Schools to remain closed until October half term?

[stopcollaborateandlisten]

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?

[quote MoreListeningLessChatting]@Littleposh

*Littleposh Tue 04-Aug-20 13:28:54
Oh good, another thread on utter bollocks. Can't you people who are clearly desperate for schools to remain closed just discuss amongst your own kind on one of the several thousand other threads on this non-subject??

This.... indeed some are really desperate for schools to stay closed[/quote]
No that’s not true. Most reasonable people want schools to open safely. They are concerned about the health of children and families too. But you just crack on with your fingers on your ears and your ‘nothing must change’ mantra.

The bottom line is the government doesnt want to extend furlough. Nor do they want mass employment. That means schools HAVE to be reopened to stop that.

If they don't keep the schools open as much as humanly possible they risk a situation where political pressure for another furlough increases / political instability in the form of civil unrest and protests.

If schools close too much, then the danger is other restrictions become less effective too. If people are not happy with restrictions, think they are no longer necessary, and fatigue over restrictions kick in complaince rates will drop off a cliff.

This is why we won't get a second lockdown - simply because it won't work because of the way humans behave.

Honestly I think there will be mass marches and protests if the schools aren’t back. Or it’ll be me marching with a placard anyway

RedToothBrush

As you know all about facts, why don't you quote us exactly WHERE the latest spring guidelines stopped schools to reopen to children and where it specifically stated that only 3 year groups had to open full time but others had to remain shut...

I am not backtracking when I state that some school management have been embarrassingly poor, have failed in all their duties and should be embarrassed for the way they treated children and excluding the way they have is not acceptable. They will have to be held accountable at some point. We do know that what will happen is some reshuffling so any complaint will be blamed on "previous" leadership

This is why we won't get a second lockdown - simply because it won't work because of the way humans behave.

we didn't get a strict lockdown in the first place!
It's unlikely we'll bother with another one but it doesn't mean it's not possible to have a real lockdown. If the government decides to make it work, they will - other countries managed, ours could do to if anyone was bothered.

I'm overseas.

State schools are shut here until mid October, but private international schools like mine are allowed by the government to set their own dates, & we are going back first of September (to be confirmed whether that's everyone, or just tinies one end & exam years the other...).

Absolutely no one is expecting us to stay open - we're hoping at best to get about a month of teaching in before going to a blend of online & part time in schools. SLT have been very frank that we will pretty much inevitably have a school based outbreak, or even just routine Autumn/new class bugs mimicking the symptoms of covid, & have to close within a few weeks.

Currently we are looking at moving/cancelling October half term to make up missed days or at least keep going online. Christmas hols also dubious - might be slashed to a long weekend rather than a fortnight if we've missed lots of November.

We are eyeing the UK plans like this....

I think British schools will also be doing the covid hokey cokey for the next academic year, tbh. Starting back in September, but then in, out, shake it all about in an unpredictable pattern for months.

Everything RedToothBrush said

think about all the selfish twats that are not adhering to social distancing and mask wearing, their freedom should be jeopardised not kids education

Yep - they're the ones we need to blame if schools can't reopen (or if they have to close again), not the government, not the teachers, etc.

I don't know a single teacher who doesn't want the schools to open.

All they are asking for is the same protection afforded other workers. Masks and enforced social distancing is the very minimum.

Don't people want teachers to be safe?

@SantaClaritaDiet what would you have liked lockdown to look like out of interest? My understanding is that lockdown was, in fact incredibly well adhered to and successful (for its original, stated aim)

@BelleSausage that’s interesting, at my DC’s school there was one child absent in one class and two in another (all three had elderly relatives living with them), from teacher friends I haven’t heard about classes of 50% the week before lockdown, this must have been localised.

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

We had NO choice but to say no to the other year groups.
We couldn't even allow access to the eligible year groups initially.

Why?

Because our bubbles were full from Key Worker and vulnerable children.

