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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Schools should close for 2 weeks after the Christmas mixing

965 replies

OverTheRainbow88 · 22/11/2020 07:38

I think that schools should remain closed for face to face teaching 2-3 weeks after the end of the period in which Boris will allow families to all mix.

I don’t want to be in a classroom with 30 different kids 5 times a day who’ve mixed inside with all different family members and friends.

I say online learning until mid Jan, if Boris will allow us all to mix at Christmas

OP posts:
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BungleandGeorge · 23/11/2020 16:49

@CallmeAngelina

OK, maybe not millions. I've just seen that there are around 8.8 million pupils of school age altogether (which surprised me - I'd have thought there were more). Maybe hundreds of thousands? I'm viewing it through the lens of my own school, which opened at some point to every pupil who wished to have a place. So, Nursery, Reception Yr 1 and Yr 6 from May half term, and Yrs 2-5 from mid-June.
I think your school is quite unusual. I’ve heard of one other with similar (out of quite a lot!). Ours was phased return for the compulsory years a week at a time after may half term. Nothing for the others at all. Some schools struggled to take back the compulsory years at all.

Since the majority of schools became academies I find it very difficult to complain about anything. If SLT don’t listen who do you go to? Is this the problem teachers are having? As an employer they should be risk assessing you. Some schools are shielding CEV, and putting in measures for vulnerable teachers (although I’m not saying they are necessarily doing the right things!) and making pupils wear masks. These things are not impossible. Are unions assisting on an individual level?

BungleandGeorge · 23/11/2020 16:52

Our school banned all teachers from using any live teaching in the summer term due to safeguarding concerns. It wasn’t anything to do with individual teachers, the union wouldn’t have any power over that decision either?

CallmeAngelina · 23/11/2020 17:05

There were certainly some safeguarding issues being reported back then. Dh used Zoom to teach his undergraduate/PG students, but was told quite categorically by the university that he was legally liable for any problems that arose!

Don't forget that many teachers (myself included) don't have work laptops provided either.

FrippEnos · 23/11/2020 17:10

BungleandGeorge

If it was the union it would have been a national policy.

pommedeterre · 23/11/2020 17:28

NO! I mean yes but i chose school over the Christmas mixing (of course!!).

Christmas mixing is not the way to go at all and it impacting schools would ve very sad.

BunsyGirl · 23/11/2020 17:33

My DCs private school has extended the Christmas holidays so that the children go back on 11 Jan, 2 weeks after the additional Christmas bubble period ends.

LisaD76 · 23/11/2020 17:42

I would agree that most won’t be mixing this year.... but my daughter came home and said the group that had been isolating and returned to school last Thursday got sent home today to isolate again as someone in that group has tested positive.... so sounds like even when they are sent home to isolate they are not isolating at all.... makes me so angry

caringcarer · 23/11/2020 17:43

Schools have already been closed for almost 5 months this year. My son got virtually no work sent home, no online learning and nothing marked, so no I would be very angry if his learning was disrupted again.

We are not having any family over this Xmas. Instead we will have a belated Xmas dinner with family after we have had a vaccine.

Shop workers are working all over Xmas and hundreds of people pass through the supermarket. Doctors and Nurses are working in hospitals full of sick people, Nurseries are remaining open too, also bin people, Firemen, the Police. Teachers should get over themselves and get on with their job unless CEV with letter. I used to teach for over 25 years and if I was still working I would just get on with my job instead of constantly trying to find reasons for staying at home.

ChloeDecker · 23/11/2020 17:49

Teachers should get over themselves and get on with their job

We are. Hope this helps.

rsababe · 23/11/2020 17:49

Schools have already been closed for almost 5 months this year

They weren't closed for 5 months when they should have been open. Why are you including school holidays?

Gifgif · 23/11/2020 18:01

Don't plan to mix, but agree because there are bound to be lots mixing.

CallmeAngelina · 23/11/2020 18:07

So, if it's a trade-off between all schools remaining open as usual (infection outbreaks notwithstanding) meaning everyone staying within small family bubbles of, say, 6 right throughout the Christmas period, who would vote for that?
But if you want to be able to lift restrictions (as possibly being proposed) and mix more widely with family and support networks and friends, it might mean schools closing either before/after the "normal" break.
Which would you choose?

Harls1969 · 23/11/2020 18:10

I don't think schools will close. But I wouldn't be surprised if someone in my bubble at school tests positive at the end of term so I have to bloody isolate over Christmas Hmm

Ifonlyihadknown79 · 23/11/2020 18:11

I can't get over how selfish people are being....everyone seems to forget Covid is a killer virus!! If closing Schools for a extra 2 weeks means keeping our Children safe then so be it. Money can be earned later ... education can be caught up, but a person life can't be!! God help us if we were ever to be caught up in a war!

Celestine70 · 23/11/2020 18:12

We won't be mixing because I want my kids at school. Everyone should take some responsibility and not mix. Newsflash, don't listen to boris. Just because he says go party you don't have to.

Chickoletta · 23/11/2020 18:16

Another teacher here and I totally agree.

Angelil · 23/11/2020 18:17

All very well if you’re not in a deprived area where half or more of the student body don’t have internet access, let alone a laptop. Some kids also don’t have an appropriate learning environment at home to complete the online learning. Even getting them to do homework in normal times is a battle...FFS online learning is just not possible for some schools/kids.

Superleo837 · 23/11/2020 18:18

When you look at the stats the cases went up as soon as the schools opened.

