I tried phoning the Department of Education but they're closed. Everyone is working from home.

[jomartin281271]

The Department of Education realise there is a pandemic sweeping the globe, so their staff are working from home. And before anyone says that's because of the nasty old unions, it's a bit more complicated than that. The government realise they have a duty of care to civil service workers, and if they force people to come into the office and they subsequently die or end up with long covid, the government could be sued. So why are our children being squashed into tiny classrooms?

@boys3 - our favourite game is now called spot the changes.

A project manager in a commercial firm would never allow that to happen. In schools when our policies are changed we at least change the date of issue and say what is different.

do you think it is possible for children (perhaps older children) to do at least some of their learning at home

In an ideal world that would be a great solution. In reality providing laptops doesn't solve some of the deeper rooted issues. Some children live in homes without the internet, in chaotic homes, some will need adult support but their parents are out at work, or sadly for some don't give a crap. It's a shame that effectively it's a no we can't as some can't, but it would be sad for those children already at a disadvantage in life to have an even wider gap between themselves and their peers.

I'm really sorry you can't understand this, did you maybe have a 6 month-indefinite period of no education in your formative years??

@notevenat20 The biggest risk for most children is that they catch the virus, are asymptomatic, and give it to their relatives, friends with elderly relatives, etc. Do you think school staff enjoy seeing children being bereaved?

I am part of a fundraising project to try and ensure all children in our local schools have access to technology to enable remote provision if bubbles/schools have to self isolate. Unfortunately the Government laptop scheme was woeful.

Do you think school staff enjoy seeing children being bereaved?

Even as a rhetorical device that's an odd thing to say.

@teaorcake are you arguing that it is better to hold all children back? Because that won't be fair either. Because it wouldn't really be all children held back at the same pace. This "some children can't access" argument is an awful lowest common denominator approach and is letting down all the children and families who would learn.

@Haskell presumably their elderly relatives can choose to avoid contact with these children to prioritise their education?

As a department the DfE = Requires Improvement.

They are a joke

I think your anger is misdirected op. The civil service have worked very hard throughout all of this. The department is not closed and that are perfectly within their rights to work from home.

@latticechaos

Sick of hearing 'simple'. This whole thing is complicated.

What is true is that social distancing is the only way we have now of stopping the virus spreading.

Yep! Exactly this. More funding for more staff, space and online provision. Chaos is cheaper though sadly 😢

Just wondering if any of those saying things like ‘if schools go back as planned’ etc know that tens of thousands of kids in Leicestershire have already gone back to school? Primary and secondary. Mine have been back since Monday.

@Redwinestillfine

I think your anger is misdirected op. The civil service have worked very hard throughout all of this. The department is not closed and that are perfectly within their rights to work from home.

lol

[quote Waxonwaxoff0]@latticechaos definitely not one size fits all but my DS has suffered during lockdown and needs to be back at school. They need to be open but parents should have the option as to whether they send their children or not.[/quote]
Exactly. I don’t think anybody would disagree with this. I’m so annoyed t government has wasted everybody’s time. I’ve wasted so much time getting annoyed with stupid guidelines that don’t work and aren’t fair - but at least it’s just my time. Poor schools - clever teachers whose time could have been well spent loading with parents working out their new post lockdown needs. Instead we are getting chaos because the government can’t (or even worse has chosen not to) plan ahead.

@Kaktus

Just wondering if any of those saying things like ‘if schools go back as planned’ etc know that tens of thousands of kids in Leicestershire have already gone back to school? Primary and secondary. Mine have been back since Monday.

And some schools kept going delivering a full online complement of lessons last term

@NeverTwerkNaked I am in an area where a reasonably large proportion of pupils live with grandparents all the time.

@notevenat20 I was referring to your point about staff not being worried about pupils- of course we are!

And some schools kept going delivering a full online complement of lessons last term

Yes I’m aware some did , that’s not my point.
I keep seeing people talking about potential u-turns/regulation ‘before schools go back in September’ etc, but seeing as loads of schools in England have already returned it seems a bit unlikely.

Regulation changes, that should have said.

It is worry noting that packed multistory cafes are open for business (I was in one last week). Sure they wipe down the tables but that's about it. We have to accept that more or less normal life has to resume. And even more, that giving children a normal full time in person education is just about the most important thing we can do.

mulitstory cafes dont have the DfE to contend with

[quote NeverTwerkNaked]@teaorcake are you arguing that it is better to hold all children back? Because that won't be fair either. Because it wouldn't really be all children held back at the same pace. This "some children can't access" argument is an awful lowest common denominator approach and is letting down all the children and families who would learn.[/quote]
Ahh well fuck those who are at a disadvantage to even begin with without covid thrown in.
Funnily enough the same response isnt said to those who have children who are medically vulnerable just those who are socially vulnerable

are you arguing that it is better to hold all children back?

No, children should be going back.

This "some children can't access" argument is an awful lowest common denominator approach and is letting down all the children and families who would learn.

It's not an argument, it's the truth. Society has let them down, I can't really empathise more for those who would learn at home than for those dealt a shower of shit in life.

Also those families who can teach at home can home school if they wish.

Many posters have told people who are scared for their child to go back to school to deregister, many of those children will be medically vulnerable.

@latticechaos cases not deaths you either lock up until vaccine or get on with life