To be shocked at yet another last minute gov announcement.

[wantmorenow]

New guidance for schools just announced on a Friday night before schools return. Breathtaking incompetence.

Thanks for clarifications.
This really is a shit show of shifting guidance. It should be so much clearer.

@TheEC

As far as I can see nothing has actually changed though? This has been up for weeks

This is what I don't get, that it's now seemingly different roles for schools so they have a higher tolerance. Although our bubble bursts if one kid has SYMPTOMS

The problem is @TheEC they don't highlight the bits they have changed. There is a big section on face coverings, which wasn't there before.

And then the 4 tier guidance for when rates are high so for example a rota system in Secondary schools.

@thanksamillion

how do you sign up for the education related updates please?

www.gov.uk/government/latest?departments%5B%5D=department-for-education

@52andblue

10. Contain any outbreak by following local health protection team advice If schools have two or more confirmed cases within 14 days, or an overall rise in sickness absence where coronavirus (COVID-19) is suspected, they may have an outbreak and must continue to work with their local health protection team who will be able to advise if additional action is required.

In some cases, health protection teams may recommend that a larger number of other pupils self-isolate at home as a precautionary measure – perhaps the whole site or year group.

• So not definite the whole year has to isolate

curious to see Govt advice about masks.

I received a letter from my child's Academy school this afternoon informing me about the New Uniform Requirement of a School Branded Mask. One supplied (this IS decent of them, given they have no budget) further masks can be purchased. Must be washed and dried and fresh each day. No other mask may be worn on site.

Why not allow the kids to wear any appropriate mask? Madness.

@ineedaholidaynow

Teachers will move around, but, no the children won't mix at break time or lunchtime. There are no after school clubs either.

@ineedaholidaynow

www.gov.uk/government/latest?departments%5B%5D=department-for-education

@52andblue

thank you @ineedaholidaynow x

Our after school clubs are still bubbled. So sport (for example) is running pretty much as normal as they train by year group anyway.

Branded masks is insane. At a push perhaps specifying “plain black” or “plain white” so you don’t get a load of kids arguing that f*ck isn’t really swearing, or turning up in Venom masks. But branded is ridiculous.

The only thing that would surprise me about this incompetent cabal of corrupt cunts that masquerades as our government is if they got something right.

" school branded mask"

Jesus wept. Because of course the most important feature of a mask is that it displays the school crest.

52andblue
It's good they're providing one.
The only reason I can see for insisting on a school one is to avoid mask drama from students. It would be much easier to say plain coloured only though.

One of my friends shared this on Facebook early in lockdown, which raised a few laughs:

The Wearing of Face masks in a school setting... thoughts from a teacher who has survived the Bottle Flip, The Dab, Skirt Rolling,Fidget Spinners, Yawn Raping, Tie Peanuts..

1. Someone's mother, probably Flossie's, will pimp the mask. It will be a sea of rhinestones and sequins and every girl under 10 will want one and refuse to wear a 'boring' one and teachers and parents will cry. Then they all won't wear them.
2. Someone will have a designer posh mask with a Hype label or some nonsense. They will all then want one and will drive their parents mental saying they can't possibly go to school with a homemade mask or even a proper clinical mask. These overpriced, clinically useless masks will sell out but few will get them and then there will be tantrums and they won't wear them.
3. Girls aged 13 and above will notice they give you spots and then they won't wear them.
4 The same girls will also need a new mask every 10 mins as it gets caked in their foundation and this is a faff so they won't wear them.
5. The same girls will take 1000 selfies wearing the mask, hate it, hate themselves, roll it down a bit like their skirts so it becomes totally ineffective and then they won't wear them
6. Twanging the Mask (the new peanutting) will be great fun. Mostly for the boys who will twang the mask and shout CORONA at the top of their voices. They will do this to Flossie and rhinestones and sequins will be all over the classroom. She will cry, they will all get twanging friction burns and then they won't wear them.
7. They wll draw penises on them. Anatomically quite accurate but hugely inappropriate and then we will have to confiscate them and tell them not to wear them.
8. They will own a mask which they will wear on arrival at school and when reminded 1 million times by their teachers - that same mask will be left screwed up in their bags the minute the school day is over because they won't be seen dead outside the school wearing them.
9. They will wear the mask at school when reminded 1 million times by their teachers, but once they start getting changed for PE, that mask and where it ends up is anyone's guess. And the chances of the same mask returning to its original owner after is 0%. So they won't wear them.
10. They will wear their masks at break and lunch time when reminded 1 million times by their teachers, canteen staff and Mid-Day assistants. Someone will try to eat whilst still wearing the mask and end up with bolognese sauce all down the mask whereupon the other kids will take the micky forever more. So no one will wear the masks at break or lunch time

Light hearted obviously, before any permanently offended/teacher whingers get in a fluster.

@ChloeCrocodile

what is it that has actually changed?

An entire bubble being sent home with a single positive case. In the average secondary school that’s going to be 200 teenagers.

There’s no clarity on whether the teachers would have to isolate though. Presumably they’ll only isolate if the positive case sits on the front row (so is in the 1m - 2m range) or if they’ve worked closely with the student (within 1m).

They then backtracked this 2 hours later

Its absolutely typical of this government.
They do it to minimise challenges to their more bonkers shit.
I work in education. I've worked all summer on September preparations. Tbh I'm exhausted before term even begins. Now I have to spend part of my weekend reading this guidance and assessing the impact on our plans
They are incompetent idiots.

