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?

That is very sad however he has diabetes so he is probably not our best example of someone healthy and under 60 who has it.

We tend to see people who are act in a healthy as healthy, as he was running often etc. It was a throw away comment. Probably a factor.

But I doubt he’d have been in the shielded category.

How about the healthy 29 year old nurse?

Anyway, my point was that those we would regard as not being 100% healthy will be told to return to work. The asthmatics, the people with replacement heart valves, the type 2 diabetics, those in remission from some cancers. Etc

Anyway, my point was that those we would regard as not being 100% healthy will be told to return to work. The asthmatics, the people with replacement heart valves, the type 2 diabetics, those in remission from some cancers. Etc

I think you’re right-schools won’t reopen till that happens as they can’t be staffed. Will be a worry for them though.

There are people without underlying conditions dying anyway so we are far from the you’ll die soon anyway trope.

Yes agree Piggy

Will allowing those with ore existing heath conditions ‘out’ be at the heart of the exit strategy as without them schools won’t be able to reopen?

There has to be a return to normal when things are safer and numbers of deaths much reduced, and what that looks like is being much discussed.

What order will it happen in? Should it be small businesses that open first, 20-30 year olds, all schools, just Y10/12, just primaries, just nurseries, a slight reduction of social distancing etc etc

Where might this vulnerable group fit into it?

No answers, but it’s certainly a minefield.

It really is - other countries have done ‘you can meet with one other’ but no idea how that works

You are right Marsha - we never know what is going on with peoples health really. Cardiac risk in the Young recognises that sometimes there are heart issues that we don’t know about etc WHO have published data on most at risk/an age and that is fairly clear (78, overweight etc) which is why teens feel invincible - they are v low risk

Article today in Guardian saying countries will have to maintain some sort of lockdown until a vaccine is available

But there won’t be a vaccine for 60 mil people for years?

I know, it’s just what they were saying

If it going to be years we cannot afford that so wages of state and other workers would probably even have to halve just to cope with that and pay for childcare for parents who have to work from home and have under 5s.

Xenia, what do you think the appropriate approach would be? I'm not being arsey, just interested, as i know you opposed the closing of schools and aren't mad keen on the lockdown.

I am sure teachers want their summer holidays but things might have to change a lot. This is end of the world stuff here and everything we know might have to change.

Nhs has cancelled leave, people’s jobs have been moved with no warning to different employers. Maybe they will pay out for leave and the increased hours, the unions are working on it maybe?

The bottom line is simple if the country doesn’t get back to work then there will be no money for the nhs and no money for teachers and schools and social care etc. Similarly with farm work, if planting and harvest dosent happen we all go hungry. If we don’t figure out a way to educate our children then there is no future for us as a nation. All of these vital things need to happen in some way while maintaining enough social distancing to stop the nhs being overwhelmed. If the economy fully tanks and the state collapses financially no one gets paid, no one gets healthcare, no one gets education, civil unrest and riots follow, army on streets, civil war, failed state etc

We can’t just stay inside for a year or two keeping our kids safe.....

I agree with Really. What do I think should happen? Open schools and nurseries after the first May holiday and around then or a bit earlier start releasing the lock down.

Just saw this www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8208075/Schools-open-summer-holidays-safe-say-headtrachers.html

Xenia, would that be regardless of whether the peak had been reached / cases falling? And would that be with no additional safeguards at all in schools =- ie full numbers in, full days, no PPE for teachers or those running school transport, full transport to schools etc?

All that Daily Mail article says is that heads agree schools should reopen when it’s safe to do so.

I don’t think anyone would disagree with that.

It does continue to quote that flawed UCL piece of research though!

And obviously no socal distancing in school, because it is not possible if full numbers are in.

What would your plan be for staffing schools if the curtrent rules for self isolating with coughs / temperatures remains the same? Amnd what would be your guidance to schools where cases of COVID occur? Quarantine? Shutdown? or carry on regardless?

It has bee interesting reading of arrangements for countries re-opening - no more than 10 people per classroom, re-closing if COVID cases identified, only certain schools opened etc.

It could be that the summer holiday could be cancelled - lots of people have had to work in emergency conditions, and had to cancel leave, including my DH.

But then again there would be lots of problems with this scenario - people already having booked holidays, and keeping as much to the current time table.

Would like to see an incremental phase back to school. Maybe Primary school children first, followed by secondary schools?

From the article:-.

The National Association of Head Teachers' general secretary, Paul Whiteman, said: 'Once the scientific advice is that schools can return safely they should do so.

'Even if it's for a very limited period before the summer break as this will allow young people to reacquaint themselves with the educational environment

But he also said that there has been no indication that schools will reopen in the short term because of social distancing requirements still in place.

The NAHT warned schools that reopening will have to be a phased and planned process.

'Any return to normality has to be a planned one. It can't be about flicking a switch on a Friday night and then thinking it's all going to be all right on a Monday morning,' said Whiteman.

Joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Kevin Courtney, agreed that reopening schools would have to be slowly phased but also said that speculation about reopening schools might make people stop taking other social distancing restrictions seriously.

All very sensible.

@Really12345 whilst I'm more than happy to have a reduced summer if needed, I don't think we can expect teachers to give up the prospect of having their summer off in order to get the economy back to work - for pay or not.

Anyone who works in teaching will tell you that we work during some of the summer holiday, preparing for the new school year or tying up loose ends from the academic year before. It's not a job where you can switch off at night, nor is it a job that you can do quite easily - like working at a bank for example (I've done that job prior to reaching so I know what it entails)

Teaching is simply more than showing up and talking to the children. I have working flat out for the last 3 weeks and have also been on over the Easter break this week looking after children of front line workers, as have many other teachers have for no extra pay.

I wish someone with no experience could spend a term in our shoes and then they might reconsider how they feel about it. I'd imagine resignations in their droves if the government expect us to go back to work and teach throughout the summer. The autumn 6/7 week term is already a killer and we are usually crawling to the Oct half term at that point. Potentially working another 5 on top and having a 11/12 week term?

No chance.