To wonder how long the schools may close for

[Takemebackto]

I’ve been reading different articles about the risk that schools may be closed. Some are saying this could be 13 weeks plus with the summer holiday to still go ahead as planned. Aibu to think this could be very unhelpful for parents and children. How will exams go ahead.

@DBLM your holiday will be dependant on the lockdown. We've lost our Easter holiday and I'm not sure if it's a good idea for us to re book yet, even though we'd be going for October.

I’m worried about the mental health of students if exams are delayed. My DS didn’t do well in his mocks and is very anxious about his GCSEs but is finally working hard and looking forward to June when they finish.

If they are delayed until September I really don’t know how he’ll manage to start back on his revision in July/August, I would worry for his morale.

He may do A Levels, but more likely he will have to leave his school and do BTEC at college. How would we decide by September? He has anxiety/poss ASD, and this uncertainty is very unhealthy for a lot of children.

I wonder if they will turn the Easter hols into 6 weeks and then just have 2 weeks over the summer instead.

Agree with pp, this would be very difficult to manage. If they expect school staff to be working while schools are closed, they need to log those as working days. Teachers are only contracted to work 195 days a year (Burgundy Book schools, which is most state schools).

To the poster who asked about children returning from trips to Italy, our high school got back Tuesday and have been told to go back into school tomorrow!! A lot of parents not happy about it and a few of my friends children have to stay off now due to health conditions

I've been thinking about the reality of really big classes and it's terrifying. I'm not sure we can keep children safe.

In our country there are a few previously healthy teenagers with corona virus in the ICU. So it seems that older children can be badly affected.

There is a confirmed case at a school local to me and they were shut on Friday, when I went to the local shops around lunch time on Friday there were kids everywhere! Honestly I've never seen so many teenagers out in little groups. When I drove through the town about 330 it was the same. I think I'm leaning more towards keeping the schools open long term if the kids are going to be out on the streets anyway.

I think they will close at easter and reopen in september. Government advice has said there is no point in closing them for less than 13 to 16 weeks. If not they will just remain open but as cases escalate I can see huge pressure to close them.
www.gloucestershirelive.co.uk/news/cheltenham-news/uk-schools-close-over-coronavirus-3951588

We have no cases where I live but some pupils have just returned from a school trip to France and are back in today. Do I send my daughter in or not 😟

Random ds is autistic and has been isolated for years. It has had a hugely detrimental effect on his mental health.

He's also doing his gcses this year. The last year has been incredibly difficult for him as his ASD diagnosis is recent and this extra stress is making things worse.

Teacher here

No idea about closures but obviously we're preparing.

However I really don't think there can be 'making up time' by opening schools in holiday times. If schools do close, teachers will be expected to work from home setting work, marking, responding to work submitted. This will be hard, particularly in early primary. I can't imagine how I will manage to effectively teach my Year 2 class for a prolonged period without seeing them - they're 6 and 7!!

Anyway, if we work from home throughout the closures we can't then be expected to work in the holidays. Teachers are contracted to work 195 days.

I’m surprised anyone with the option not to is sending their kids in.

If mine were 10 or over, I’d leave at home. Under 10s, I can see with two working parents you might not have a choice, but I’m a teacher and I’m worried, very worried.

Agree, if schools offer distance learning teachers will still be working so cannot work over the summer too. They and the students will need a break.

To the poster who commented they are only contracted to work 195 days. Let's hope the nurses, doctors, food delivery warehouse staff don't start with that. At a time like this your 195 days should be forgotten to get our country and young people back to normal after this. I personally would like schools closed and re open in July through to Xmas.

Anyway, if we work from home throughout the closures we can't then be expected to work in the holidays. Teachers are contracted to work 195 days.

This is a crisis. Besides, the essential staff in the hospitals and food delivery are making many more hours and often unpaid. What makes you so special?

Read my post again. I never said teachers shouldn't work extra. I was just stating the fact about how many days most teachers are contracted to do. I also said opening over the summer holiday would be difficult to manage, but I didn't say it shouldn't be done.

So you can keep your "special" comments to yourself.

Teachers are only contracted to work 195 days a year (Burgundy Book schools, which is most state schools). Maybe teachers could be a bit flexible. Retail staff will still be working while many others are still in lockdown.

So what are you trying to say then? Because where I am I see doctors and nurses with annual leave cancelled working way beyond what is expected or what is easy to manage.

Agree with pp, this would be very difficult to manage. If they expect school staff to be working while schools are closed, they need to log those as working days. Teachers are only contracted to work 195 days a year (Burgundy Book schools, which is most state schools).

During the swine flu I worked 12-13 hours per day, five days a week. Nobody in the hosital was paid for their overtime. Do you seriously think that people are going to be paid overtime or get their annyal leave now? That's bonkers. Just do your but like the rest of the country.

*do your bit

I think most of our worries stem from lack of knowledge. We need a plan so we all know what is likely to happen. The projections show we are roughly 4 weeks behind other countries so we should be able to work out what measures need to be introduced and when. If we give our country a timetable people will be more informed and have more time to prepare. People will then have time to plan and make other arrangements. It will be less stressful and people will panic less. The continual drip feed of info from the government is not helpful - we need firm plans. Misinformation from social media, Auntie Sues opinion, scaremongering from the newspapers is not helpful. Give me a definitive guide to follow, give me a plan so I can arrange my life and I'll be happy!

And as for GCSE, A level and BTEC - cancel the exams, give everybody expected grades and lets move on. The knock on effect of moving exams will cripple University's who rely on student fees to run, FE colleges can do without GCSE results to admit students. Lets take the pressure off education and focus on the health and wellbeing of our people.

It would have to be in conjunction with other measures, otherwise there will be children in areas they usually aren't, and around the elderly in towns etc, or parents popping off on holiday which is okay as it's still in the country.

The Education Minister is meeting later today to establish further guidance

HappySonHappyMum - but teachers’ predicted expected grades are often wrong, especially for those who focus their efforts towards the end.

And what about those GCSE students who will use their GCSE results to help them decide whether to stay at school and do A Levels or leave and do a BTEC. How will they make this decision when current teacher’s predictions are 5/6 for most subjects but may be capable of a 7.