Schools had to follow a long list of guidelines and instructions from the Government, and then the LEA, as to how they could open up to more pupils.

Where were we supposed to put these extra children whist still adhering to the bubbles and other safety measures?

As each bubble had 2 staff allocated,

Why do you think each bubble has two members of staff attached to them?

I can assure you this wasn't;t just done to covid having more children in - it was because we needed a way of allowing the staff to have a chance to go to the toilet and have a lunch break during the day.

@DomDoesWotHeWants

I don't know a single teacher who doesn't want the schools to open.

All they are asking for is the same protection afforded other workers. Masks and enforced social distancing is the very minimum.

Don't people want teachers to be safe?

Thank you thank you thank you🙏

they will open but most high schools will be struggling staff wise within a matter of weeks, I suspect. I can't see us making it to Xmas without mass closures.

What I am curious about is why teachers are more worried about schools reopening than parents

Because I am clinically vulnerable and my workplace (a school) doesn't appear to need to have the same level of 'Covid secure' as my DH's (none school based) office has to have. I will be expected to work across the whole school, with no expectation of social distancing (ours is infants so 270 4-7 years who will not be expected to keep their distance) in small over crowded rooms with little ventilation, no protection, nothing except hand washing and some anti bac gel.

Its okay parents tell us not to treat the children as a health risk - but sadly, more so for some of us, they might well be a risk to our health at times. Obviously we will do everything we can to care for and help those children, but we can't pretend that those same children pose us no health concerns can we?

@Enoughnowstop

they will open but most high schools will be struggling staff wise within a matter of weeks, I suspect. I can't see us making it to Xmas without mass closures.

Why do you expect they will be struggling staff wise? I doubt that there will be more problems than normal

Something's being drip fed. This has been the approach throughout - we're being prepared for something on the 11th August which is when the next school briefing's due.

A Headteacher in our county died in March from Covid.

Of course there’s going to be struggles with staff. Each time a member of staff displays any symptoms they will have to remain at home until a test conforms they are clear, we will be going into cold/flu season soon so people are going to get colds, coughs and other illnesses but each one will need to be treated as Covid. Then there the fact classes may need to be half the size so 2 teachers will be needed per normal class size?

There’s going to be issues with lack of space, lack of staff and lots of Covid scares throughout the autumn and winter.

I feel for teachers especially those in a primary school setting where social distancing will not work and kids are too young to wear masks, if I worked in a school I would be very worried too.

I think people keep making assumptions jump to conclusions comment on everything have nothing better to do than making misery. Schools need to reopen the government said they will reopen in September in England. The majority of parents need and want them to reopen, kids want to go back to school. Those that object to returning to school should make a formal choice to deregister their children and home educate and let those of us who want to return our kids to school.

Staffing will be an issue because of the instruction to self isolate if you are called by test and trace. Contrary to popular belief, most teachers go into work even when really poorly (and get ill every holiday 😭) so two or three teachers all having to be off for two weeks at the same time would have a huge impact.

I think local lockdown is much more palatable for the government because they’re not then having to deal with unions at a national level. They can also buck pass even more to local authorities and give them ridiculous responsibilities with no means to fulfil them.

There will be a couple of poster-boy MATs fronted by knights of the realm to tell everyone just how easy it is to manage schools in spite of the unpredictable nature of the situation and the media will ignore the fact that staffing variation between schools is enormous and not something that headteachers can easily control.

Then there the fact classes may need to be half the size so 2 teachers will be needed per normal class size?
This won’t happen.

The fast test could help with staff absence. I hope they use it well and have capacity.

They will open - it is too disruptive on the economy to keep them closed. Teacher's unions will protest but some people just have to work, like supermarket staff, the Police and medical workers.

It’s harder for teaching unions to target each individual LA.

It really does diffuse the situation to give responsibility on all this to LAs. It doesn’t resolve the issues but the government can take a side step.