WTAF schools...

[SoberCurious]

My friend who works for the DfE says they are planning for kids to go back to school in December 😭😭😭

[ravenmum]

Of course social distancing has been scrapped in NZ now that they have no active cases there. Schools have also re-opened widely here in Saxony now that there are just 10 or 20 new cases a day.

When things drop that low in the UK, maybe people will also see it differently. But maybe people will never be as relaxed about it as here, where there have been so few cases. It's very weird to me listening to the UK radio and hearing people talking about tiny little details of how you might keep exactly 2m apart while doing various activities, when here people are crowding the streets here, sitting in pavement cafés and going to the cinema. What works in one context is clearly not going to work in another.

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

Local state primary has advised reception starters will mostly likely be back to 3 intakes (Sept, Jan and Easter). Children starting in term they are 5.

[Mummyoflittledragon]

Ffs. This is ridiculous. I read on another thread that it could be November. A generation of children screwed.

[Sedlescombe]

The bloke running track and trace says it won’t be fully operational until at least September. What is currently happening is testing

[Drivingdownthe101]

@StrawberryBlondeStar

Local state primary has advised reception starters will mostly likely be back to 3 intakes (Sept, Jan and Easter). Children starting in term they are 5.

That’s definitely not what we’re planning.

[Houseplantmad]

At our school it's assumed virtual learning will be continuing until at least October half term. It's a bit like turning a tanker...

[pennylane83]

The changes brought about by a global pandemic will alter the delivery models for everything - including education. I didn't ever think things will go back to "normal." There will be a new "normal," but it will take a long time to get to even that

But it's quite clear that re-opening schools to admit the huge numbers of children that were previously in attendance isn't a viable option. And this will remain the case for the foreseeable

Yet New Zealand have been able to get back to normal in 3.5 months (albeit borders are still closed but thats only because covid is still active elsewhere). Yes, I know they locked down far far earlier, had relatively few deaths/active cases but our numbers, along with the rest of Europe are heading in the same direction. Why do you seem to think the UK will be in the thick of this for years to come, living in the grip of social distancing, part time schooling and not being allowed in others homes. Stop with the anxiety driven irrational thinking.

[matchboxtwentyunwell]

We're down staff for health reasons, and I know of several older TAs who have already resigned rather than go back in last week.

[bendmeoverbackwards]

The whole thing is a shambles.

Why just R/Year 1/Year 2? Surely it's better to alternate ALL year groups so each child is going in for at least a day or two per week?

Why have secondary schools been forgotten about since it was promised they would 'prioritise' Years 10 and 12 weeks and weeks ago? Why couldn't they also go back on 1st June?

[RaspberryIsMyJam]

@Sedlescombe

The bloke running track and trace says it won’t be fully operational until at least September. What is currently happening is testing

Nope, I'm pretty sure I'm tracing as well...

[ravenmum]

The UK has reached 602 deaths per million.
NZ has had 4 deaths per million.
Of course the situation is not the same.

[pennylane83]

For everybody that thinks that schools are screwed for another school year and life will never be the same again, just read about how far other countries have come and how life is starting to return to normal in a relatively short space of time. Lockdown measures and social distancing have started to ease elsewhere. The world hasn't imploded. Cases haven't rocketed again anywhere to the figures that we saw a few months ago. We will be exactly the same. Schools have to make contingency plans based on the worse case scenario so as not to be caught on the back foot. That does not mean it is going to happen.

[alittlelower]

Oh FFS this is ridiculous. The evidence now shows that children are not super-spreaders, and not at risk. There is a massive cost to children and parents and the economy in not opening up schools, as well as widening social inequalities, and inequalities for children who were struggling/ have ALN. Not to mention children living in violent/ chaotic/abusive households where school was a life line/ had safeguarding responsibiliies. The risks to teachers can be managed - there are supply teachers with no work who can be brought in to cover sheilding teachers. We have to get more solution focused instead of 'no risk' and we have to do everything in the way we did beofre covid-19. I have always been a union supporter, but not anymore. Not opening schools is having a terrible cost.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

@Houseplantmad

At our school it's assumed virtual learning will be continuing until at least October half term. It's a bit like turning a tanker...

And yet it started with incredible speed and many schools did truly impressive things wrt switching to a full timetable of remote learning in just days.
But for some reason getting back to what they have been doing for years is going to take months from when new infections are all but gone in many areas. It makes no sense.

[NotQuiteUsual]

I wonder if SAHPs will be expected to help staff schools to get them open sooner.

[LisaSimpsonsbff]

@StrawberryBlondeStar

Local state primary has advised reception starters will mostly likely be back to 3 intakes (Sept, Jan and Easter). Children starting in term they are 5.

But schools stopped doing this because it massively disadvantages the summer born - if you have to make tough choices why would you do it in a way that you know has a disproportionate effect on some children?

[Redwinestillfine]

They've already changed the language and are now talking about 'September at the earliest'.

[StrawberryBlondeStar]

@Drivingdownthe101 luckily my child’s school isn’t either.

My friend whose child is going to the school is now desperately trying to find a nursery that will take her summer born child to the Easter, and wondering how she will pay the fees.

[Drivingdownthe101]

@NotQuiteUsual

I wonder if SAHPs will be expected to help staff schools to get them open sooner.

Not a SAHM but my work can be done from home in the evenings, and I’m happy to volunteer in schools if it would help them to reopen sooner. I am a governor and used to go in to help with reading/photocopying before my youngest was born.

[Leflic]

I can’t see it happening. Death rate is falling despite lockdown easing.
Everyone gets ill in the winter. What’s the point of sending them in right when colds and flu are at their worse?

[snowballer]

Not to mention children living in violent/ chaotic/abusive households where school was a life line/ had safeguarding responsibiliies.

Read this just now - it's just awful how children are being hidden away at the moment.


https://www.google.co.uk/amp/s/m.huffingtonpost.co.uk/amp/entry/children-domestic-abuse-lockdown-rise-nspcc-childlineukk_5edfb7e2c5b68ee682421b65/

[zafferana]

I wonder if SAHPs will be expected to help staff schools to get them open sooner.

I think they should get an army of SAHPs to help out, if possible. I'm a PT student and SAHP and I'd do it.

[Sedlescombe]

Tony Prestedge says otherwise. He’s the COO and says It’s being rolled out and will be fully operational September October time ((his estimate)

[NotQuiteUsual]

Drivingdownthe101 I'm a SAHP and as long as my husband is furloughed I'd happily do the same.

[Tyrionsbitch]

This is all speculation surely? I'm a teacher, a member of SLT in school. We know nothing about this and are hoping for a full return in September.