To ask if you are happy with the protection levels at school?

[MissMissICantDoThis]

I am a teacher so feel that I have some insight into what is going on in schools and I am feeling increasingly worried about the 'second wave'.

We have guidelines at our school and they mainly protect us adults. In reality, I couldn't do my job without breaking the guidelines and putting myself at risk. I accept this and felt that I accepted the risk in general. In my circle it is generally 'brave face and no complaining' attitude so I do not hear anyone talking about it.

I have mixed feelings for my own children. My son seems genuinely scared for the adults in the family and I am doing my best to support this.

I do not think that they will close schools again. The damage that the last lockdown did is evident. However, I am increasingly in favour of closing them again for a circuit breaker at least. The scientific evidence is so mixed that I do not know what to believe and wonder if the government are purposely being vague to avoid lockdown. Death rates are inevitably down compared to the first wave now that they only count deaths within 28 days yet they announced that it can take several weeks for someone to become critically ill.

My friend has a worried child too and she has said that if necessary, she will take her child out and face the fine. Is anyone else's child really worried? How do you feel about this?

I am genuinely prepared to accept that I am on half term and have spent more time watching the news than I normally would. Am I allowing myself to be scaremongered?

Also a teacher. There is no protection. It is not good enough.

Schools aren’t safe. Children will be spreading and bringing home the virus, no question about it.

There isn’t any protection in school so of course not. Poor ventilation, overcrowded classrooms, no social distancing, no awareness of the symptoms that kids actually present with, slow testing, no track and trace in school, close contact for prolonged periods, inadequate handwashing facilities, shared toilets, no money for increased cleaning.

And yes, my type 1 child is very worried and will take him out at the point we consider the risk is too high.

At my school, the only thing that's changed is that we have hand sanitisers in every classroom that most, not all, students use when they come in. There's a one-way system that no one ever follows, we're supposed to wear facemasks in the corridors but no students ever do and everyone is too scared of the exemption brigade to try and enforce it, teachers are supposed to teach from the front but we all know that's not possible.
At DH's school, most students wear masks in the corridors but that's about the only difference to my school.
We're both in a Tier 1 area but both our schools have had multiple cases in both staff and students. When a student is confirmed positive, the students they sit next to on seating plans are told to isolate but no one else in their bubble and no one they've had contact with socially. Students and staff are only sent home if they have a cough and a temperature - if they have one then they're just told to carry on.
I'm shocked numbers are as low as they are.

Also a teacher and no, fully aware that “precautions” at school are a joke.

To put into perspective most peoples risk from virus is negligible, their risk from poverty and unemployment is high. I'm happy my kids are in school and I'm hay working, we are getting paid, in full, which is more than a lot of people!

No. The implication that schools are ‘Covid secure’ is laughable really. Hands are washed regularly and some more windows and doors are open but that’s about it really.

If it gets to the point that most areas are in Tier 3 and they have restricted everything so that you are just going out to work/ getting essential shopping, but cases are still rising, I expect they will have to do something different with schools.

My DS is not in the slightest bit worried, and neither are any of his friends.
There are kids in his year that he knows that have had positive tests, as has one of his teachers.
I know neighbours, family and acquaintances that have had it and all report a mild illness, like a cold.
To shut schools again would be detrimental to their education. I am shocked at how badly my DS has done in his mocks, yet he was one of the kids who did all work given.
I am sure that he will now do badly in his GCSE’s, and I’m sure this cohort are going to be far more badly done by than last years.

As a parent i am well aware of the situation at schools

I work very part time as an invigilator but even without that its obvious there is no social distancing, Frequent hand washing will Be non existent etc

and I’m sure this cohort are going to be far more badly done by than last years

Absolutely

I thought i couldn't loathe anyone more than gove

But williamsons managed it

I’m a teacher and no schools aren’t Covid secure. Having said that we’ve had not a single case in our school (primary) this half term. My son has had 8 at his secondary but none in his bubble and none of those cases have resulted in further spread or illness among those tested. It’s a calculated risk but one I think is for the best given the alternative.

