Every child in every year group will return to school in September, Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has said.

[itswhereitsat]

I didn't catch the briefing but read the above comment in the news. The big question is, did he say whether children returning would be part-time or full time? Or did he just gloss over that bit?

Regarding the children going back to school, it is 10 weeks away.

By then, given the progress made to date, I would envisage our society being much much safer.

Just watching the news, it's about adopting a 1 metre social distancing rule now, which would allow the hospitality industry to get back on its feet. Another step towards normality.......cautiously.

I've agreed you should be able to access it and it should be your choice. Are you under a consultant? Can you speak to them?

Yes. I'm under several different consultants at different hospitals. The fact is that things are not getting back to normal so why do you think education should be running normally when the health service is nowhere near?

Exactly the same work. The actual curriculum not twinkl worksheets.

The schools that I know aren't issuing twinkl worksheets. How are children going to learn new work if they are only getting work sent home? You are advocating for a two tier system where some children are just abandoned.

Track and trace is up and running with humans. I am adhering to social distancing and you're still supposed to do it so?

Track and trace has been officially abandoned (although quite what the stealth download that suddenly appeared on my phone is I'm not sure). We now have test and trace - that is next to useless because so many people aren't engaging or can't be traced. We need a proper, functioning system not some poor relation. As for SD - that's just a joke. It's been largely abandoned as it is and are you all not calling for it to be abandoned in order to.open schools?

You basically want what is already happening plus masks?

Firstly, it's not already happening and secondly, masks aren't allowed to be used in schools.

No one should be made to choose between isolation, losing education or jobs and restricted access to healthcare or risking their life. Government must handle this so that everyone can be included back into society. Segregating a group of people is outrageous and I'm shocked at how many people are so comfortable with the idea.

@BaconAndAvocado

Regarding the children going back to school, it is 10 weeks away.

By then, given the progress made to date, I would envisage our society being much much safer.

Just watching the news, it's about adopting a 1 metre social distancing rule now, which would allow the hospitality industry to get back on its feet. Another step towards normality.......cautiously.

The US have re opened lots of things now. Have you seen what is happening with their infection rates?

No one who works in a supermarket or care home has been staying at home on full pay.

That's not quite true in some cases but anyway ...

Teachers on the whole have not sat at home on full pay doing nothing.
In the same way my solicitor husband isn't sat at home on full pay doing nothing.

We are both working full time but from home.

Yes,visors for teachers, yes, vulnerable teachers should stay home,

As I keep saying, we cannot reopen our school to all children in September without the vulnerable teachers. We can’t afford to replace them.

What do we do?

@Aragog no teachers aren't sat at home on full pay now but when schools return and there isnt a need for online /remote lesson they will be

hearhooves is the U.S. ahead or behind us? I can't actually remember but I think they're behind, in which case, they've obviously sent their kids back too early.

I think their school holidays are different there.

And we've got 10 more weeks.

We need to stay positive, cautiously.

They'll reopen with no sd in September. That's the plan. There is no second wave. Not even spikes since opening the beaches, BLM protests, bank holiday and all the other things bringing a second wave. Maybe occasional spikes but we'll cope. This virus is dying.

is the U.S. ahead or behind us? I can't actually remember but I think they're behind, in which case, they've obviously sent their kids back too early.

They're pretty much at similar points to us aren't they? I'm not talking about re opening schools, I'm talking about re opening hospitality etc which is what your comment referred to.

There is no second wave.

Do you mean a second spike? We are still in the first wave. A second wave would be in the future, once the first wave is finished. You can't say there is no second wave because you can't see into the future.

Whether you want to call it wave or spike, the US has already projections for a second one in the autumn.
covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america

Yes. I'm under several different consultants at different hospitals. The fact is that things are not getting back to normal so why do you think education should be running normally when the health service is nowhere near?

I think both should be getting back to normal?

The schools that I know aren't issuing twinkl worksheets. How are children going to learn new work if they are only getting work sent home? You are advocating for a two tier system where some children are just abandoned

Because they will have lengthy one on ones with actual teachers?
I haven't suggested abandoning any children don't be so ridiculous.

Track and trace has been officially abandoned (although quite what the stealth download that suddenly appeared on my phone is I'm not sure). We now have test and trace - that is next to useless because so many people aren't engaging or can't be traced. We need a proper, functioning system not some poor relation. As for SD - that's just a joke. It's been largely abandoned as it is and are you all not calling for it to be abandoned in order to.open schools?

It is working. It's been quite successful.

SD isn't a joke? Round here people are still doing it.

It needs to be abandoned in schools in order to re open them although obviously you don't want that.

Firstly, it's not already happening and secondly, masks aren't allowed to be used in schools

It is happening.

No one should be made to choose between isolation, losing education or jobs and restricted access to healthcare or risking their life. Government must handle this so that everyone can be included back into society. Segregating a group of people is outrageous and I'm shocked at how many people are so comfortable with the idea

No they shouldn't. Although everyone is currently having that done to them.

You haven't suggested an alternative which doesn't require time travel though so...

He didn't say full time. He was deliberately vague. He said guidance would come out in the next 2 weeks. I'm not sure how bubbles of 30 children can work for secondary schools

If you can't see that the government are floundering then you have your eyes tightly shut.
I couldn't agree more. This article is very interesting

members.tortoisemedia.com/2020/06/19/sick-man-boris-johnson-transcript/content.html?sig=0LAH99SVXJ_hZeI3nGvG89jTY2WrYwfYi3A8qtsaW0o&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sick-man-transcript&utm_content=19june2020

Because they will have lengthy one on ones with actual teachers?

