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?

Re restrictions on which year groups could come to school, here is an extract from the latest DfE guidance.

Welcoming children back to school
When we made the decision to ask schools to open only to a small number of children, this was done with the aim of reducing transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19), to protect the NHS and save lives. As the situation improved, we began to consider how we could bring more children and young people back into schools, and supported primary schools to do so from 1 June, focusing on some year groups being educated in small ‘bubbles’, and secondary schools from 15 June, with year 10 and 12 spending some time in school in small groups, with public health risk reduction measures in place. Since 15 June, primary schools have also had flexibility to bring back other pupils where they have space to do so.

From
www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools

Unfortunately they don't keep or highlight changes, so unless you downloaded or printed the original, it is not possible to show when the changes happened. As a serving headteacher, though, I can confirm that originally we were directed to close to all except Key Worker children, then to take Nursery, Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 as best we were able from June 1st, and, despite Gavin Williamson's gushing statements about welcoming more back, we were directly forbidden from doing so until 15th June. I have an e-mail from the DfE confirming that until the revised guidance was published, I could not take more back. It was immensely frustrating, because my school was able to welcome more back, and parents were getting cross as they had "seen it on the news" but I was preventing it.

What will people live on if their sectors close to allow schools to re-open given that the furlough & SEISS are ending in October (if indeed you qualified for those schemes in the first place)? How will they pay mortgages/rent, bills, feed their families - this is the bit that I don't understand.

Sadly the same way they did in previous generations....Savings, family, food banks/soup kitchens, charity, the churches. We do still have a safety net of sorts in UC.

People will lose their homes businesses and have to start again. Think the miners' strike and times of sky-high interest rates.

We have had a few months knowing this could happen.

@stopcollaborateandlisten

No, it isn't in the news - just thoughts. It seems that every time there's a push for schools to return that suddenly there's some backtracking or it being "the aim" to return and not explicitly confirmed that everything is going ahead. It just seemed like they were priming for another U turn on this...

So from you stating it in the news in your OP you now say it is not just your thoughts. For heavens sake. I wonder about things but do not post them as something which has been in the news.

What will people live on if their sectors close to allow schools to re-open given that the furlough & SEISS are ending in October (if indeed you qualified for those schemes in the first place)? How will they pay mortgages/rent, bills, feed their families - this is the bit that I don't understand.

It will probably be more like Liverpool local response. No businesses closed, but other non financially impacting response put in place.

If an LA closed businesses with little funding it will be shutting many for good, they’ll find other ways as above.

No and all the guessing is so tiresome don't you think

@partystressand yet hospitals haven't had a problem with staff being off with track and trace despite working in a high risk area. We currently only have 1% of staff off with symptoms/continuing to shield. Demographic probably similar with high population of over 50s with risk factors.

Depends on how infections go over the next month. I think most will go back, but some areas might be held back if they have infection peaks.

How will they pay mortgages/rent, bills, feed their families - this is the bit that I don't understand.

They'll have to do what the rest of us are doing - cutting back on all non-essential spending and saving what they can. There is only so much the rest of us can afford to pay in taxes to support them.

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

But I am specifically told NOT to work - and to go and get tested - if i have symptoms consistent with Covid.

What happens to the 33 children in my class on those days? If a supermarket worker, or a policeman, isn't at work on a particular day, the workload can be shared around other members of staff. Sharing the 33 children around the other classes isn't going to work.....

What will people live on if their sectors close to allow schools to re-open given that the furlough & SEISS are ending in October (if indeed you qualified for those schemes in the first place)? How will they pay mortgages/rent, bills, feed their families - this is the bit that I don't understand.

Presumably the same way as the 3 million self employed who fell through the cracks in the furlough/SEISS schemes!

I think there is a determination that they should open. For once the words absolute priority are real not just some spin.

What will be restricted to make it happen is anyone's guess.

I don’t know if this has already been asked elsewhere but does anyone know if there is a likelihood that teachers could strike? As a way of requesting safer working conditions? Surely this is quite likely to happen?

And funnily enough, most private schools seem to have done an excellent job too.

Gosh, I wonder how private schools managed to open up to more pupils, what with their generally much smaller classes, usually more extensive buildings and grounds and the additional funding they receive via fees? Its a complete mystery!

And yes - I have experience of private schools. My DD went to one for all but two years of her education. I have friends with children in private schools now.

And no, not all were open to all year groups. And no, not all did the holy grail of live teaching either.

@Blueberryham

I don’t know if this has already been asked elsewhere but does anyone know if there is a likelihood that teachers could strike? As a way of requesting safer working conditions? Surely this is quite likely to happen?

Of course its possible.

However the risk in doing so is whether there is public support behind them. If there isn't the government won't back down and will let teachers ride the abuse.

So unless there are huge numbers of teachers suddenly dying or children getting very ill, the unions would be unwise to do so.

@afternoon22

I think there is a determination that they should open. For once the words absolute priority are real not just some spin.

What will be restricted to make it happen is anyone's guess.

As will how long the opening lasts.

In contract with the OP, I think the schools will open to great fanfare in August / September and close progressively from half term.

A few will be able to stay open throughout (though not necessarily with subject teachers in front of the class each day).

Most will do the hokey cokey - in a bit, out a bit.

A few will close very soon after opening and stay closed due to local levels of transmission (probably in areas like GM, Leicester etc)

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

It will take one child with the virus to reek havoc. The science is suggesting 50 minutes in a room with poor ventilation will be enough to pass it on. Bubbles in primary will be together for 6 hours, including staff. It’s really not rocket science. Some teachers will get very sick and may needs weeks or months off. Some schools have already decided they won’t use supply staff to reduce risk but regardless, supply staff are already in short supply so bubbles will need to close, possibly for sometime. Then there’s teachers in and out because they have been exposed and have to isolate. Then there’s teachers struggling to get to work because their own child’s bubble has closed. Then there’s local lockdowns. And finally, there is the usual spread of illness to contend with.

My concern is sending in children who are sick.

This happens all the time, I’ve been guilty of it myself in the past. But this is an issue which isn’t really being addressed at the moment.

The unions will do what their members tell them to do. If teachers feel at risk then they should withdraw their labour until their workplace is made safer. Only fair, surely?

@stopcollaborateandlisten

No, it isn't in the news - just thoughts. It seems that every time there's a push for schools to return that suddenly there's some backtracking or it being "the aim" to return and not explicitly confirmed that everything is going ahead. It just seemed like they were priming for another U turn on this...

If it's not in the news then why have a thread title stating it as fact?

@DomDoesWotHeWants

The unions will do what their members tell them to do. If teachers feel at risk then they should withdraw their labour until their workplace is made safer. Only fair, surely?

What the Government is relying on is that the vast majority of teachers focus on the welfare of children first, and their own welfare second.

So no, I don't think teachers will strike. Feel scared, yes. Strike, no.

Sadly I agree with you. But they should.

Schools will open , the media will be hysterical, it will be OK.

Then they will quietly close again, in random waves.

No way I think it would cause major problems.