I think I agree with everything Chris Whitty said....

[sunseekin]

It’s more what he didn’t say....

He talked about the total risks. I agree the total risk of keeping children off school is higher than the total risk of sending them in.

But I am disappointed that didn’t attempt to drill down at all into individual family‘s circumstances. Ideally all children should have the option of school, but the enforcement in a pandemic, especially with no regard to these individual circumstances is unethical and something that should never be allowed to happen again. School isn’t the best or safest place for all children at the moment.

He talked about the risks being low. I think the risk to individual children is low.

Not sure that I like how he switched from talking about the total risk to individual risk without highlighting it though. Maybe it’s the editing rather than Chris that’s being misleading. After all where there is individual risk and exponential growth things could change quickly.

Furthermore it appears that he didn’t seem to add timescales with regards schools, ie for how long does he expect the risk to remain low and how quickly does he expect the risk to grow?

He talked about harsh winters and being prepared for Covid-19 to cause problems and that they would look to close shops or pubs first if (if - come on!) opening schools raised the r value.

But he didn’t talk about forward planning for this; I can only presume that knee jerk reactions make more economic sense (so long as the nhs doesn’t start to get overwhelmed).

I really like Chris but I feel like someone has cherry picked statements from what he was trying to say. I would like to see him on television and wonder why that hasn’t been the case....

Jenny Harries is on now. Didn't she say indoor spaces were a problem not outdoors.

Case in point - teachers told to provide ‘no new content.’

Friend’s son in private school receiving new content in form of A level curriculum being delivered live before the end of Y11.

So not all schools followed the advice. That’s the problem.

Case in point - teachers told to provide ‘no new content.

Is that exam year secondary too? Worrying if so. Although I’m pretty sure yr10 got new content here (I hope!)

No new content and curriculum suspended came from the DFE. You can blame th for the inconsistency of provision as they were a shambles.

There is going to be a perfect storm of:

Kids immune systems being low from reduced exercise, indoor living and lack of sunlight from the last 6 months.

Regular infections that happen when large groups resume together.

The administration of the Fluenz vaccine that seems to create a spike in temperatures and sick bugs virtually every year.

It's going to be a rough ride, Scottish school has already closed.

Why would kids have had reduced exercise and lack of sunlight? We've just had some lovely weather this summer - my kids have been outside playing football and riding bikes etc every day!

Thats comparatively short time considering the months cooped up during lock down.

Mine still exercised during lockdown. We did Joe Wicks and walks and bike rides.

But we weren't Spain. We were allowed out!

Exercise was still possible in lockdown tg! Most important. Although I admit it’s easier to be outside with a garden and I felt that allowance was key for people in flats.

Ironically, the weather was nicer earlier.

We have eaten more crap food though

@CountessFrog but because no planning or money has gone to support blended learning models or to be available when schools shut down partially or fully at various points those students will continue to be disadvantaged even more. If I could teach 15 students one week then the other 15 the next. I could teach them properly without trying to do it without basically standing still at the front.

I know from experience that when I teach smaller classes I can do it more effectively.

Independent schools generally have smaller classes anyway, plus a much higher teacher to student ratio, plus lots more £££ for resources, marquees etc etc. Families that have money and space and tech for students to work at home.

I would suspect that independent schools are less likely to suffer outbreaks than state schools - leading to less likely need for partial closures.

What we needed was a way to open safely, ensuring social distancing and given enough time teachers and schools definitely could have worked on this. For the record I am talking secondary here btw.

I agree Hercule. I know what you are saying.

But the gap remains.

Somebody asked if that was exam years? Yes her son was in y11 and supposed to sit GCSE. When they were cancelled, the school ploughed on and started delivering the A level curriculum.

No idea what happened if kids hadn’t chosen which A levels to do. Highly selective school, so all likely to get good grades. Friend’s son knew which A levels he wanted, so although he’s only just going into the sixth form, he’s effectively had ‘new content’ sixth form work since easter. Which is apparently against government advice.

Friend’s son knew which A levels he wanted, so although he’s only just going into the sixth form, he’s effectively had ‘new content’ sixth form work since easter. Which is apparently against government advice.

No. New content for FE was allowed.

What also hasn't been covered is schools in areas with high density population, with classes over filled, service sector parents, over crowded housing are more likely to experience closures than schools in more affluent areas. This will adversely affect poorer children, especially when it comes to national exams.

