Aibu to think kids will be back in primary school after half term?

[Malbals]

What do you think? I’ve bee told by a teacher friend that primary aged children will be at school after February half term? I do hope so I feel so sorry for my children I just can’t give them what they need and feel like I am failing them
They are so sad and missing friends and routine

Gavin Williamson wouldn’t confirm this today, so it’s not something that your teacher friend would have any insider information on.

You, like everyone else, will just have to wait and see.

I wish I could say yes for you, but I really doubt it. Things are only going to get worse for a few weeks yet. I’d be mentally preparing to have them at home until Easter tbh.

You aren’t failing them btw - this is hard and unknown, just do what you can and that will be ok. And they will be ok as well, it’s just going to take some time to get back to normal

I think the government will try very hard. No one wants them to be out but it depends on how full the hospitals are I suppose. You teacher friend can’t possibly know so presumably is also guessing.

I'd like to think so but reported deaths reached an all time high today. Sadly I suspect it will be after Easter

I would be amazed if schools open after half term. I think Easter at the earliest.

Not that early

Realistically it will be after Easter, I’ve prepared myself mentally for that, bonus if they go back earlier.

I sincerely hope not......only because I think if they are, we will start to undo all the good that's been done while we've suffered over these next few weeks, let's not get into Lockdown No. 4 situation. Instead, let's get lots of the population vaccinated before we start easing things....

I wish so much that I could say half term. I miss being in my class and teaching my children.

But I think we've got a long stretch ahead of us yet.

It won’t be before Easter, and even then only if we’re lucky!

I'm hoping after Easter, but fear it maybe September.

I'd prefer a lockdown 4 than this one continuing. Children need to see friends, it's better they see people for a few weeks and then out again for a few than have months and months in a row without contact with people their own age.

I think it will be after the Easter holidays at the very earliest

No, not after half- term. Maybe after Easter. But I think May half-term is more likely. It depends on the vaccine rollout.

Lots of primaries will reopen after Feb half-term, I’m certain of it. We will move to a tier system. Numbers of cases are already going down, the death rate will take a few weeks to catch up to that so it appears very high right now. Once numbers are acceptably low borough to borough, schools will have to reopen. It’s a shame for those with secondary age children but I think they will delay them a bit further. Large secondaries are just so much harder to manage than smaller primaries.

I don't believe so. Numbers may be dropping but if schools, unis, etc, go back too soon, it will trigger a third wave. Hope this won't be case, obviously.
Easter, maybe.

Mentally prepare yourself for after Easter then any earlier will be a bonus.

Your teacher friend doesn't have insider knowledge on this, we find out from the telly at the same time as you!

Not unreasonable to hope, but definitely unreasonable to think. Vaccines need to be rolled out further and cases and deaths need to be going firmly down. At a push, maybe under a tiered system.

I'm resigned to them not returning before the summer :(

I am more worried about my year 10 than I am my year 4. She missed 4 weeks of Autumn term because of self isolating when her bubble burst. She'll probably miss all of this term. If exams go ahead as normal in 2022, she's going to have missed a huge chunk of stuff - the better part of 2 terms really plus whatever happens in the winter - especially practical science and drama work. Science especially - she's doing all 3.

DS is in year 4. He is not a keen student but does do the work and then reads, plays lego, plays in the garden and watches various videos mainly about science. He has time to bounce back.

Primary school pupils can play catch up relatively easy - year 10s are in a dire position and I wish they and year 12 had priority for going back especially now GCSEs cancelled for other years.

We will find out the night before half term starts, obviously!

I really don't think they will be back until September

@grannyinapram

We will find out the night before half term starts, obviously!

More likely the night before half term ends

I think YANBU. By the end of Feb we'll probably be down around 15,000 new cases a day and a good chunk of vulnerable vaccinated.

Given the government's reluctance to close schools even when necessary, I think (at least) primaries will likely reopen then.

I'm not convinced reopening secondaries then is a good plan, but I think it may happen anyway.

My hospitals escalation plan is only really ramping up and it's projected for 6-8 weeks before we can even think about any changes. I really don't think they will be back after half term. There will be changes with people vaccinated but it won't have a real time impact for a while after. I'm not having my second vaccine until end of March!

My guess is after Easter is more realistic.

but as I put in another thread, our secondary school has just emailed to ask parents to train up to help with mass pupil Covid testing - it reads as if we will be testing other pupils but that may be wrong?- so anyway they seem to be gearing up to a return after Feb half term because they said they've just completed testing on teachers...