Now we know why the govt were suppressing the schools infection data

[noblegiraffe]

...because for secondary it’s very worrying.

They choose to release it the day before we break up for half term, too late for any circuit breaker like the other U.K. countries.

They’ve quietly removed the assertion that schools aren’t high risk settings from the guidance. At what point are they going to start to be honest about the risks, particularly in sixth forms and colleges?

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/928749/Weekly_COVID-19_and_Influenza_Surveillance_Graphs_W43_FINAL.pdf

[Ecosse]

The government will rightly not be publishing those figures to prevent hysteria and panic @EmpressoftheMundane.

Individual headteachers and LAs will have access to lots of this type of information that cannot be in the public domain.

[WhyNotMe40]

"to prevent hysteria and panic" implies that there are sufficient numbers to worry about....

[PatriciaHolm]

We know exactly how many children have been hospitalised, it's on the Govt dashboard.

coronavirus-staging.data.gov.uk/details/healthcare?areaType=nation&areaName=England

Hospitalisation by occupation is not something routinely tracked.

However, as I'm sure you are well aware, just hospitalisations of children and teacher is far from the "real impact" on cases in society as a whole, if students are driving spread; especially older ones, as the data suggests.

[noblegiraffe]

Sounds like when I was accused of ‘scaremongering’ by posting publicly available graphs, Why

If the data is scary, the problem doesn’t lie with the people discussing it.

[Ecosse]

@WhyNotMe40

Not necessarily. All it takes for hysteria and panic to start is one DC in a school being hospitalised and you’ve then got unions complaining and parents worrying about their DC.

That is why the very small number of hospital cases there are have to be dealt with discreetly and calmly.

[WhyNotMe40]

Exactly Noble.

And incidentally - I had a chat with a friend who is DH in a neighborhood school.
Apparently their head had expressed concerns that the permitted mitigations were not sufficient as they are a very over subscribed secondary, withH&S windows that barely open, if at all.
He had talked it over with the local education authority and been reassured that occasional opening of the windows was sufficient ventilation as long as internal doors are kept open, and that the priority is keeping schools fully open, oh and don't waste heating....

[EmpressoftheMundane]

If the data is scary, the problem doesn’t lie with the people discussing it.

I couldn't agree more. Withholding facts makes it very hard for a democracy to function. I suspect the kids aren't in much danger as a group. I am not so sure about the teachers, particularly teachers over a certain age, say 55 or so.

[WhyNotMe40]

[quote Ecosse]@WhyNotMe40

Not necessarily. All it takes for hysteria and panic to start is one DC in a school being hospitalised and you’ve then got unions complaining and parents worrying about their DC.

That is why the very small number of hospital cases there are have to be dealt with discreetly and calmly.[/quote]
A bit fascist there, Ecosse.
You do know that hiding important safety data in case the people it affects get worried, never turns out well?

[WhyNotMe40]

Inquiries tend to look badly on that sort of thing..

[MrsHamlet]

Unions complain because a child is hospitalised? Sounds unlikely - but if a student I taught was hospitalised, I'd be concerned about them!!!

[SmileEachDay]

Not necessarily. All it takes for hysteria and panic to start is one DC in a school being hospitalised
Why would that make you hysterical and panic Ecosse?

and you’ve then got unions complaining

Not how unions work.

and parents worrying about their DC

It’s ok for parents to worry about their children, especially during a pandemic. It’s in the job description.

[Ecosse]

@WhyNotMe40

If I were a government minister now, I would happily defend my decision to withhold publication of school-age DC and school staff hospitalisations.

Unfortunately the public do not have any understanding of data or statistics- hence the recent poll finding that on average Brits think 7% of the population have died of COVID.

We cannot have a situation where isolated cases get taken out of all proportion and parents start withdrawing DC and unions withdraw staff.

[SmileEachDay]

unions withdraw staff

Not how unions work.

[noblegiraffe]

Or start demanding safer schools, eh, Ecosse?

Can’t have money being spent on education.

[Nellodee]

[quote Ecosse]@WhyNotMe40

If I were a government minister now, I would happily defend my decision to withhold publication of school-age DC and school staff hospitalisations.

Unfortunately the public do not have any understanding of data or statistics- hence the recent poll finding that on average Brits think 7% of the population have died of COVID.

We cannot have a situation where isolated cases get taken out of all proportion and parents start withdrawing DC and unions withdraw staff.[/quote]
fullfact.org/health/why-poll-gives-misleading-view-how-many-people-public-think-covid-19-has-killed/

Perhaps you should brush up on your understanding of statistics, in this case, your comprehension of the difference between median and mean.

[Witchend]

[quote Ecosse]@WhyNotMe40

Not necessarily. All it takes for hysteria and panic to start is one DC in a school being hospitalised and you’ve then got unions complaining and parents worrying about their DC.

That is why the very small number of hospital cases there are have to be dealt with discreetly and calmly.[/quote]
There have been children hospitalised, and even died from covid-19. There may be fewer than adults, but it's been happening.

Where is this hysteria and panic?

[Piggywaspushed]

Ecosse, your understanding of numbers is more laughable than juts about anyone I encounter on MN.

[Starlight101]

[quote Ecosse]@WhyNotMe40

If I were a government minister now, I would happily defend my decision to withhold publication of school-age DC and school staff hospitalisations.

Unfortunately the public do not have any understanding of data or statistics- hence the recent poll finding that on average Brits think 7% of the population have died of COVID.

We cannot have a situation where isolated cases get taken out of all proportion and parents start withdrawing DC and unions withdraw staff.[/quote]
Ecosse, there is a ministerial position in North Korea with your name on it

[monkeytennis97]

👏🏼 Absolutely @Starlight101

[christinarossetti19]

If only the DfE took the same cautious approach to putting info like SATs test scores, Ofsted reports and League tables in the public domain.

[PaperSmith]

I once watched a documentary that traced how stats results and league tables coupled with thatcher's right to buy scheme created the housing market boom in areas where parents moved to for "good schools."

Creating huge divisions in areas where people are completely priced out of the market. And school cohorts which are wildly different.

Which makes me feel some of it's led to the current state of huge variations of poverty and schools struggling to cope.