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 remember reading an article at the start of this, explaining via modelling how children being in schools, can be used as a valve to increase/decrease the rate of infection in society to within the capacity of the NHS.

That makes a lot of sense, thank you.

Transition for secondary schools is way down the list as a reason for schools to reopen

I agree-I’ve seen people of FB demanding that reception have to go back for a full term of YR to do a proper transition into y1 as otherwise they won’t be able to transition from child-led play properly. That is important, but keeping people alive is more important. Everyone’s priorities are different! Hopefully the government will go with the plan that is safest.

I also think they need to open them in may latest

The thing is, that’s still within the government plan of 12 weeks for the most vulnerable. We won’t be able to staff our school if those teachers aren’t back. We also can’t easily have drop offs involving socially distancing-we teach very young children who need to be seen to the door and we can’t facilitate them being watched from afar due to the road.

'Transition' doesn't just mean leavers' assemblies and secondary visits though. There's a lot of administration that goes on to make sure the right information is in the right place at the right time. Safeguarding and management of SEN are far higher priorities than back in 'our day', and liaison between schools is really important. If schools don't reopen at all until September, then it's the most vulnerable children who will be the hardest hit. Arguably quite a lot of this work could happen without children actually being in school - but as others have pointed out, if schools aren't open for children then a lot of the parents who work in them also won't be able to go in.

Doesn't matter to me - one of our kids is in the shielding group, so I can't se he can go back to school until there is a vaccine.

Which means I have to learn how to homeschool him and his brother for a year. Poorly kid has his GCSEs, so, it's going to be an academic shit show.

Schools will need to put in place social distancing measures as far as possible just like work places, drop off and collections managed the same, there will be no school events etc.

I honestly think this will be nigh on impossible in an average Secondary.

Unless they had different teachers in on different days with kids split into days too but don't see how that would work with 1300 kids.

Social distancing in some settings doesn't work.

Its actually really difficult in the supermarket.

Haven't read the full thread so apologies of this has been mentioned but Scottish schools go back mid August, I wonder what implications this will have

Unless they had different teachers in on different days with kids split into days too but don't see how that would work with 1300 kids.

Yep. Our local secondary has 2700!

I have not trusted the government from the start and feel that this has been so badly handled in every way.

I took my children out a week before their school closed because I was too uncomfortable about it and a few children had been at s notoriously badly planned sports event.

I will keep them off until September regardless of when school starts.

I understand everyone can choose whether to send their kids in or not once schools open again.

But what does everyone think is going to magically happen in September?
The virus will still be around then and we won’t have a vaccine. You may have to keep them off for a year or more.

l’ll understand everyone can choose whether to send their kids in or not once schools open again

Has the government said this?

@Appuskidu I don't need the government to make decisions around my families health and well being, do you ?

So I think it's too early to know, but we can't shut everything down until vaccine. The antibodies tests were thought to be the key to a phased exit strategy, but they aren't working. They were developed very quickly and maybe some that do work will be developed soon. If so then immunity passes will be issued I think.
Failing that the infection rate needs to fall to near 0, then we start opening up, probably with schools first because kids are low risk, I'd have thought secondary first too because less child-adult contact. Then we need lots of tests, as soon as someone is positive they and all those they have been in contact with are isolated. Schools and workplaces will be disrupted as they'll be being closed frequently when infection is found. If we are able to do that and keep infection rate down to 1, we have a new normal until vaccine. I think that people being quarantined on entry to the country will probably also be sensible. Lots of testing is going to be important.

@ChrissieKeller61 I was just asking if that had been said .

There is a code on school registers for self isolation. I'm pretty sure no one is going to be concerned about attendance any time soon.

There is a real risk that children and young people with learning disabilities will be put “at the very end of the queue for medical help” in case of hospitalisation. So I’m not in a hurry for mine to go back to school, not yet.

It makes sense to do a staggered approach. Maybe primary schools back first as if the younger kids are taken care of it’s easier for people to get back to work.

Secondary schools maybe not until sept.

I'd have thought secondary first too because less child-adult contact

Have you ever been in a secondary school corridor or near any kids for that matter?

It's going to be tough.

It wouldn't surprise me if they test the water with y10 and y12 going back in May.

CallmeAngelina We had transition to Secondary 25 years ago.

I think that secondaries will go back first with y12 and y10 at first and y7 last. Primaries will be after secondaries imo

I was thinking it will be the opposite, primary and yr7s back first so their parents can go back to work without the need for childcare.

Yes while it makes sense academically to get year 10 and 12 back first from the economy’s point of view it makes sense for it to be primary school kids back first.

Hard to do any kind of socially distancing with EYFS/KS1 sitting on the carpet in close proximity. Mind you, I doubt secondary school corridors will be any better!

I dont think the exit plan will involve social distancing. Unless a vaccine is found the exit plan is going to have to consist of some sort of managed herd immunity. Hence staggering returns.