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Original poster

How long will schools stay open?

82 replies

belay · 17/03/2020 12:44

Just read that a secondary school in Derbyshire has closed. Says that some staff "unable to come to work" because of risk to themselves and their families?
Is the government forcing schools to stay open at the moment ?

OP posts:
covetingthepreciousthings · 17/03/2020 12:45

Two local schools here are only operating with 3 year groups in today as they can't open to all year groups due to staff absences.

I don't think it'll be long to be honest.

TwelveIslands · 17/03/2020 12:48

Two local schools have closed with immediate effect for the foreseeable future. I only know that because of friends with kids at them.

mumto2teenagers · 17/03/2020 12:50

A school near us is only opening for years 10 and 11 due to staff absences. Think its inevitable really given the current advise that schools will not have enough staff to operate.

trevthecat · 17/03/2020 12:50

4 schools local to me are on only a few years in due to staffing and 2 others have closed altogether. Yesterday before the latest announcement I took youngest to the park and it was full of teens!

TreacherousPissFlap · 17/03/2020 12:56

DS's has plans to operate only for years 11 and 13 if staffing becomes too problematic. Unfortunately for DS he is year 11 Grin

PlomBear · 17/03/2020 12:56

I’m a school volunteer and been told to stay away like all parent helpers.

puds11 · 17/03/2020 12:58

Which school @belay? I’m hoping my DH’s school closes soon but showing no signs!

Original poster
belay · 17/03/2020 13:11

Fanshaw

OP posts:
Scruffyoak · 17/03/2020 13:16

Wont be long till no staff are left

anniefrangipani · 17/03/2020 13:17

Since the days when he was a student teacher, DH and I have joked that there's a government edict that at least 30% of all school staff have to be pregnant at any one time - and that if the number drops too low, he'll be called up!

Because of the high number of staff who are pregnant, not to mention others with long-term health problems, many many many schools are struggling for staff now.

Obviously, DH is just a teacher in a primary school in a small town. He's not important and we don't know anything special - but the sense he's gotten from senior staff is that it can't be much longer before they close.

lazylinguist · 17/03/2020 13:20

I work in 6 schools. Everyone seems to reckon the government will announce school closures on Friday (i.e. a week earlier than most English schools are due to start Easter holidays). Not sure where they are getting that idea from though. The problem is, once schools are closed, I think they'll stay closed for a loooong time. Because frankly, when do we expect there to be safe justification for opening them again? September?

letsjog · 17/03/2020 13:21

Hopefully not for long. Our school is really getting vigilant and working directly with the onsite nursery so if a pupil is self isolating and have siblings at nursery they are in direct contact and nursery are contacting the parents to drive home that the family should self isolate and they are not expecting their child at the setting for 14 days.

Nochangeplease · 17/03/2020 13:22

A week early? Schools not due to close for easter until 3 April so that’s 3 weeks early

leafygarden · 17/03/2020 13:23

Ours has shut - just started a thread about it

Menopauseandteensdontmix100 · 17/03/2020 13:28

@ Nochangeplease Easter holidays are different in different parts of the country. Ours are due to break up 27th March.

anniefrangipani · 17/03/2020 13:28

I agree with @lazylinguist; DH reckons they're just trying to eke it out until they're closing "only a week early".

I think if they close, they'll announce it on a Thursday night, with the Friday as a last day in school. That'll give parents three days to make childcare arrangements, which is about the amount of notice I'd expect (though definitely not enough for most families).

lazylinguist · 17/03/2020 13:33

A week early? Schools not due to close for easter until 3 April so that’s 3 weeks early

All schools in my area close for Easter on 27th, so closing this Friday would be 1 week early. (And 2 weeks early, not 3, if you break up on 3rd April!).

Original poster
belay · 17/03/2020 13:33

Our Easter holiday starts 10 April so we have a long run if it school closes now 😳

OP posts:
Nochangeplease · 17/03/2020 15:19

Oh I didn’t know that some schools broke up in March. So they go back after Easter weekend?

Menopauseandteensdontmix100 · 17/03/2020 15:35

Yes my daughters school is already closed until at least 23rd March but I can’t see it opening again until at least after Easter.

Patchworkpatty · 17/03/2020 16:11

Most parents in my daughters school have already removed their children. Classrooms are down to about 8. Children per class ...

This is despite the fact that in my daughters case they are Year 13 with A levels in 8 weeks... some things are more important.

Nochangeplease · 17/03/2020 16:37

There are only 2 kids off in my sons class. London. I wish there was more. I want them to close.

Patchworkpatty · 17/03/2020 17:00

Then just take them out !

pollysproggle · 17/03/2020 17:04

My sons secondary closed today. Partially years 7,8,9,10. 11 and sixth formers still open, a service for crucial workers to still send in their children if they do not have childcare, lots of work for home with an online service plus a collectible lunch service for those who receive free school meals.

I think it's a good start.

GenderApostate19 · 17/03/2020 17:08

DD (teacher) says they are fully expecting to close on Friday for a month initially. That is what they are planning for.
As for exams, they just dont know