(We’re in Tier one at the moment)

I'm not worried at all, happy for my DS to be in school and he is fine there. I am not particularly scared of Covid though, I'm not going out of my way to catch it but I don't have any day to day fears. I think perhaps the fact that I can't work from home and work every day in a warehouse environment makes me less concerned.

I'm not vulnerable and not a teacher though so I appreciate those groups might feel differently.

Oops

I dont think my children are worried, one in a college doing a foundation year, one doing a 4th year at uni and one at 6th form

But one or two of them would have been Worried if they were at school so anyOne in this position has my sympathies for this extra stress

Agree with yellowbery
Schools aren’t Covid secure ( there’s no such thing) but I’m happy my children are back and do not want schools to close
Risks to general population are very very low

Children take their cue from you IMO. Ours aren’t worried because we’re not worried, though we have made sure they understand why the hand-washing etc. is important.

I don’t think there’s been a disproportionate number of cases amongst teachers has there? Is that info recorded or published?

I’m a teacher but luckily for me I chose to get pregnant right before the pandemic so am currently on mat leave .

The only experience I have is my own DC’s school and, whilst I think they’ve handled it as best as they can, it’s not really adequate. They can’t police parents in the playground which is a big issue, they all still congregate in groups gossiping. They made masks mandatory a couple of weeks ago when we shifted into tier 2 but many parents don’t bother or they’ll wear it to walk past the head teacher on the gate then pull it down once he’s out of sight!

I think the teachers are barmy in all honesty, they’re either braver or stupider than me- I’m not sure. They don’t wear a mask or visor (imo they should all have visors) but they still stand at the classroom door greeting everyone like normal, I’ve seen a couple of them leaving the classroom to talk to parents in close proximity too. One of the teachers is heavily pregnant and she does this too, I don’t know why they don’t see the risk in this.

It doesn’t personally make me feel safe whatsoever and my DC have said other teachers still pop into their classroom like normal, teaching assistants still shift between classes etc. Plus they play with two other classes in the playground so 90 children which baffles me.

In all honesty I’d prefer to homeschool them but I don’t want them to lose their place because it was tough enough getting them into a school in the first place.

Yes I am very worried for what next term will look like.
We are tier 3.

My primary 3 cases last term
Dd 17 cases and two lots of isolation
Dd 2 20+ cases

Also dd is year 11 so missing lots of study time and very worried about being able to do exams.

We are all fully expected to be spending more time isolating next term if nothing else changes.

There is very little protection in primary schools within bubbles, but there is a good degree of protection from what’s going on in other bubbles. So there is some protection and some risk, which I think is acceptable. I don’t think we can expect to work in schools in close contact with families and children yet also expect to be protected from any illness that can be transmitted from human to human. It’s just not realistic.

I like the way all the posters on here who say they aren't worried and are just happy schools are open full-time don't actually have to set foot in a school!

I’m not worried about DS being in school at all. I am worried about schools having to close again. I do think that the government could and should have given schools a load of money to actually do something to make schools safer, or even just some money. To not give a penny on extra funding is disgraceful.

@MarjorytheTrashHeap

I like the way all the posters on here who say they aren't worried and are just happy schools are open full-time don't actually have to set foot in a school!

Actually I do.

@Thepilotlightsgoneout

Children take their cue from you IMO. Ours aren’t worried because we’re not worried, though we have made sure they understand why the hand-washing etc. is important.

I don’t think there’s been a disproportionate number of cases amongst teachers has there? Is that info recorded or published?

I think you can have a worried child even if you are really laid back

One of mine (in hindsight) has probably had anxiety since he was 8

I used to think that children took their cue from the grownups but i dont think its always the case...dd for example is terrified of spiders and ive no idea why

All the mums i know who are afraid of something like the dentist or spiders go above and beyond to not show fear to the children 😀

You are not being scaremongered. We are being gaslit that schools are "Covid secure" when they have none of the mitigations that make a difference and are compulsory everywhere else.
How can you need masks in shops, buses, inside public areas, workplaces, but suddenly in an overcrowded stuffy classroom that you are in with 30+ other people for at least an hour - no masks or extra ventilation is needed?

There is no such thing as “Covid secure”.