Longer lockdown or shut secondaries ?

[Coffeeandteac]

YABU - keep open
YANBU- Go to online for 4 weeks to reduce spread for secondary.

I know they say lockdown may be extended now. Though it is clear from today that the lockdown will be longer while schools are still open. It is also clear older children spread the virus like adults from watching Marr and news channels today.

Which would you prefer? Which do you think is right?
In my opinion I would shut secondaries as I think it may not take the R below one anyway.imo.
However if I had a choice I think it would be better for business to have a shorter lockdown and close schools.

AIBU?

@bendmeoverbackwards yes, which is why if you read my second paragraph I suggested that schools should stay open on a rota basis. Even if pupils are taking workpacks home for a week its better than nothing. Most pupils do have mobile phones which are sufficient to watch a lesson, even if they are then working on paper.

You can't tell me that you'd want to be in a small classroom with 32 15/16 year old with no masks for 90 mins? With little or no ventilation. Up to four times a day?

But as I understand it, schools now have a legal obligation to offer online learning if they send children home. You need to be questioning those schools who didn't/couldn't offer online as to why they didn't provide it. What was the excuse? And are they prepared for it now? Because they should be.

Even if pupils are taking workpacks home for a week its better than nothing

Not much better really. Those children without somewhere quiet to work or can't engage with the work or don't understand it and can't contact teachers. The poorest children will do really badly with this

As long as they actually provide online education this time, however the following should be allowed in to school:
Vulnerable dc
Reception and year one of working parents (woh and wfh) as it is impossible to look after them and work and they could not work on line in any capacity.
Any year up to 13yo where the parents (both parents where a dc has 2parents) have to work outside the home.
Years 6,11 and13

Ideally, but I don’t think they can for exam years. Years 7,8,9 and 12, yr 13 possibly (as they could maybe be trusted to work remotely) would be a really good compromise.

@Aragog totally agree however....the University institutions have a lot of lobbying power, they also make a lot of money via accommodation, make of that what you will. They all knew there’d be no face to face teaching.

I can't see private schools closing any time soon, lots of boarders remained at school over the last two week half term and many wont' go home at christmas.

Personally, I am in what was a tier one area and we have had no positive results in our school so far.

I would like schools to stay open but the school my dc's attend is spacious and well ventilated. They did a great job with the remote learning but still it isn't the same as being at school.

I also think it would be very worrying for all those children for whom school is their safe space.

But as this thread shows there is no way to please everyone.

I also wonder what compliance rates would be like this time round with older teens, would they all dutifully stay at home whilst their parents were out at work? I have a feeling there would be more going into each other's houses, hanging round etc which would be very problematic.

@bendmeoverbackwards

So what do you suggest? Schools all stay open with all pupils in?

Its about trying to find some kind of contribution to slowing down the rates of infection and keeping all schools open is making the situation worse.

Too many jobs will be lost be lost if lockdown continues.

@June2008 I really don't know, it's so difficult. I have every sympathy for teachers who are doing the best they can and putting their health at risk. But to say close the schools, the kids will be ok is wrong. Some of them really won't be.

They've known this was likely to happen since March. Why couldn't a national series of lessons be devised, covering all subjects and topics, for all year groups. This could have been used as a basis for education leaving the teachers free to check in with pupils and give one to one/small group support to Individual struggling kids online. They've wasted the time they had.

Only shut secondary schools in areas of high infection.
Our area rate is low so keep open

@bendmeoverbackwards

If it were up to me I'd close secondary schools, take a week or so to move all learning on line until Christmas

FFS, the amount of 'I'm all right Jack' on here is unbelievable! There are thousands of children who don't have devices and therefore cannot learn online. What are they supposed to do??

This