@LolaSmiles

52andblue It's good they're providing one. The only reason I can see for insisting on a school one is to avoid mask drama from students. It would be much easier to say plain coloured only though.

One of my friends shared this on Facebook early in lockdown, which raised a few laughs:

The Wearing of Face masks in a school setting... thoughts from a teacher who has survived the Bottle Flip, The Dab, Skirt Rolling,Fidget Spinners, Yawn Raping, Tie Peanuts..

1. Someone's mother, probably Flossie's, will pimp the mask. It will be a sea of rhinestones and sequins and every girl under 10 will want one and refuse to wear a 'boring' one and teachers and parents will cry. Then they all won't wear them.
2. Someone will have a designer posh mask with a Hype label or some nonsense. They will all then want one and will drive their parents mental saying they can't possibly go to school with a homemade mask or even a proper clinical mask. These overpriced, clinically useless masks will sell out but few will get them and then there will be tantrums and they won't wear them.
3. Girls aged 13 and above will notice they give you spots and then they won't wear them.
4 The same girls will also need a new mask every 10 mins as it gets caked in their foundation and this is a faff so they won't wear them.
5. The same girls will take 1000 selfies wearing the mask, hate it, hate themselves, roll it down a bit like their skirts so it becomes totally ineffective and then they won't wear them
6. Twanging the Mask (the new peanutting) will be great fun. Mostly for the boys who will twang the mask and shout CORONA at the top of their voices. They will do this to Flossie and rhinestones and sequins will be all over the classroom. She will cry, they will all get twanging friction burns and then they won't wear them.
7. They wll draw penises on them. Anatomically quite accurate but hugely inappropriate and then we will have to confiscate them and tell them not to wear them.
8. They will own a mask which they will wear on arrival at school and when reminded 1 million times by their teachers - that same mask will be left screwed up in their bags the minute the school day is over because they won't be seen dead outside the school wearing them.
9. They will wear the mask at school when reminded 1 million times by their teachers, but once they start getting changed for PE, that mask and where it ends up is anyone's guess. And the chances of the same mask returning to its original owner after is 0%. So they won't wear them.
10. They will wear their masks at break and lunch time when reminded 1 million times by their teachers, canteen staff and Mid-Day assistants. Someone will try to eat whilst still wearing the mask and end up with bolognese sauce all down the mask whereupon the other kids will take the micky forever more. So no one will wear the masks at break or lunch time

Light hearted obviously, before any permanently offended/teacher whingers get in a fluster.

As much as don't want it to be true-this is exactly what will happen!

Can someone confirm for me, are masks now being advised in all secondary schools? It mentions them in the list but it's not something the media has raised attention to.

A B C D E F G

H I J K L M N O

Q R S T THEN V

Where the U? Ask the Dfe!

Sing to alphabet. Sorry couldn't resist

The advice hasn't changed that much since schools went back in June and July. Facemasks are new for secondary schools but it seems the advice is much the same.

The confusion is coming in when schools are taking it upon themselves to make up their own rules. If it was mandated that everyone had to follow the same rules it would be a lot less confusing.

At my DDs childcare they are following the government guidance only. No other rules made up about isolating everyone in the bubble with symptoms. Isolating the bubble occurs when a positive test has been received for patient zero.

So child A comes down with a temperature. This child is isolated and parents called to collect urgently. Parents take child for test as soon as possible. Test results come back, if negative child can return to setting. If positive the rest of the bubble and households go into 14 days isolation. Its really not that difficult! Schools should not be making up any new rules to this.

@wantmorenow

Friends daughter had symptoms on Tuesday last week. Test arrived by courier late Thursday. Test posted Friday (by me). Results back Wednesday late pm. That's a full 8 days before results. None of this works without improved testing.

Would be interested to know where you live. It was less than 24hrs from booking a drive thru test to receiving the emailed results for me.

The advice hasn't changed that much since schools went back in June and July

Er what? They’ve just announced a whole rota system for schools if transmission gets too high that schools need to be able to implement at the drop of a hat (poor sodding timetablers) AND specified that school staff will need to work weekends before each rota shift and you don’t think it’s a big change to land on head teachers the bank holiday weekend before re-opening?

At my DDs childcare they are following the government guidance only. No other rules made up about isolating everyone in the bubble with symptoms. Isolating the bubble occurs when a positive test has been received for patient zero

This isn’t the government guidance.

Lilybet In South Wales. Friend doesn't drive but husband does. No drive through aptts offered to her. Only NHS workers and the like allowed to use our drive through apparently.

Just posted this on another thread -

The irrational teacher bashing has reached fever pitch at times on MN. So much frothing from ill-informed hysterics is almost amusing.

Some teacher members warned months ago that this latest set of guidelines would happen and got the usual abuse hurled at them. They are owed an apology from those who said they were scaremongering.

That which they predicted has come to pass. And the more rational among us always knew it would.

Of course teachers want children back in school but they have been asking for Covid safe guidelines for months and still the government is introducing last minute changes.

Does anyone with an IQ above that of a jellyfish think that's right or fair?

All praise to @noblegiraffe and others who have attempted to be the voices of reason among the unpleasant teacher bashing.

All this talk about children having to be tested, yet nobody will answer the question about wether or not test they have, which Is to see if they are carrying the virus SARS-co-V-2 (which is said to cause COVID-19) actually means you will definitely go on to have COVID 19.

Sorry, it’s said to be the cause of COVID 19