Decision on schools closure coming 'imminently'

[mymoonmyman2020]

From Guardian reporting on PMQs -

'Johnson pays tribute to teachers, and thanks them for their work in keeping schools open. He says further decisions will be taken “imminently” on schools, that will square the circle of stopping the spread of the disease, while wanting to relief the pressure on the NHS.'

Scottish news on schools also expected soon apparently.

Just had a letter saying y7/8/9 closed. It says if you work in NHS etc to contact them as your child can go in and be supervised but more like childcare basically

I know people are worried about their dcs friendships etc - this is a period of high stress. Trust me when I tell you they will be ok. It’ll be difficult for them but they will move on just like all their peers. I do understand why people feel worried.
My dd is about to sit her exams- if they go off her mocks she’s done for as they are poor, and she’s worked so hard to raise her capabilities since. But she’ll get over it.

These are very strange times and quite confusing for us all.

Have had nothing about being able to go in for nhs workers yet

Very worried about how all this impacts A levels which my child is due to sit in a few weeks’ time. I’m sure parents of yr11 GCSE students feel the same.

‘Our’ sixth form college is moving to online delivery from Monday but goodness knows how that’s going to work as they aren't set up for it and any time they do anything IT related it is an unmitigated disaster.

We're going to struggle, as both DH and I are frontline NHS staff. We can work around most of it, as I'm part time and DH does a lot of out of hours, but there's at least one day most weeks when we can't have one of us off, even with all the non-clinical work cancelled.

It'll actually be better once his department move to the full shift rota that they've planned for when the clinical pressures climb, as he can just request to work his shifts on days when I'm not at work.

I would be happy to volunteer on schools to supervise front line workers dc (obviously I’m qualified, trained and fully checked).., is there a way of doing this that anyone has heard of?

I work in a school and am currently self isolating as one of my DC has a fever. We've been told that in the event of closure we will all be expected to work from home. But I have a toddler and a primary school aged child whose settings will also be closed so how is that supposed to work? I can't realistically WFH whilst caring for two young children but I doubt the HT will be willing to pay me to look after my own DC, potentially til September so I'm now very worried I won't have a job to go back to when this is all over.

Xenia, l bet your social distancing for yourself, whilst all the teachers are crammed in overcrowded classrooms. So it’s a step too far to inconvenience you, but it doesn’t matter about the students and teachers crammed in an overstuffed bacterial swamp.

It is absolutely right that key workers should be able to go to work. But it is up to the government to organise childcare with fully trained and risk assessed staff and environments.

Every other country has shut down schools, even Trumpkand, but you think they should stay open here.

You’re alright Jack aren’t you?👍🏻

It's a horrible thought. By September they won't even remember there friends. It sure won't happen

don't be naive. If it needs to be shut it will be shut.
really recpetion kids will be fine, after a week in their new class they will have made new friends and settled in. Teachers do actually know how to teach and will teach where they are, even if that means goign over all the reception stuff again. By the end of year 1, you will not be able to see the difference.

The only kids who really won't be able to catch up are going to be the year 11 and 13 becuase of exams. they ahve been running on hard work and revision for months and now face either extending that for 3-4 months, or it all being watsed and their mocks being their grade. neither is great, especially for A levels.

students and teachers crammed in an overstuffed bacterial swamp

Quite. My daughter is a teacher and the behaviour is crazy, hard to get them to concentrate and so many teachers are off that the pressure on the remaining ones is unsustainable.

our schools (2 different secondary) are all shuttign different year groups on rotating basis.
All week the emphasis has been on prepping for on-line/home schooling.
year 11 and 13 in every day with prep for exams to do at home.
year 7 in where possible as they are youngest.

But they are also saying - if you can't make provision for your kids and need school, contact us.

I see that Boris is going to up the number of tests a day. After doctors and nurses I bet it will be teachers that get tested to get them back to school if they don't have Corona!

But why would we go back to an environment where we could catch it?

@TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince, Xenia said last week that it was worth a few people dying to make sure A levels weren’t disrupted. To say her values are a little strange is an understatement, she’s best ignored.

I am a teacher, I am off because I have a cough which started to develop yesterday. I feel like shit but also feel immensely guilty about not being in school and have been working online non stop today.

I really didnt think for a second that I would get ill but I have.

Now the government finally admits the need to go from 5,000 >25,000 tests a day. Seriously, the Minster Raving Loony Party could be no less incompetent than this government in their handling of this so far.

Alsohuman😲such humanity and compassion!

Please be assured that teachers WILL still be providing work for your kids. I know it’s a small factor in your desperation at the moment but we will still be here.

I’m self isolating today due to son’s diabetes going mad with some signs of CV from him and dh. I have spent most of the day setting up google classrooms, setting assignments and writing to kids to reassure them that their education is not going to take a backseat.

All schools want their kids to do well, they are not going to simply abandon them for two weeks, or two months or however long this lasts. The vast majority of teachers will be feeling really gutted for the kids they teach, worrying about their mental health and their academic progress. Most of us are in the job because we really like kids and want to help them to prosper. I’ve worked really hard to build relationships and mutual respect with my classes- I am not just going to leave them to it now.

My school is recommending that kids continue to follow their timetables, so they do an hour of English work during their normal English lesson times. I expect (hope???) that if my students do this I will be working my normal hours marking work, giving feedback, setting more etc.

Of course, a few will get away with doing little to nothing but with parental support at home, they will still be getting an education, even if it is far from ideal.

I know so many people will face real struggles in the coming weeks and months and I feel guilty that I will get a salary (I hope) but please know that we care about your kids. Even from afar.

Head just sent an email out saying she's as baffled as we all are about why the Govt is forcing them to stay open

Your head teacher is unprofessional to write this in an email to parents.

Your head teacher is unprofessional to write this in an email to parents

Unprofessionalism is probably the least of anyone’s worries!

@puddleduck42

"Omg Nicola sturgeon just said they may be closing in Scotland until September.

Will that be the case for UK too? "

You know Scotland is in the UK, right?

I work in a school. Our school is still open, however I'm self isolating as my DS who attends the school I work at started coughing so we all got told not to come back for 2 weeks (dd, ds and i) I'm lucky in that my employer has seen and heard ds coughing so was great about me being off and in isolation I feel for anyone who dosnt have this support x

There’s an announcement at 5 pm

I'm glad schools are closing. Should of been done before. It is a really scary time right now. Italy have had to decide who lives or dies . Our mortuaries are being increased. F#$k !

Omg Nicola sturgeon just said they may be closing in Scotland until September.

No, she didn't. She said she couldn't guarantee at this point they would re-open before the summer holidays. The end of the holidays in Scotland would be August.

It's worrying enough for people without dramatising it and making it sound like it's been decided even the next academic year will start late