Neil Ferguson saying schools may close

[Orangeblossom7777]

On the BBC - older ones he says. Will they listen to him though now he got kicked off Sage? I thought the plan for for part time in secondary not closing if cases rose very high? Hoping this doesn't happen DC mid GCSEs and already missed loads.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54673558

In Scotland when part time schooling was proposed, I seem to remember it was planned to be in place for the full academic year.

And yes as other poster has said distancing pupils and teaching them half the time is no guarantee of keeping cases down, particularly as the government would then open everything else to get the economy kickstarted, so likely there would still be on off isolations.

There is no proposal on the table for part time learning for a specific period of time based on infection rates. I'd actually be fairly supportive of that as it's sensible to have a range of options based on the scenarios.

The question has been posed, all along (by teachers on here), of how to open schools in such a way as to guarantee the best chance of remaining open for the longest and least disruptive period of time.

We were ridiculed, insulted and accused of just wanting more time "off." Everyone was intent on getting their children "back to normal" as soon as possible.

And here we are. In a right shit show.

Are you saying definitively that with part time schooling, there will not be any DC who will have to self isolate?

I think the legal factor which decides whether you have to self isolate is whether you have been closer than 2m to someone for 15 mins.

As you say we would have only a few - single digits - in a class under these conditions.

The situation in June wasn't 2m spacing all the time, just "where possible". The recommendation was to halve classes and have groups of 15 which was still one metre, but the data showed low numbers of infections. Some isolations but not as disruptive as now. No big bubbles of 300 etc.

So there's a middle point between 2m apart all the time and what we currently have, which would not result in the exponential spread we are seeing.

If no additional funds are there though for staff / space there would inevitably be rotas in all year groups.

All along it has been said that testing is the key to getting a handle on this.
So, I would like to see widespread (weekly?) testing of pupils and staff on the premises, with effective and meaningful isolation straightaway for ALL those in close contact. And daily temperature checks (yes, I know it's not a catch-all, but it's better than what's happening at the moment).

So, I would like to see widespread (weekly?) testing of pupils and staff on the premises, with effective and meaningful isolation straightaway for ALL those in close contact

This would be wonderful. One of the classes I teach in keeps getting positive cases. A couple of kids positive. A lot of kids at home isolating because their parents are positive.

I have a horrible feeling there’s been an asymptotic case in the room. Not the kids fault obviously but I would like that whole class tested.
Thinking about it, it could even be me who’s the asymptotic spreader.

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks"

Is this what going mad feels like?

And here we are. In a right shit show.

Called it on 15th September. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4024516-The-government-have-fucked-up-the-re-opening-of-schools

Just looking through the comments and spotted ‘91 schools in Manchester affected’.

Well there’s bloody sight more than that affected there now isn’t there? Whatever measures that were taken back in Manchester schools in September didn’t work. We need to be doing things differently to keep kids in school.

Agree that test and trace really, really needs to step up. Sack the useless Tory chum and get someone decent in. When there is a case in a school, test to flush out asymptomatic cases and properly isolate close contacts instead of pretending that one positive case is just that. We know from university testing that’s bollocks.

More evidence of how harmful school closures are

'Generation Covid' hit hard by the pandemic, research reveals www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54662485

Indeed those worried about how harmful school closures are for disadvantaged kids should be really concerned at 39% of secondary kids in Knowsley (an area of high deprivation) being out of school last week due to covid.

Teachers know how harmful school closure can be which is why people like noble started raising these issues months ago.
I don't know any teacher in real life or on here who wants schools to fully close, or who won't continue to do their best for "their" students, whatever the circumstances.
We just want a robust plan that keeps everyone in our schools as safe as possible for as long as possible. And that might mean rolling programmes of closures - which would be better than "ad hoc because there's a problem" closure.

www.unicef.org/stories/heading-back-school-pandemic?fbclid=IwAR1roLz0w4NWtguWDT1sQY9JEnnu3aPpwcEIVeJpQPaccHKfkFkxLCZ6eMA

This is an interesting read about schools around the world by UNICEF. The common factors about attending school in these countries in addition to hand washing are temperature checks, mask wearing and physical distancing achieved by smaller class sizes. Begs the question why aren’t we doing this in the UK?

We are not allowed to take temperatures or wear masks in the classroom and distancing is ‘where possible’ which we all know means doesn’t happen in a standard class of 30.

