To ask when you think all schools will shut

[Helpmechangemymindsetplease]

Due to the corona virus.

Have been talking to a relative and am more worried than I was. Have three dc, one of whom gets ill at the drop of a hat.

Facts emerging from Italy are not great, so why aren’t we in complete shut down now? What is the government waiting for?

I think they're going to push it as close to the Easter break as possible and add it onto Easter holidays so I'm expecting no school closures for another 2 weeks.

If it's too early, too many people will ignore the restrictions and decide they don't apply to them and make the spread worse. Also if it goes on too long, other systems will start failing (people with other illnesses will die because of shortages of medical staff or drugs / difficulties getting food etc) causing chaos and panic.

Thing is- it’s all very well saying wait until Easter- but we could be in serious trouble by then!

Yeah I’m guessing an earlier Easter break if necessary

Whatsername177, you sound like a lovely caring teacher

Yeah, in schools, kids might not get it, but it will spread to the teachers, and then the school will have to close anyway. Plenty of older members of staff who will be more susceptible too.

A blanket school closure is a ridiculous idea. There are fewer cases in the whole country than in two year groups within my school.

My guess is “a week before the Easter holidays”, I think they will hold out as long as possible and just make half term longer causing less damage to those revising for exams (year 11 and 13).

around easter time?

Keeping mine off already and will do for months if I have to. They have various conditions and I’m not risking it

They won't.

Teacher here - I don’t think we will close. The Focus seems to be on keeping the NHS going and healthcare staff having to find childcare will be incredibly difficult. I do think a fair few schools will be forced to close due to volume of staff absence though

We're just moving this over to the right topic now.

And l don’t get this apocalyptic thing about A levels and GCSE. The exam boards and government are aware of this l would think. And would put in measures to address it. I hardly think the entire 2020 cohort of A level and GCSE are not going to end up with qualifications. Teachers will just be asked to predict the grades l would hazard a guess

Does anyone know what countries like Italy have done Re parents not going to work with school closures?

I’ve read that parents are helping each other out. So will share the care of 3 or 4 kids

OP you do realise that policemen have children. Nurses have children. Paramedics and GPs have children. Tesco staff have children. Close the schools and how go these parents go to work?

And how long do the people saying close the schools suggest they will be closed for?

Teachers will just be asked to predict the grades l would hazard a guess

Woohoo! I predict my Y11s will all get 5s (foundation group) and my A-level class are deffo all A*.

And that’s why teachers won’t be asked to predict grades.

I work with someone from Northern Italy and she says they are doing 2hr Skype lessons from school for the children. Which could work I think. Bit of course not equitable or fine for me with broadband and laptops at home, but not accessible for all.

Schools will close for Easter as normal.

Teachers will just be asked to predict the grades l would hazard a guess

Horseshit. Clearly someone who doesn’t have a child in one of these year groups.

The exam boards may have to give special consideration to students - they will use a computer program to work out a percentage by which to credit the pupils. It will be nothing compared to the teaching lost. It will impact on those kids and the teachers whose pay is directly linked to results. I'm lucky, I'm at the top of the pay scale. My newly qualified colleagues are not so lucky.

I’d be concerned that parent will just see the closures as an excuse to fly abroad for an unexpected holiday.

Those already booked to go away may well just bring it back with them and that’s I’ll wipe out exams.

I sincerely hope we don’t have to shut all schools as a blanket policy.
Individual schools for deep cleaning and/or quarantine, sure.
I really hope we don’t get to the stage of needing to shut schools. Would also leave us hugely short of key workers (parents, not the kids!).

I'm worried because my employer (I'm a teacher who works for the county council) hasn't even announced if we'll get paid if the schools we work in are closed. The unknown as to whether schools will close for a lengthy period of time or not is very unsettling, not just for pupils and parents.