days includes weekends and we have another week before that would happen

The last day of term is the 16th July for just about every school round here.

Almost all of DCs primary has just closed on PHE advice, in theory they should have another week in school when they get back, but it depends who else comes down with it.

It's shit though. I feel for the older kids particularly.

We’re much longer 23rd July. Won’t be an outlier for whole area.

Attitude to risk, can do approach and the desire to want to do more for the children makes a huge difference.

A can do approach means nothing when you get cases running through school.
It isn't like the school makes the decision to close a bubble. Schools act on external advice.

I have been willing to go over and above for my pupils from day 1. My 'can do' approach didn't really help when Covid put me in hospital in the autumn term

PHE decision that my 'non big 3' symptoms should be ignored and just my test date taken into account meant that Covid ripped through my school, affecting over 75% of our staff, several pupils and a number of families. Closing bubbles when I tested positive - I work across school and had been in 7 out of 9 classes in the days before - may well have prevented at least some of the spread. The decision to take the more risky approach to ignore it didn't work out well for us.

And unfortunately not all staff were well enough to return after 10 days. I was off I'll for 7 weeks.

I think that people who complain at missed sports day or after school clubs need to read some of the previous posts.

We have no choice over things like this. Our advice and risk assessment comes from the LEA. If they something can't happen we can't go against it.

@MarshaBradyo

If a bubble closes after Tuesday this week then many children will be out until September.

That’s not right here. Ten days includes weekends and we have another week before that would happen

But how many days until ill staff can be back in front of a class.

I’ve had Covid and I’m a teacher. Fortunately my school closed so I did feel obligated to go in and teach when still feeling like crap.

There is a big difference between being well enough at home and well enough to handle 30 6 year olds all day.

Oh no! More schools. DD’s school insisted on continuing with masks. I really don’t know how much difference that really makes. 240ish cases per 100k where I am. Higher in some areas feeding to the school.

And anyone over 18 could have been vaccinated weeks ago.

2-3 weeks ago for first vaccination, based on the government opening of that age group, the youngest staff we have.

So actually now is only just after the 'kicked in' period for their first jab.

And they won't have their second for about 4-5 weeks, with another two weeks after.

We have a number of young staff, as well as a number of older ones who have been fully vaccinated since about May/June.

@Abraxan. That’s awful. I’m so sorry that happened to you.

We still have two staff off sick with long covid since last year. That in itself doesn’t affect our current situation, as we have had two people on 1 year contracts doing their job for the one being.

"Except when they stopped being mandatory back in May? "

Masks have never been mandatory in England at least. In April they were recommended. No action could be taken if this was not acted upon and it was never enforceable either. Prior to April the government advised against their use in classrooms.

East did you have Covid pre vaccination?

Here an LFT picked up an asymptomatic positive and managed to isolate over 100 students. So not ill and school re opened as meant to over ten days.

We did have spread in March pre first lockdown which closed secondary early due to staffing issues. Maybe that has meant we’ve been a bit luckier since. Immunity was higher

[quote motogogo]@WaverleyPirate

There's been walk-in clinics every Saturday for 4 weeks at least, longer in high prevalence areas. [/quote]
Our first walk in centre opened 3 weeks ago. Dd went. It was so busy it was in the news. Dd queued for 4 hours. Thousands were turned away, including two of our staff. At that point our youngest school staff weren't eligible for vaccination. It became available the following week.

Dd got vaccinated at the first opportunity and before she was eligible to do so. She is today three weeks post her first jab.

Two staff turned away were able to make appointments the following week but had to wait a few days to be jabbed. So they are now nearly two weeks post first vaccine.

It is inaccurate that the youngest staff could have been jabbed several weeks ago.

@walksen

"Except when they stopped being mandatory back in May? "

Masks have never been mandatory in England at least. In April they were recommended. No action could be taken if this was not acted upon and it was never enforceable either. Prior to April the government advised against their use in classrooms.

Our school made it mandatory and would send home kids without them unless they had been informed of an exemption

@MarshaBradyo

If a bubble closes after Tuesday this week then many children will be out until September.

That’s not right here. Ten days includes weekends and we have another week before that would happen

Our local schools all close on the 19th, so round here it is Tuesday which would be the 'first' day for a bubble closure affecting the end of term. Same date for several friends children in other LEAs hence using that date as my example, and that I know that date could apply for thousands of children.

Our local schools all close on the 19th, so round here it is Tuesday which would be the 'first' day for a bubble closure affecting the end of term. Same date for several friends children in other LEAs hence using that date as my example, and that I know that date could apply for thousands of children.

Oh well I hope they get to end of term without it.

23rd here.

@MarshaBradyo

East did you have Covid pre vaccination?

Here an LFT picked up an asymptomatic positive and managed to isolate over 100 students. So not ill and school re opened as meant to over ten days.

We did have spread in March pre first lockdown which closed secondary early due to staffing issues. Maybe that has meant we’ve been a bit luckier since. Immunity was higher

I had it pre vaccination. One member of staff who had had her first jab still got it and was ill for a couple of weeks.

"Our school made it mandatory and would send home kids without them unless they had been informed of an exemption"

Government guidance was that students could not be made to miss school because of not wearing a mask refusing to test etc. Most schools provided spare masks as a result, rather than send them home to get one.

That may have happened at your school but I doubt it happened at most.

@Habitualhonesty

I thought anyone who wanted one could get vaccinated now. There are members of my family who lives abroad (and have done for ages) that have had several text requesting they come in. So how are there 40 year olds. Still not double jabbed

I am in my 40s and a teacher. I have only had my first jab - I need to wait to be called for my 2nd in a few weeks time…

Most people in early 40s are only just getting their second dose.

I am in my 40s and a teacher. I have only had my first jab - I need to wait to be called for my 2nd in a few weeks time…

I am aware that there are still some 40+ people who haven't had their second jabs, as they had to wait quite a long time to get their first ones. However, if you're in your forties and have only just had your first jab, this must be because you chose to delay it, I assume? Even the national booking system opened for that age group in early May, and most people I know had it before that.