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Covid

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Original poster

Schools opening in lockdown areas?

18 replies

Shitfuckoh · 05/08/2020 16:51

Sorry if this has already been posted, I've read lots of school threads but haven't yet seen this one mentioned.

I read earlier that even schools in North England where new measures of lockdown have been put in place will reopen in September. Scottish schools go back next week, Aberdeen have had pubs etc closed due to a cluster outbreak yet it states you can leave home for education purposes - I'm taking that to mean schools etc will reopen as planned.

So from this, am I right in assuming if an area has a local outbreak/lockdown, we'll still be sending children in to schools where no SD is expected??

OP posts:

stitchmaker85 · 05/08/2020 16:52

I think children's education has suffered enough. I'd rather the kids went to school and other things closed if needed.

Original poster

Shitfuckoh · 05/08/2020 16:59

@stitchmaker85

I think children's education has suffered enough. I'd rather the kids went to school and other things closed if needed.

Absolutely but if cases rise enough to warrant a local lockdown, surely shutting schools comes under this? At least for the 2-3 weeks or whatever it is then review. Children do homelearning as they were prior to the summer break?

OP posts:

stitchmaker85 · 05/08/2020 17:05

Home learning might work for some but my daughter refused to engage with it, I don't see why they should have to go through this again?

middleager · 05/08/2020 17:09

@stitchmaker85

I think children's education has suffered enough. I'd rather the kids went to school and other things closed if needed.

Same here

happytoday73 · 05/08/2020 17:11

We are in a greater Manchester so more restrictions but not a lock down area... Primary head this week has sent message out that expects to fully reopening in September as planned and will let us know further details within next 2 weeks.

As I can still get my hair cut, go to pub/restaurant, get massage, put my kids in holiday club it take them to some indoor things like lazer quest ... Just can't have friends or relatives over for a BBQ or alike in my backgarden... I think it's fair schools still open..

TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 · 05/08/2020 17:13

I'm in Leicester, the guidance specifically says 'schools and early years can reopen' this was added on the 1st review mid July, much to the annoyance of residents who pointed out school summer holiday started 13th July.

We are due to start back 26th August, everyone I have spoken to so far in the area has bought minimal uniform and has been prepping the kids for 'schools due to start soon, but as we know things might change a bit here and there so let's just go with the flow'.

x2boys · 05/08/2020 17:15

I'm in greater Manchester, I have ,nt heard anything to the contrary ,so we shall see.

labyrinthloafer · 05/08/2020 17:18

I think they surely can not go ahead with fining parents where there are lockdowns.

The idea anyone would feel fine to send kids in if the local area was in lockdown is to me.

Original poster

Shitfuckoh · 05/08/2020 17:19

Sorry, I mentioned North England as that's the information I had but it made me curious in regards to if a local area has a local lockdown. So if all non essential shops, pubs etc closed. Would schools stay open?
An actual local lockdown rather than just 'You can't have people in your garden' type restrictions.

OP posts:

Original poster

Shitfuckoh · 05/08/2020 17:20

@labyrinthloafer

I think they surely can not go ahead with fining parents where there are lockdowns.

The idea anyone would feel fine to send kids in if the local area was in lockdown is to me.

I'm so glad you said that, I was beginning to think I'm the odd one out!

OP posts:

Delatron · 05/08/2020 17:52

We keep forgetting the aim of lockdown is to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed. Is the NHS overwhelmed? Was it even at the peak?

Schools can open if other things shut and the NHS will not be overwhelmed. The goal was never to stop everyone getting this virus and quite frankly children have suffered and missed out on enough.

Judystilldreamsofhorses · 05/08/2020 19:59

I’m in Aberdeen, and schools go back from next week.

My guess is that within a few weeks the situation will be similar to March, with lots of staff (and students) self-isolating, and it won’t be possible to keep schools fully open.

Diplidally · 05/08/2020 20:29

The aim of lockdowns in other countries was to aim for zero or as close as cases (instead of not overwhelming health system). Arguably that would have made reopening schools a lot safer and easier. Ditto opening everything else. What we did feels half baked doing more damage to the economy in the long run.

Spikeyball · 06/08/2020 06:52

Schools will not be shut completely unless there is an outbreak within the school as they will be open for vulnerable children. It's possible that a school or small groups of schools may shut to reduce community transmission.

Chaotic45 · 06/08/2020 07:26

Leicester and Leicestershire schools go back on 26 August. It feels a bit like we will be the experiment for england.

Having said that my DC's schools are all taking 2 extra weeks for teacher training so are not opening until 7 September, 2 weeks later than usual.

TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 · 06/08/2020 08:14

@Chaotic45 we're still waiting to hear about risk assessments, bubbles, plans, new sickness policies, start times..... basically as it stands we'll just be returning as if normal.

I suspect that DDs school are waiting till the last minute to provide parents with the plans for re-opening because they expect the government to keep changing them.

As of right now, DD is expected to return to yr 2 on 26th August, all children will start and end at the same times of the day, sickness policy is exactly as per pre-COVID times, classes are normal, breakfast and after school club are running as usual.

I just can't see that actually being the case, so at some point in the next 22 days we'll find out what's going on and hopefully be able to accommodate it alongside work??? Who knows!

I can see the potential to change the return date because the government keep saying that plan will be finalised for September and we know that these things run to the wire which would mean they may not be ready by 26th August.

Chaotic45 · 06/08/2020 08:21

@TorysSuckRevokeArticle50 I can see how hard it must be to make and implement a plan when things haven't been clarified, finalised and communicated from the government. I can also see how, as things evolve and change it is hard for the government to know what to do. The thing is though, that they provided a clear message that schools are to go back- so to my mind they have let schools down badly by not explaining how this can or should happen.

I understand that they want schools to return, but that's doesn't instantly make it possible!

Redolent · 06/08/2020 08:38

@Delatron

We keep forgetting the aim of lockdown is to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed. Is the NHS overwhelmed? Was it even at the peak?

Schools can open if other things shut and the NHS will not be overwhelmed. The goal was never to stop everyone getting this virus and quite frankly children have suffered and missed out on enough.

People need to release that the NHS wasn’t overwhelmed because we shut down large swathes of it for months. That’s why it’s predicted to take 4 years to catch up with the waiting list generated during the lockdown.

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