To prepare DC for the fact that schools may not open?

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It's now looking like full school re-opening is in doubt, unfortunately - I'm so torn about whether to be open with my DC (10 and 8) about this fact or just keep talking as though it's definitely all back to normal in September.

I'm leaning towards the latter, but wondered what others are planning to do? For context, one of my DC is desperate to get back to school, the other is absolutely dreading it, which makes things complicated...

It feels like it will be a huge shock to suddenly have to announce on eg Sept 1st (as last-minute announcements seem to be this government's specialty ) that it won't be happening after all, but on the other hand I don't want them to be worried for a whole month before we know what's actually happening...

In Denmark they have split the classrooms and a lot of the lessons were outdoors. In France they do wear masks. Denmark has seen little impact on R rate when schools reopened but they have measures in place which will not be replicated here. Ditto with France. Therefore we cannot conclude that 'it is safe to reopen schools' if we don't take the same measures that they have taken.

Also, in Denmark, the average class sizes is of 19 pupils, with a maximum set at 28. So if you split that in half, you will find that it's a lot less than the 30 kids per class we will have in England.

@MoreListeningLessChatting

I probably should have explained that the study refers to a lot of data...

in some schools were open and children not transmitting...

in other studies schools were closed.... but similar data found ...

they have to explain each particular study separately and then come to a summary conclusion which is THE CHILD IS NOT TO BLAME basically showing how children are not the super spreaders that was originally feared.... thankfully

But it doesn't show this. There are plenty of modal verbs in there to say "could" this and "may not" that.

So you CAN'T SAY CHILDREN AREN'T SPREADERS because there is no conclusive evidence that this is so.

They can close the pubs and all the rest of it if needed to open the schools.

Surely the government must be able to see that children’s education is a priority?

The evidence in the published articles that states that children are not the super spreaders once thought
There was research posted last week saying children spread Covid like adults, and younger children are even more infectious.

Surely the government must be able to see that children’s education is a priority?
But they don’t have to be in school to get an education. Online learning, part time classes, tutors, there are lots of different approaches. It’s not like 25hr contact time per week is the gold standard.

I’ve been wondering this too.

DS (8) is desperate to go back and we’ve been talking about how many weeks to go. I bought his uniform today but with a slight reticence.

I think they will open - they have to make it a priority but who knows with this government.

@LegoMaus

The one suggesting the potential for children to spread covid last week came with the caveat Our study is limited to detection of viral nucleic acid, rather than infectious virus ..... so detection of a vna not detection of infectious virus.... ....

Also
*This research letter underemphasizes the fact that this analysis relies on not just a small sample but also one primarily obtained from a hospital setting as well as from mild to moderate patients with no additional weighting for the incredibly small incidence of this population within the under-10 population. This study has been interpreted as young people are more likely to carry higher viral load and that in no way is the outcome of this dataset. Please include additional data to quantify the actual population or caveat the limitations of this analysis. This point was not answered

Schools are opening so might be better to prepare for that

@YerAWizardHarry

DS(7) is back to school in 12 days time. The Scottish kids are seemingly being used as guinea pigs

It’s nice for Scotland to be ahead of England in leaving Lockdown for a change.

Am Scottish, ftr ;)

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/aug/01/now-teachers-sound-alarm-over-plans-to-reopen-schools

What do people think about reports like this then?

www.forbes.com/sites/williamhaseltine/2020/07/31/new-evidence-suggests-young-children-spread-covid-19-more-efficiently-than-adults/

I think reports like that are educational but still doesn't change anything. Just keep your kids 2m away from Ken and Jean and things will be great

Thanks for the article OP.Interesting input from scientists there.

Child to adult transmission:

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/boucherville-cases-day-camp-1.5666352

FrippEnos all of that sounds fine with me and if that’s what it takes then I’m all for it.

Interesting articles. Especially that masks were worn and yet children and staff still got infected and passed it on to their parents.
Frustrating to see the dfe are still saying hand washing and extra cleaning are still enough especially when they aren’t providing and funding to help with this

We have 2 staff toilets and sinks for 40 staff members.
We have 6 girls and 6 boys toilets and sinks for 180 children. Some classrooms have sinks but they don’t have hot water.

Increased hand washing will be a challenge.

We will have no additional cleaning hours. No cleaners on site during the school day.

The DfE might have put extra hand washing and cleaning in the guidance but if there isn’t any money then it’s not going to happen.

It’s amazing how much money has been thrown at other sectors by the Government but so little to schools, and certainly none to help finance any changes the guidance requires.

I'm keeping it that schools go back. We'll know definitely end of August. I think they all will go back. The school I work in has said they will be back. Headteacher emailed straight after the latest Boris/Witty announcement. All planning was submitted the last week .

I think schools will open, the issue is for how long. I am sure there will be many closures as the number of positive test results increase.

I know last term many families were allowing much more mixing between households, both family and friends, as they were of the opinion that if their children were mixing with others at school lockdown was pretty much over for them. I wonder if the opposite will happen next term when they realise how disruptive school is going to be with frequent self isolation periods, and families will withdraw into close bubbles to try and reduce virus transmission.

Just read that over 50’s may now be shielded. That’s going to affect school staff big time.

We'll know definitely end of August.

There is no ‘definite’ option here. I’m sure the government intention is to open fully, but as they haven’t put a penny into schools in order for this to happen in any sort of safe way, whether they remain open for any length of time, is anther matter.

The government plan is for bubbles of 30/90/270 etc with all staff able to move across all year groups-this is a hell of a lot of planning and timetable changes required for very little result. The other plan is extra hand washing-though no funding for soap or extra sinks- and additional cleaning-though no money to pay for this. Saying masks shouldn’t be worn in schools and sending all vulnerable staff and children back (and fining them if they don’t go) is a spectacularly poor idea as well.

Once schools are open and people need to self isolate if they or anyone in their household has symptoms, there will be no teachers left to teach the classes and the whole thing will start to collapse like a house of cards.

If it’s important for schools to open, and more importantly to STAY open, then the government should have prioritised them. Maybe put the money they’re throwing at restaurants to get people to eat out on Monday in August into schools instead.

Looking at the schools situation in Australia is very worrying.

Where did you read that @TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince?

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince

Just read that over 50’s may now be shielded. That’s going to affect school staff big time.

That’s most of the staff at my DC school!

It's not all over 50s though. Over 50s may be given a personalised RA. Bet they still tell them they can go out to work though 'if they choose' and that most won't be afforded extra protection in workplaces...

It's in The Times and the Telegraph.