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Original poster

Schools to remain closed until October half term?

489 replies

stopcollaborateandlisten · 04/08/2020 11:56

Lots and lots coming out in the news how schools will finally be re-opening - anyone else think it might get pushed back at the last minute to after the October half term?

OP posts:
Fedup21 · 04/08/2020 12:55

@SantaClaritaDiet

the government allowed ALL year group to go back and the school to use their discretion.

Those who refused did it because they made that choice, not because the government told them to.

Closing the schools was the right thing to do, it might be the right thing to close them again. Specifically excluding some children from the reopening was not acceptable.

The government said that schools could have a maximum of 15 to a bubble. Most classes are close to 30.

How do you think the majority of schools could possibly have all children back? Schools don’t have an equal number of available classrooms just sitting empty, let alone double the number of teachers to staff them!

Nobodyputsdaisyinthecorner · 04/08/2020 12:55

I do think they’ll open in September though.

OverTheRainbow88 · 04/08/2020 12:56

Another pointless thread of random guesses 🙄

Original poster
stopcollaborateandlisten · 04/08/2020 12:57

There's just so many u-turns that it doesn't seem outside of possibility?

OP posts:
rosie1959 · 04/08/2020 12:58

@KarenKarendson

It's not getting pushed back. Schools are reopening in September. If anything has to shut it will probably be the pubs.
It’s all very well keep forcing business to close but quite frankly they are not going to survive
Iminaglasscaseofemotion · 04/08/2020 12:58

Well considering ours are back open next week, I doubt it.

Original poster
stopcollaborateandlisten · 04/08/2020 12:58

@OverTheRainbow88

Another pointless thread of random guesses 🙄
I thought this was a discussion forum? It was musing on the possibility that it would happen given the twists and turns the past few months have had...
OP posts:
SantaClaritaDiet · 04/08/2020 12:59

How do you think the majority of schools could possibly have all children back?

better part-time for all
that no time at all for those who have been refused access

SOME schools managed to include all children if only by organising something for 1 or 2 half days a week, and keeping bubbles outside

Other schools preferred to discriminate, and that's not tolerable

fascinated · 04/08/2020 13:01

I feel an oasis album coming on...

PatriciaPerch · 04/08/2020 13:02

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Lemons1571 · 04/08/2020 13:05

Well Ofqual are proposing not to remove any content from the GCSE’s in 2021. So as it stands, the new year 11’s have to take the full exams next year having only been taught and studied 50% of the content, having been at home the other 50% of the time doing holding activities.

That’s going to go well.

FrippEnos · 04/08/2020 13:06

SantaClaritaDiet

the government allowed ALL year group to go back and the school to use their discretion.

They didn't, 3 yrs in primary, 2 yrs in secondary (if you have a 6th form)

Those who refused did it because they made that choice, not because the government told them to.

Wrong, it was the government who then backtracked and gave schools no time to plan.

Closing the schools was the right thing to do, it might be the right thing to close them again. Specifically excluding some children from the reopening was not acceptable.

Again put the blame where it is due.

cologne4711 · 04/08/2020 13:07

We'll be back in full lockdown by October no we won't

I think they’ll open and then close by October half term this is more likely

and yet Ofqual has made very few changes to GCSE and A level assessment next year - I've no idea what planet they are on.

Spikeyball · 04/08/2020 13:07

"better part-time for all"

Some children will have needs that meant they needed accommodating full time since lock down began. They couldn't have been reduced to part time because the needs hadn't changed

Ohchristmastreeohchristmastree · 04/08/2020 13:09

No. Schools may have to go part time in October/Nov. With a very long Christmas break.

FrippEnos · 04/08/2020 13:09

SantaClaritaDiet

Other schools preferred to discriminate, and that's not tolerable

Niether is spreading mistruths and lies.

FrippEnos · 04/08/2020 13:10

Lemons1571

Not true.

Although the changes may not go far enough, they have made changes.

cologne4711 · 04/08/2020 13:10

I am also expecting a u turn on the policy of no masks in lessons for secondary school pupils to be announced the 3rd or 4th week in August

Yes. Some of the German states have started to return to school and they are making masks compulsory.

Tfoot75 · 04/08/2020 13:11

I think the PP just means that some schools did not open to further year groups when they were allowed to if the had capacity (even if they did actually have capacity). I suspect my dds school did this, by their own communications they had around 5 empty classrooms, but clearly I don't know if there were staff available or not. As each bubble had 2 staff allocated, you would think they could have, if they had wanted to. I think it was just to difficult to fairly decide who else was going back, so in the end they just had no one.

Lemons1571 · 04/08/2020 13:12

@FrippEnos for my child’s subjects they’ve removed a few practicals to be replaced by YouTube demonstrations, and taken out the speaking assessment of foreign languages. I couldn’t see any actual content removed (subject matter).

PumpkinPie2016 · 04/08/2020 13:12

I think they will open. A government minister was on sky news this morning (bloody forgotten his name now!) And said 'all schools will open and that isn't up for debate' and 'It's a matter of basic social justice'.

Maybe in 'areas of concern' other things will close to allow it, as has been speculated.

I honestly think, rightly or wrongly, there would be so much public outrage if schools didn't reopen, especially if other things remained open, that the government will open them.

Fedup21 · 04/08/2020 13:13

better part-time for all

The government guidance to schools said that schools had to prioritise those key year groups, NOT have everyone in, part time. Schools were following guidelines, no matter how grumpy it clearly made you feel.

YgritteSnow · 04/08/2020 13:13

I think what happens in Scotland when they go back next week will influence how and when schools open in the U.K. I do think it will be the priority though and other social areas - pubs will close to allow it to happen.

FrippEnos · 04/08/2020 13:14

Tfoot75

Yet that is not what she said.

And around here two primary schools were not allowed to open to the full cohort because the LEA stopped them.

As each bubble had 2 staff allocated, you would think they could have, if they had wanted to.

If the school has ten classes, that is ten teachers. Two per class means no extra teachers.

I think it was just to difficult to fairly decide who else was going back, so in the end they just had no one.

This is a decision that no school is going to win especially as the government said no rotas.

FrippEnos · 04/08/2020 13:17

@Lemons1571

But that is not for every subject and it would be wrong to say that it is.

For several subjects, NEA and GCSE marked practicals have been removed to make way for the theory content.

And for Art the whole subject will be only be graded on the protfolio.