Will they? Says who? How will teachers provide lengthy one on one sessions if they are teaching classes in school?

SD isn't a joke? Round here people are still doing it.

I don't know how you think people travelling on the tube, going to protests, having raves, having parties, having dates, teens meeting up with friends means SD hasn't been abandoned but ok.

You haven't suggested an alternative which doesn't require time travel though so...

I suggested a raft of things - track and trace system, mandatory wearing of masks, slower easing of lockdown, maintaining SD.

@Hearhoovesthinkzebras , teenagers can meet up with friends and still social distance..

As I keep saying, we cannot reopen our school to all children in September without the vulnerable teachers. We can’t afford to replace the
Well then that is something that teaching unions need to be putting pressure on the government to pay for, and I hope they are. It is, as a pp said, 10 weeks until September.

Again though, why can't secondary teachers wear visors? Who is saying so?

When we’re back at work there won’t be social distancing on the Tube so why does there need to be in schools?

[quote namechangenumber2]@Hearhoovesthinkzebras , teenagers can meet up with friends and still social distance..[/quote]
Yes, they can. Whether they are or not is anyone's guess. From what I'm seeing here - neighbour's child having frequent and large "gatherings", groups of teens at the park and threads on here I doubt that teens meeting their friends unsupervised are SD.

Again though, why can't secondary teachers wear visors? Who is saying so?

Government

Will they? Says who? How will teachers provide lengthy one on one sessions if they are teaching classes in school?

Well since I was explaining what I suggested could happen, then, says me. Shielding or vulnerable teachers perhaps?

I don't know how you think people travelling on the tube, going to protests, having raves, having parties, having dates, teens meeting up with friends means SD hasn't been abandoned but ok

That's not the majority of people is it? And you have to wear a mask on public transport anyway.

I suggested a raft of things - track and trace system, mandatory wearing of masks, slower easing of lockdown, maintaining SD

We are test and tracing. They're working on an app. Masks won't help because barely anyone uses them correctly. Also a lot of people would be exempt anyway.

Why do we need to slow easing down? Who is that going to help? Cases and deaths are still dropping regardless. SD is being maintained by the majority.

You want the impossible.

Well since I was explaining what I suggested could happen, then, says me. Shielding or vulnerable teachers perhaps?

So who co ordinates this? Who matches the teachers with students, co ordinates the work to ensure that student from X school is being taught the work that all other students from X school are doing even if the shielding teacher comes from Z school? Will you provide secondary school students with a subject specialist for each subject or will they have one teacher expected to teach them maths, English, science, mfl, humanities, tech, drama, art, music pe?

So who co ordinates this? Who matches the teachers with students, co ordinates the work to ensure that student from X school is being taught the work that all other students from X school are doing even if the shielding teacher comes from Z school? Will you provide secondary school students with a subject specialist for each subject or will they have one teacher expected to teach them maths, English, science, mfl, humanities, tech, drama, art, music pe?

Ooh I dunno the school? The la? Teachers could record their lessons and send them to shielding children?

Look. You obviously want lockdown to remain. You want equality for everyone. The thing is that's impossible because in creating that "equality" you actually just disadvantage a different set of people.

In an ideal world every child would go back to schools and it would be risk free. That isn't going to happen. There is no way of making that happen right now until there is a vaccine or a treatment (which there has been some success with I believe).

You want the entire country to stay locked up so that you don't feel left out. I get it. It's horrific, you feel segregated.

But this is for your protection. If you don't want that protection then go out as usual but you cannot close the entire country just so that you're sure everyone else is as miserable as you.

That's not the majority of people is it? And you have to wear a mask on public transport anyway.

Who is enforcing mask wearing on public transport? There's been threads on here reporting barely anyone is wearing them.

We are test and tracing. They're working on an app. Masks won't help because barely anyone uses them correctly. Also a lot of people would be exempt anyway.

Yes, test and tracing that can only work if the person tested positive is contactable, can identify all those they came into contact with, those people can be identified and contacted - from reports only a very small minority reach the conclusion.

Masks do help if worn properly. We know this from the countries where they are being worn properly.

The science around all of this is very clear it's just people have got lockdown fatigue now and have decided they've had enough and so let's just abandon it without considering the consequences of that.

Who is enforcing mask wearing on public transport? There's been threads on here reporting barely anyone is wearing them

Bus drivers? They are round here... Maybe you live in a particularly rebellious part of the country but nothing you say resonates with me.

Yes, test and tracing that can only work if the person tested positive is contactable, can identify all those they came into contact with, those people can be identified and contacted - from reports only a very small minority reach the conclusion

Reports didn't say a very small minority at all?

Masks do help if worn properly. We know this from the countries where they are being worn properly

Exactly but the majority of people I've seen wearing them are not wearing them properly. Perhaps there needs to be more publicised info about this.

The science around all of this is very clear it's just people have got lockdown fatigue now and have decided they've had enough and so let's just abandon it without considering the consequences of that

Don't know about you but we're very much still locked down. Nothing has been "abandoned" here. The "science" and the numbers are showing us that DESPITE easing restrictions infections and deaths are still in decline. There have been no peaks from ve day, protests or effing beaches.