New content might have been allowed for FE, but he was at Easter if Y11.

I can’t think of any other y11 kid who was able to start their A level course content at this point. O

Maybe because they don't need yo?

to...

The super selective grammar nearby did. And friends of mine that teach in private schools did similar.

We ran transition classes in a couple of subjects for some of our Y11, but could only do it for a few subjects where all the students had access to the technology.

Most of the sixth forms around us sent out transition work/booklets but for the most part didn’t do ‘live lessons’.

Again all that has happened has independent schools have yet again widened the gap and yet again the gov have done fuck all about students who are not in an already privileged position.

My school is one like @Morfin describes above. We have done our best with what little resources and support we had. Stuffing our school full and risking closures left, right and centre with little forward planning is not the answer to closing the gap between those that yet again already have and those that yet again still do not.

I have read a bit of it on and off, but certainly when talking about it the focus all school talk entirely on the children, almost always younger primary schools aged children. The fact that in sixth form the children are almost adult age, in fact in Y13 (and the growing year 14) they are often over 18y.

And, bar ages ago them saying teachers are at no greater risk than the general working population, there is never acknowledgement that adults are in the schools - teachers, TAs, maintenance, office staff, cleaners, lunch time assistants, etc never get mentioned. Its as if schools only exist with children inside them!

And even if teachers are at no greater risk - why aren't they being afforded the same protection as the general population on the whole? Most workers are SDing from one another and their 'clients' and when that isn't possible wearing masks, etc. I am not saying we should be wearing masks, etc just that it is never actually acknowledged that teaching staff will be in close contact with many children and other adults all day in an enclosed room.

As for the more vulnerable who are generally at great risk - very little. I've seen a paragraph for children and n even briefer paragraph for the adults affected.

I really really hope all goes well. I really do. I am so keen to get back to my real job, and being with the children and my colleagues again. But I have to say that the Government, and the risk assessments, etc from them haven't done very much to ease any concerns. In a week's time I will be in a 'bubble' of 270 children and several adults with no SD, no nothing. As someone who is clinically vulnerable obviously there is some worries, along with the desire to be back doing my proper job.

@Worriedmum999 but they do, they really do. I know this for certain.

The private schools I have experience of really don't.
The staff qualifications are published in their prospectuses. They almost tall have teaching qualifications and QTS, as well as their other qualifications. The odd one who doesn't is usually a subject specialism in a specific skill and works under the direction of qualified teaching staff leading the department - most likely subject areas such as dance, sport, drama (but not in the exam classes) and some technologies. None of the ones I know use unqualified teachers to teach core or foundation subjects as part of their core staffing team.

I’m sure you’re right, Hercule, but it doesn’t change the fact that millions of children have been without an education since March.

But they shouldn't have been.

The Government said they would provide educational resources and they did - via the Oak National Academy. There was also the BBC Bitesize provision both online and via the red button on TV. They also provided lists of resources and sites on their Government pages.

So, even if your school were unable to provide online remote learning (and I dont mean the Mn hallowed zoom lessons - many schools deliberately didn't do these as they were not always suitable for the school catchment) - my own school provided a whole timetable of remote learning lessons with videos and lessons, etc for example - there was an education out there to get for children aged 4-16y. I do agree that the sixth form and A level classes were totally left out of the Governments plans.

And I do know it was difficult for parents who were working from home, or even out of the home, whilst trying to facilitate that - hence why some of the Government provided resources were designed to need as little parental input as possible.

But there was remote education out there to be used, even if your child's own school didn't provide one for them.

I’m confused how private schools were allowed to educate children when I believe (from MN) that state schools were expressly instructed NOT to provide education

Private schools are not at liberty to do what the Government tells them. Parents pay £thousands for their children to be privately educated. Would you, as a parent, have accepted not even a stab at teaching your child and continued to pay fees? Non payment of fees would have closed many schools by September. That would have been potentially thousands of children needing state school places. Independent schools got on with teaching because there was no other choice.

No children are naturally scared about this virus. If they have worries it's most likely due to parents pushing their worries onto the children.

For God's sake let them be kids, they will never get this time back. I'm sure some people want them going in in hazmat suits.

Kids will not be able to concentrate and learn properly if schools have too Many strict rules to follow in regards to covid.