Our school is shut from tomorrow

[leafygarden]

Just had an email from DD large secondary school in northwest saying they will be shut from tomorrow until the Easter break - and to wait for further updates on whether they will open after Easter.

I'm presuming this is nationwide

I think by Friday most schools will have closed to have plans to, seeing as thats 2 weeks before easter hols. My DD is in year 12, quite a few of her teachers are self isolating due to pregnancy or underlying health conditions so as from Thursday she's not going back unless something urgent or compelling comes up.

My other DD is coming home from uni and that has been really difficult to arrange so seems silly having one DC brought home in a big flap whilst the other goes into school and risks infection every day.

Our junior school emailed earlier to say they're staying open for now, but they have skeleton staff with curriculum content being a secondary concern as 1/4 of classes have been affected by teacher absences due to self isolating and 1/3 of cleaning staff too and they can see it worsening, so I have no idea how long they'll stay open🤷‍♀️ the kids are staying home anyway as I am self isolating so they need to be here too.

I'm a school Governor. Our school has plans for partial closure plus full closure.

However, they won't close until the government asks them to because if they make that decision on their own it invalidates their insurance.

Attendance wise - They will not pursue anyone taking their child out if school though.

DDs (Private) school has just sent a survey to ask us if we think they should close
The more cynical amongst us think it’s so when they close they can claim it’s what parents wanted so no refunds!
Not that I would ask for or expect one but I’m sure some would
The local FE college will lose from tomorrow a staff member there has just told me

Our primary school on north east has just sent us communication to confirm they are closing at the end of today

1980sQueen sorry you need to do that but glad the schools are understanding. Hope you all stay safe.

Mine dc school has closed from last Friday.
She's GCSE year and no idea what will happen about an exam in March when they are closed until at least Easter.

I have heard from 3 friends today who have taken their kids out, they need to close now.
It's not fair to ask teachers to stay and babysit though, it should be voluntary if they want to continue.
It's up to parents to care for their own children now.

Not nationwide. We have nearly 25% of staff off and 30% of students so we are collapsing classes and merging.

My DD has just called to say they've been asked not to come into school until further notice, waiting for her to bring the letter home detailing why (because of staffing etc).

Dd primary school has upped communication and insisting everyone signs up to an online platform by friday (in bold letters) they are not fining those that choose notnto send kids to school . Im expecting full lockdown by monday.

Another email that all homework books are being sent home today.

DDs school (grammar so large catchment, lots travelling on public transport) will be closed to y7-9 from tomorrow, with those in y10-13 who are isolating to follow lessons via FaceTime.
Plans in place for when a full closure is required.
We’re in the SE, catchment stretches to outer London boroughs.

OP yours are on the ball! Ours aren't quite there yet but are taking days off to prepare for closing. I don't particularly understand why they need to close to prep for months off - can the teachers not still work after the closure? The point of closing isn't to keep all teachers out, its to keep the kids out surely

I do get a little frustrated about that if I am honest.

My union told me that schools can choose to close.

The point of closure is to protect everyone. Teachers can work from home and prepare lessons on line.

But why do teachers need protected from the building? Surely its the kids who pose the risk to them? I mean we are talking a day or two, rather than the kids missing even more by having these extra days off

Just to clarify, the school in question is a smallish rural school, 13 teachers, 4 classroom assistants. Taking the rest of this week off to prepare for closure.

An email from ours today. Online learning is up and running.
17 pupils out and 9 members of staff with symptoms though not all have been confirmed yet.
Private school- so not telling us not to come in iykwim but telling us if we didn’t send our dcs then they won’t be missing anything as most of the borders are gone and taught lessons are reduced and all pupils will be doing the online work now- either from home or in school.
Boris has been quite sneaky really.

For the same reason people have been told to work from home

And that’s what teachers will be doing. Planning online lessons, marking online work. Why do we need to be in a big empty school to to that?

Ours is doing each day with one year group at home. But DD thinks they'll not last past the end of the week even with this measure. We'll see. Must be so hard.

(NHS and social care parents can still send their children.)

No not nationwide .....yet.

However I do know that at least one English city has plans ready to put into place to shut their schools. The switch just needs to be thrown.

This includes internet access, meals for those on fsm etc.

Its time to do this now. I’m worried about my daughter who is T1 diabetic (and so in an at risk group) her partner is a secondary school teacher.

Head is expecting them to clean down rooms between lesson - but has not provided anything to do this with. Not a happy school.

Teachers going into an empty school surely would only increase the risk of them picking it up from each other (door handles even).

I've had an email from my children's primary school that they are planning on emailing work home if they need to close. It must be looming soon. I think most schools are trying to close as close to Easter as possible.

Also in North West. Not closed yet but strong rumours this will be their last week..