The exit plan and schools.

[NeverGuessWho]

I know this whole thread will be hearsay, but I’m just interested in hearing people’s opinions of where schools are likely to fit in to the exit plan?

A friend thinks they will be opened early on, as this will free up more people to work, and hence enable furloughed workers to return to work. This will crucially save money.

IMHO, schools will be one of the last restrictions to be lifted. Once schools are opened, there will effectively be multiple mass gatherings in every town and city, all at the same time. Surely this will result in a surge of cases of the virus.

Unless of course, they pursue the antibodies/certified passport route?

What do people think?

I think they'll open later as they were the first to close

I teach in FE, and just cannot see how we can open my college and people be safe. The classrooms are crowded, hundreds of people surge along corridors and up and down stairs, lifts are bursting. I feel anxious just thinking about it!

I read that where schools have reopened in China masks are mandatory, kids’ temperatures are being checked, and timings are being staggered to make sure lots of students aren’t eg eating lunch at the same time.

Bumping for (hopefully) more opinions.

I don’t see how you can get people back to work without the school going back. How will people manage childcare? I’m not sure how it will happen but they’ll have to go back in some format before many people are able to go back to work.

I think they will gradually open them. For example all those able to work from home will be expected to do so and keep kids home. Don't think proper schooling will resume till the next school year at the earliest.

I am hoping schools will open for a few weeks at the end of this term and then close for the summer to avoid another surge in cases

I wondered if they would reopen after half-term for six/eight weeks and then it's the summer break.

I’ve been thinking they might stagger year groups.

The week of the lockdown, before all schools were closed, one of my DCs (Yr7) went in, whereas my other DC’s year group were told they had to stay home (Y10).

They could do the same with year groups in primary schools, as well as high schools, I suppose.

They absolutely have to open primary schools before sending people to work...

In China they staggered the opening of schools, all those doing their exams went back first, then the primary school age kids and I’m not sure they’re all back yet, university hasn’t returned yet either.

There’s a lot of people on mn who think (based on comments by a leading Professor which were reported a few days ago,) that the exit plan is likely to be happening around the end of May.

I appreciate it’s all speculation.

So, if @Mawbags is right, and the primary schools need to open in order to facilitate people going back to work, (which seems feasible,) we would surely be heading for a another peak very soon after the number of fatalities have just started falling.

Friend works in a school. At first she thought next sept but is now suspecting mid June although only gives them 5 weeks as summer holidays start earlier this year.

I think once there is public realisation there is no exit strategy from this lockdown and that the government will end up reverting to their first strategy of heard immunity without overwhelming the health service there will be relaxation gradually with social distancing.

What that won't help is the elders in care homes, some of which appear to be hit badly with this virus and do not appear in the death figures as corona deaths. I read a post recently near me that 2/3 of residents of a home had died but not tested or reported as a Corona death. Presume as the reckoning is 2/3 of people die with it not because of it? I remain to be convinced

@CathyandHeathcliff I didn’t know that.

Most likely we will do the same then, I suppose.

A friend (who is intelligent and well-informed) thinks that primary schools will start to go back after May half term.

I think it won’t be until the next school year but I really hope friend is right!

An assistant head told me that there school has been advised that the next big consultation on schools will be June 1st. I don't think schools will open until the end of June if they open at all before September.
It sounds like the plan is to open everything for a few days and then lockdown again, then a week and lockdown again etc, controlling how and when people are exposed to it.
If thats the case, they may open the last week or two of term.

I think maybe after the May/June half term. Purely as it would make more sense to have a second wave in July/August.

When everyone was claiming September, it seemed silly to have all schools/ workplaces etc going back all at the same time just as we go in to flu season.

I think maybe a staggered return for some year groups. But I wouldn’t rule out a further lockdown of a month in autumn/ winter.

Not addressing you, OP but the increasing call for schools to return.
I just cannot understand the mentality of wanting to expose your children, yourselves and the staff unnecessarily to this.
People will die if we go back too early. I miss the routine of regular classes instead of the few children in childcare at hub schools instead of their own, I miss the familiarity of our own school, I miss my colleagues. Most of all, I miss the children, I miss seeing their faces when they finally understand fractions or adverbial starters, I miss their excited chatter about something and nothing.
I miss it all but I want every one of my children, parents, grandparents and colleagues there when we go back.
I heard yesterday of a 27 year old who died at home, no known conditions, just corona symptoms. Will they even be recorded on the official numbers? This is an indiscriminate killer and we have to stay inside for as long as it takes.

I think the problem is we need an exit strategy to this. This virus won’t have disappeared in September. We are just flattening the curve at the moment and taking the pressure of the NHS. The government will ease restrictions when they feel we are on a downward curve, not when the risk has gone.

Unfortunately we can’t all stay on lockdown until next year and even if we did the virus would return when we all came out.

The statistics show most children have either no symptoms or very mild symptoms.
I know there are exceptions and this is awful. But the stats are still in their favour. Children also don’t seem to spread the virus around very much.

I think schools will be first. They'll have to be to allow everyone else back to work and they are still relatively low risk environments. Lots of people in close confines yes, but mostly people in low risk groups and while children are in school they're not spreading it elsewhere.

The issue will be the number of teachers in the higher risk groups with asthma, diabetes, pregnancy etc who were told to stay away for 12 weeks. It will be hard to persuade them (and their unions) that they should return before there is a widely available vaccine or the virus is well under control. This will be the case in other industries too of course but schools seemed to take it more seriously than other workplaces.

Worth noting that Australia seem to have very successfully flattened their curve, and they have kept schools open throughout.

Scotland don’t have a May half term, but also finish in June for summer holiday, return mid to late August depending on areas. So that really doesn’t give us a window to return before August.

Yes, staggered opening in China. My dd’s School started last week with grades 9 and 12 and two more grades will start tomorrow.
Youngest kids will be the last back.
Social distancing measures are still in place, twice daily temp checks, strict protocol re cleaning and disinfection and compulsory mask wearing.

I suspect that getting back to normal life will be done gradually with social distancing continuing to a degree for months to come. For many people to get back to work though, schools will need to reopen - at least primary schools. Secondary DC could home school for a longer period of time, if necessary.

I'm also guessing that certain year groups will be prioritised when it comes to schools - so primary and then years 9 & 11 who will be sitting public exams next year. I'm also guessing that private schools will reopen asap as parents who are paying between £4k-£7k per term are going to get increasingly demanding if they don't. For many private schools, it will be a case of survival of their school or closure.

Australia’s schools aren’t open.

I know some who has been told to prepare for June (primary school). I'v always thought September though with the possibility of each year group going in separately to meet the next years teacher.