WTAF schools...

[SoberCurious]

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

Kids in school 3-9, seriously you are having a laugh.
The kids would be knackered and falling asleep at their desks.

Although I have considered schools could make use of empty office buildings. But it was pointed out many of these lack outdoor space but for a short term fix I don't see that being a huge issue.
However were are we going to find extra teachers?

@bendmeoverbackwards

There are plenty of ideas. I don't believe for one minute that these have been properly investigated by the government. They are just lying low knowing summer holidays are around the corner.

Children could have and should have been back after May half term in one form or another. Even if just a day/week for each child would be better than nothing.

I am sorry but reading things like this makes me so frustrated and upset. Do you have any idea how hard many civil servants have been working throughout this crisis? Fourteen hour days, 7 day weeks etc. are happening far too often and people are exhausted and ill with the stress. This is on top of the fact that people working in the government are people too and also have small children at home, may be shielding and are dealing with all the other crap that the whole country is going through.

Do you really think that people who have based their careers on trying to support and improve things like education, child welfare, health etc. have suddenly just decided that they don’t care and can’t be bothered to work through all the possible ideas?

Or is it more likely that this is a f**king nightmare of nobodies making and people are working bloody hard to do the best they can and find solutions to these incredibly complex problems that work for as many people as possible while also complying with all the criteria of legal liability, feasible cost, public safety, union compliance and logistical factors.

Stop scaremongering.

How convenient your friend works for the department of education and all the others. Don't believe you.

@OverTheRainbowLiesOz not sure there will be such a problem when huge job losses start (suggestions into double figures). Teaching will be one of the few secure professions, good sick pay and pensions. I think a lot of people will want security going forward.

The briefing today just said schools may not be fully open in September.

One word....safeguarding. Of course its right and proper that children and young people should be safe. How about a fast track DBS scheme and free, for people wishing to offer their services?

@NotAnotherUserNumber here here to your post, the bashing of the government is unreal. Rather than engage in grown up conversations and accept some risk instead of fearmongering and hysteria.

It's not news that anyone wants to hear for sure but there it is

No - that's just your opinion, @AndromedaM31

The current situation is disgraceful, as is the role of the unions.

What's weird is that the left are happy to go along with shitty half-baked non-policies which yet again put richer children at an advantage over poorer ones, and privately educated pupils at an advantage over state-educated ones.

"Going to open up all schools in September...if we possibly can"^^ Boris says at the briefing.

So, absolutely no assurances whatsoever

The briefing was wishy washy. They aim to get all children back by September if they possibly can. So no commitment.

He was taking about a ‘catch up’ plan for the summer but absolutely no details about what that was.

I was encouraged that 3 journalists asked about schools.

Listening to Chris Whitty now, he always helps.

I really hope more people want to go into teaching. Of course not everyone is suited to it & there is always a drop out rate when people train. It seems nuts to drive away the good teachers when we really need them.

The plan for the big summer catch up is going to be announced next week

He was taking about a ‘catch up’ plan for the summer but absolutely no details about what that was.

"Which Gavin Williamson will be setting out next week" - I wonder if this is the first that Gavin Williamson has heard of this

My DDs primartly school (Nirthern Ireland) are currently planning for part time until Christmas based on the information they have been given, but have been very clear that this is subject to change and will get back to full time sooner if they can. They've said to take all current speculation with a pinch of salt because everything is changing so often and so quickly.

@snowballer he kept mentioning a plan yesterday in Parliament, but he didn't give any further details.

We shouldn't have to wait until next week for the education announcement ffs

The reopening on schools has been shit because they didn't talk to schools so ended up making promises that they couldn't deliver. I bet a lot of heads are thinking "catch-up program during the summer?"

It is a shame they are not consulting properly with headteachers and teachers. There are some really good ideas out there.

I think the government seriously needs to get creative right now about solutions other than leaving parents struggling at home. Even if it means getting low-risk 20somethings to babysit groups of kids in empty offices and shops and getting them to read and watch some educational TV so that loads of mums (because it is almost always mums) get pushed out of the workforce because they can't keep this up.

I'm lucky and can just about cope and probably afford to hire a tutor or something if this goes on much longer, but this is going to set back women in the workplace terribly.

Shielding
From what ?

I hope that all those who are shielding
NEVER go to a park
NEVER go to the beach
NEVER go to a shop
NEVER go collect a takeaway
DO NOT go to any shops from next week
DO NOT go to any zoos or leisure facilities from next week

as if you are SAFE to do that
you are SAFE to do the job you are paid to do

I don't want anyone to babysit my kids. I want them back at school learning.

@snowballer

He was taking about a ‘catch up’ plan for the summer but absolutely no details about what that was.

"Which Gavin Williamson will be setting out next week" - I wonder if this is the first that Gavin Williamson has heard of this

I suspect it'll be the first the unions and teachers have heard of it too. It's all very well if the plan is to keep schools open to help disadvantaged pupils catch up, but they got to engage with those families to ensure their children will attend. My OH primary teacher says it's often those families who won't engage – there are 10 kids in his class that haven't done any work or been in touch in the past 11 weeks despite him and other school staff calling weekly to see if they're okay. The parents just don't want to know.

They should give Heads the complete autonomy to decide imo. The three schools here have a really good plan that they could put into place if they were given the authority to work together and do their own plan.

Their plan would also allow us the chance to offer our regular childcare to keyworker groups in the summer, but we need to know soon if we'll be allowed to do that (amusingly at the council want us to give the service, but won't allow us to use the buildings we usually use).

Jesus Christ, at this point I just want to hear that they have a plan ANY plan...

Exactly @Longwhiskers14 unless the government makes attendance mandatory the vast majority of children (who would need this) won’t attend.