Begs the question why aren’t we doing this in the UK?

Because the Tories don’t give a shit about children or education. They say that keeping schools open is a priority but then do nothing to keep them open.

Look at how many of them voted against feeding hungry kids. Look at the slashing of the laptop scheme for disadvantaged kids. It’s perfectly clear.

I agree Noble. The trouble is education staff are so used to papering over the cracks in the system and now people outside the system are seeing the huge inequalities in resourcing. The government don’t care as it costs money and it won’t be them dealing with the fall out when bubbles pop, kids go hungry and don’t have the resources needed to access remote learning.

@Cookiecrisps

www.unicef.org/stories/heading-back-school-pandemic?fbclid=IwAR1roLz0w4NWtguWDT1sQY9JEnnu3aPpwcEIVeJpQPaccHKfkFkxLCZ6eMA

This is an interesting read about schools around the world by UNICEF. The common factors about attending school in these countries in addition to hand washing are temperature checks, mask wearing and physical distancing achieved by smaller class sizes. Begs the question why aren’t we doing this in the UK?

We are not allowed to take temperatures or wear masks in the classroom and distancing is ‘where possible’ which we all know means doesn’t happen in a standard class of 30.

Because many parents just want their children back in school regardless as it suits them.

Given how many adults won’t wear masks, I can see uproar at our children being made it wear them in all educational settings.

All good things but many are still socialising out of school with no distancing, being given calpol and sent in, not isolating when there is a case in school etc. Many want schools open but also want to be able to do whatever they want as well.

Because many parents just want their children back in school regardless as it suits them

This type of comment really makes my piss fizz its the equivalent of " all teachers are lazy and just want schools to close so they can sit on their backsides all day doing nothing "

Neither statement is true to 99% of parents or teachers yet its flown out like toys out of a pram! Seriously let's stop all the teacher or parent bashing its pathetic. Everyone has the same end goal for children to be in school and for everyone to be safe!

"We are not allowed to take temperatures or wear masks in the classroom and distancing is ‘where possible’ which we all know means doesn’t happen in a standard class of 30."
Yet, interestingly, when I went to Thorpe Park the other week, parents were perfectly happy to allow their kids to be temperature-checked on the way in and to wear masks in the queues and indoor areas. Seems it's possible/acceptable in some scenarios then.

@3littlewords

Because many parents just want their children back in school regardless as it suits them

This type of comment really makes my piss fizz its the equivalent of " all teachers are lazy and just want schools to close so they can sit on their backsides all day doing nothing "

Neither statement is true to 99% of parents or teachers yet its flown out like toys out of a pram! Seriously let's stop all the teacher or parent bashing its pathetic. Everyone has the same end goal for children to be in school and for everyone to be safe!

But it's not the equivalent. How many posters on this thread alone have begun their posts with "schools must stay open."

@CallmeAngelina just because people say schools must stay open doesn't mean its because they can't be bothered to look after their own child which @IceCreamAndCandyfloss comment infers and you know this.

The quote you referenced, ( "Because many parents just want their children back in school regardless as it suits them*" ) didn't include anything about being bothered about looking after their own children or not, just implied an eagerness to open schools even if they are not sufficiently Covid-safe.

Many parents do want their kids in school for childcare, it's a fact.
As well as many people not wanting them to close for safety reasons.
We are all different and want different things out of life, no surprise there.
Also some teachers do want schools closed come what may, whereas others don't.

HTH

because it suits them absolutely does imply its because they don't want to look after them

"Also some teachers do want schools closed come what may,"

Really? Can you link to any teacher on here who has said this? Every teacher I know (on here and in real life) views closure and the ensuing headache of remote teaching as a nightmare scenario. It is INFINITELY preferable to teach in a classroom, but that doesn't mean we should accept unsafe conditions.

Also some teachers do want schools closed come what may

I don’t think that is true, no matter how many times you say it.

@3littlewords

because it suits them absolutely does imply its because they don't want to look after them

Not necessarily. In fact, I think it says more about you than them.

Redlocks28 I know personally of a couple of teachers who want schools shut. It may be a minority view, who knows, but it is there. In this instance it is because they are generally disillusioned with their jobs, covid aside. I think this was true of the wider population, many of whom couldn't wait to be furloughed!