Oscarsdaddy · 23/11/2020 18:22

Completely agree

Let’s face it if the Christmas mix end on 28th December then returning g to school two weeks after that is January 11th so no big deal at all and only a week after initial plan

Safety for kids and teachers must come first so YANBU op

FelicisNox · 23/11/2020 18:24

YANBU. I quite agree.

The fact is, we're in the midst of a global pandemic and we can't have it all our own way: either we get some relaxed restrictions now so we have a snow balls chance in hell of enjoying Christmas and a total lockdown in the new year or we stay in lockdown until further notice and suck up the lack of Christmas cheer and family.

We can't have it both ways.

It's all well and good sending the kids back to school but my friends and colleagues kids went back and they're all in quarantine every couple of weeks because their school bubbles are being tainted. Complete waste of time.

ChloeDecker · 23/11/2020 18:35

@Angelil

All very well if you’re not in a deprived area where half or more of the student body don’t have internet access, let alone a laptop. Some kids also don’t have an appropriate learning environment at home to complete the online learning. Even getting them to do homework in normal times is a battle...FFS online learning is just not possible for some schools/kids.
Isn’t it shameful that the government have had 8 months to try and deal with exactly this issue and yet they haven’t?
Aragog · 23/11/2020 18:37

@caringcarer

Schools have already been closed for almost 5 months this year. My son got virtually no work sent home, no online learning and nothing marked, so no I would be very angry if his learning was disrupted again.

We are not having any family over this Xmas. Instead we will have a belated Xmas dinner with family after we have had a vaccine.

Shop workers are working all over Xmas and hundreds of people pass through the supermarket. Doctors and Nurses are working in hospitals full of sick people, Nurseries are remaining open too, also bin people, Firemen, the Police. Teachers should get over themselves and get on with their job unless CEV with letter. I used to teach for over 25 years and if I was still working I would just get on with my job instead of constantly trying to find reasons for staying at home.

Our school never closed. It was open to key worker and vulnerable era leaders children form the start - very full bubbles side to the proximity of a number of local hospitals.

Those who weren't in school were out for 14/15 weeks, not including holidays. This is not 5 months. We were unable to invite those in eligible years, who were not KW or vulnerable, back before September due to being full.

Very few teachers were at home that I know. Those that were were also working.

At my school ALL teachers and TAs bar4 who were clinically vulnerable were in school full time from March. We had full key worker/vulnerable bubbles from the start. This was including the Easter and May holidays which the staff worked for free.

Those of us at home were organising home learning, along with some of the teaching staff. I was in charge of overseeing it all, organising it, setting up, monitoring it, etc. I worked longer hours at home than I do when in school.

We provided remote learning from day 1 and throughout including Easter and May holiday. This included all core subjects daily and foundation subjects weekly. A mix of pre recorded interactive lessons, worksheets, directed external sites, other types of activities, etc. Children had feedback on this when submitted. We continued with reading diaries etc online and had a weekly celebration assembly with online certificates, etc. Vulnerable children who weren't in (They were encouraged in if possible) were contacted at a minimum weekly, often more. Staff dropped off lunches and also learning packs for those who needed them.

The reason why many schools did not provide work was because the GOVERNMENT suspended the curriculum and claimed they would sort it. Our school provided work over and above the governments recommendations as we were in a position to do so from the start, but we didn't actually have to or need to had we listened to the government.

This part has actually now changed as of 23rd October and schools have to provide the curriculum remotely in the case school/class and individual isolation. They don't state how it should be achieved but that it must be and should follow the curriculum taking place in school at the time, where possible.

Aragog · 23/11/2020 18:43

So your final sentence is nonsense in my experience, and of those school staff I know.

Everyone was working.
Every one was getting on with it and continue to do so.
Almost every one was in school and are now, if able.

I'm clinically vulnerable so have no choice to be in, despite the risk and no protection. Inevitably I caught Covid and was rather ill. I returned today after 6-7 weeks off - same situation, same risks. I almost certainly caught Covid at school.
As said before: Since then over 2/3 of my colleagues have caught Covid, several parents have done so and we now have children who are positive. Every class has had to SI once and another went home today, for their second SI period.

The only extra time off any of our staff have had since September has been because they are ill and/or have caught Covid, or have had to self isolate due to being exposed to it at school.

If we closed early for Christmas, which I doubt we would, all the staff would be expected to still work either in school with key worker/vulnerable bubbles or from home providing remote learning.

So yeah, all of us are 'getting on with it.'

Hmm
Sh05 · 23/11/2020 18:46

I totally agree. Just because Boris says you can doesn't mean the virus is going to stop spreading.
This has been my main worry since the media started reporting that Christmas gatherings of a sort were going to be allowed.
We don't celebrate Christmas but we also were not able to celebrate Eid as a family just as many others of other religions were not able to get together for their respected celebrations.
schools would only have to close for 1week if the restrictions are only lifted for 5 days around Christmas. I'd rather this than risk bringing the virus into my house.

BungleandGeorge · 23/11/2020 18:57

I know quite a few teachers, it’s fair to say there was huge variation in what they were expected to do. As you say, it wasn’t their decision but some did certainly go the extra mile, and I’m very grateful to those that did. Mid March until second week in September is very almost 6 months out of school. That really is an inordinate amount of time away from formal education anyway you look at it. Teachers generally say they see quite a slip back over the summer which is only 6 weeks and is not formal teaching time either. Remember how slowly time passes at that age, it must have seemed like an eternity to the children. It’s amazing that they settled as well as they did in September, partly due to extra efforts by their teachers, I’m sure