To ask how confident you are schools will be going back as normal

[demitrimendeleev1]

Excluding the changes with secondaries staggered start back
Yabu- I think schools will go back as normal
Yanbu- I don’t think schools will go back as normal
Please say why?

As emotive as the topic of schools has become, I would hope ANY setting that is a hot-bed of transmission and infection should be either closed or better managed by the government to reduce the risks to its users, their families and the wider community

Surely it's all complete conjencture at this point.

They might get the Oxford vaccine up and running. The new strain might not prove to be as problematic as first thought.

Or cases go through the roof ad we have no option.

The scientists don't have a magic ball that can predict what the virus will do in two weeks.

I'm thinking they'll probably shut or some form of blended learning. But hoping for the best.

[quote Babamamasheep]@ballsdeep a steamer sounds good, I’ll investigate this. Could definitely help with making our afternoons more normal, atm the soaking in Milton is taking such a big chunk! Thank you[/quote]
It's so much easier. We pul it out every lunch and at the end of the day and it takes half the time. We used to do the same with Lego, blocks, scissors etc and we spent more time cleaning than teaching!

My job partly involves liaising London schools but not about a core activity/subject. I was amazed we "kept going" in general through Lockdown 2 although some schools stopped their extras and I really don't think anyone will be back at school in Jan. Christmas mixing plus the usual cold & flu season weather plus new strain being so aggressive and apparently hitting young people makes it way too dangerous. I catch public transport to work, too and would rather the kids stayed off it en masse - for everyone's safety.

Also I would appreciate my colleagues not having contact with school staff or having to go near any schools and then bringing anything back with them. We're distancing and likely on long 2 person rotation again to go in but I'm not risking it.

Ours has said 8th jan will be the earliest they can go back but it may be later and they will let us know

I think it would be a good idea to delay the kids going back after the mixing. I will be annoyed if it’s a blanket “all schools are shut” - my primary has only had 4 bubble closures all term and that’s in a tier 3 area

'I think Boris changed tack very discreetly in tonight's press conference by saying schools will be back if at all possible instead of the usual insistence that they will keep them open no matter what.'

It's because the situation has changed, if we carry on with 35000 plus new infections a day hospital admissions then deaths will soar.

I think it will be Feb when they return. Mind, some teachers who go on at length that schools aren't safe also 'don’t like live lessons' so I'm sure they'll have a lot to say about it..

I'm in Scotland and ds high school online learning until 18th but had a call from ds2 pre school who said his nursery place is being deferred and I asked it was until the 18th and they said they couldn't say and would have to wait for government guidance and would be in touch after Xmas.
I'm gutted as ds doesn't work well at home and has slipped behind enough and ds2 really needs to be mixing with kids his age.
I'm a single parent and it's just been us all year with no childcare at all and I'm doing a degree and it's so difficult to study etc.
I was really looking forward to having a semblance of me time in January.
I totally understand how teachers feel though and I will just need to suck it up.

Mind, some teachers who go on at length that schools aren't safe also 'don’t like live lessons' so I'm sure they'll have a lot to say about it

Many, if not most schools are not safe.

As for live lessons, Zoom might have cleaned its act up regarding safeguarding. It was never about "not liking".

A little perspective, though anecdotal, about online provision:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/the_staffroom/4110138-Teacher-laptops

How will whoever tests the students get close to them?.. They said today act like you and everyone else has the virus...

At a covid testing site it's run pretty tight, Windows up... Very quick transfer of dropping the box in...

How on earth will staff get near to 100 of dc who may be infected to do test?

I think we are extremely lucky to have on line lessons and can keep dc learning, many students did better with it, many anxious students or those with some sen.
It's not awful for every student.

It keeps people safe I can't see the sense in the fight agaisnt it.
We are beggars in the face of nature we have this armoury to keep going.

Unless numbers go down drastically I can't see how
If we have been told basically not to mix then how can we exoect 30 kids to be in school and teachers with no sd
I know we had this before but the numbers are very high now and a new strain , unless we learn a lot more about this , I just can't see how we can
Doesn't mean we won't but for first time I am not comfortable with sending my ds to school and he is year 11

@Sparkesy

As emotive as the topic of schools has become, I would hope ANY setting that is a hot-bed of transmission and infection should be either closed or better managed by the government to reduce the risks to its users, their families and the wider community

Yes this

This

@xmasfairybuns staggered return for secondaries was announced to.all about 2 hours before we broke up 🙄. Apparently we will be having years 11 and 13 back on 4th Jan and everyone else will be remote learning for at least a week.
Nothing like giving teachers time to prepare 🤦‍♀️ happy holidays everyone!

East of england here. My schools (one primary & one secondary) had very few cases all term.

Since breaking for xmas I've had endless emails of new cases. I cant see how the schools can go back as they'll be no staff or kids at this rate.

It pains me to say this, as I've said all along I would happily restrict all my movements to give the kids an education. My high schooler could probably cope quite well with live home schooling, but we only have one computer so my other two wont be able to do their work and thay concerns me.