How/when did the tide turn on schools?

[LaceCurtains]

In the beginning the mood here was almost desperate calling for schools to be closed.

In the last week or so there's been a marked shift to getting them open (from peope here).

Is it the same people who wanted the closed, now calling for them to get back to normal or have the original campaigners gone quiet/new people got louder?

FWIW I always thought schools closed as early as they did because of public pressure and it seems to me that "other" things are getting back to normal more quickly than originally planned/expected (because of DC and the need to distract?) but schools don't seem to be included in that.

I'm at a loss as to why schools are being treated so differently. I'm SLT in school, if that makes a difference and the government guidance is a shambles. Changes daily but doesn't seem to have any clear aim.

They're just playing politics to kick to Tories and Boris.

As are Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP.

But what does safe actually mean?

Because nobody can guarantee you won't get it. And nobody can guarantee you won't die. I mean they can tell you your personal risk, your chances if you like. Could you be that one In a million healthy 26 year old woman who dies? Well yes. That's a possibility. So is being run over by a number 5 bus.

There is no such bloody thing as safe and I am sick and fucking tired of hearing "not safe"

Cars aren't safe. Roads aren't safe. For children, most houses aren't safe. Schools aren't safe in normal times ffs!

All you can do it lower the risk as far as is practical. So extra cleaning, less mixing, good hygiene practices, making sure kids who are Ill stay at home (which previously hasn't been encouraged!)

We cannot keep schools closed until their is zero risk because that would quite literally mean closing them down for good.

I wanted schools to close and I want them to stay closed until there are workable solutions. All the scientists are in agreement about the need for social distancing, PPE and masks - yet the schools are proposing opening with none of these. It's unsurprising that as a poster pointed out on another thread, since schools in England have opened, schools have overtaken hospitals as being hubs for new infections. Care homes are still outstripping them both.

How clever of the government. By shifting the responsibility onto schools, people are now blaming heads and teachers, rather than the incompetence which brought us to this point.
I am a head and my school is fully open to Y6, Y1, Reception and nursery with full time teachers. The teachers finish at 3.15pm and then go and check e-mails from the 50% not in school, phone each family each week, mark the work sent electronically and plan and send the home learning packs for the next day.
I still get parents of those not at school complaining that the standard of home learning work is not good enough.
Blame the government - I cannot work miracles.

It would be lovely if schools had smaller classes from now on in though. Around 20 would be great

Now I agree with this!

I hope this makes the government realise they really need to throw some money at schools.

I am also beyond angry. The right to an education is a human right that is being denied our kids. The people who are being vocal about keeping school closed are simply the ones who are doing rather well from keeping schools closed. The rest of us are desperate to give our kids access to everything previous generations have taken completely for granted.

All the scientists are in agreement about the need for social distancing, PPE and masks

Yes, most are in agreement that There is no need for them in schools.

@ATomeOfOnesOwn I've not heard anything about schools suddenly being hubs for infections. Any links to studies on that? I'd have thought it would be far too early to tell.

It’s not remotely good enough to have had next to nothing for 5 months followed by very part time supplemented by online learning that teachers are quick to say isn’t very effective when asked why there isn’t more provision.

This.

Also how will schools ever again be able to preach at parents about not taking term time holidays? The government have shown that education is not important, so who’s going to blame parents in future who feel the same?

wax I think it's based on one weeks figures. Note that an outbreak is 2 or more cases. And we've no proof of who brought into into school (my money is on adults)

I was ok with the schools closing at first. Now though I dont even know why I bother with school work. 9 year old ds2 has finished his school day within an hour then has noone to play with. It's really starting to affect his mental health now and hes changing from a happy go lucky boy who always had a smile on his face to grumpy and almost angry at times. We as a family are not enough and he now needs social interaction with children his own age. He cant have no social interaction until September. They seems barbaric.

@ATomeOfOnesOwn have you got a link for that proposition?

It seems highly unlikely given the situation in other countries.

How clever of the government.

In fairness, the unions have made this EXTREMELY easy for them.

The strategic and tactical incompetence is embarrassing for a union for professionals.

You must also be aware that a lot of heads have not opened as you have?

Also how will schools ever again be able to preach at parents about not taking term time holidays? The government have shown that education is not important, so who’s going to blame parents in future who feel the same?

Well precisely. We've been good enough to teach our kids for months, now.

If the LA want to fine me for taking a week off, I'll pay it but alongside that they'll get a strongly worded letter believe me.

And actually I probably will take ds out in term time now. Because really what is a week compared to this.

If the Tories and Boris had handled this properly in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation.

Trust ah, I see. So basically a few new cases which is to be expected really as lockdown eases.

@OneJump

If the Tories and Boris had handled this properly in the first place, we wouldn't be in this situation.

Absolutely but that doesn't help anyone now!

I never supported them closing in the first place tbh. There didn't seem to be much evidence coming out of China that children were hugely affected by the vIrus. I was too scared to say much on here about it though for fear of being shouted at and called disablist and ageist and that I was murdering scum and a shit parent who doesn't care about her children and only her next yoga lesson etc etc.

Someone on my fb shared an article about 2 kids testing positive for CV 2 days after school going back. When you read further you saw though that they were sent in on the first day already with symptoms and have made a full recovery. So they didn’t get it in school, and it was their stupid parents sending them in that was the problem. If we have to factor in the actions of thicko parents into it schools will never be able to reopen

I didn't say BBC bitesize and youtube were a complete substitute for qualified teachers. I said those worried about education could use those resources (ie rather than having no education at all). Talk about twisting what I said into bashing teachers! People on here just want to fight and get angry.

Quite, @TrustTheGeneGenie. Missing school can’t be that much of a big deal if they can just look up BBC bitesize or YouTube.

There is a deadlock - unions and teachers want to know that they are safe (understandably, so would I) but the Government cant guarantee that can they so here we are.

People on here just want to fight and get angry.

No, people on here just want their child educated by professionals, and get pissed off when folk pop up with silly comments about YouTube.

@SudokuBook

Quite, *@TrustTheGeneGenie*. Missing school can’t be that much of a big deal if they can just look up BBC bitesize or YouTube.

Exactly and now that I have, ahem, extensive experience of "home learning" then I'm sure Ds won't fall behind in a week.

I'm sure they'll keep fining though, because the government are thoughtless twats.

I feel there needs to be a total reform of the whole system.

I have always detested the expectation that you send ill children to school because "attendance". Well this is why you shouldnt, people!!

And I think I agree with @Waxonwaxoff0. I'm fucking pissed off, but would calm down if I knew back full time as normal in August.

Totally agree @Mascotte

I would love DS to be back now, but if not I'd like some sort of plan for September. I appreciate no one has a crystal ball, but a "worse case" solution - if children can't get back full time then how do we get them all in at some point.