Secondary schools are fucked

[noblegiraffe]

The latest ONS data for infection rates in pupils in Y7-11 shows that they are now nearly as high for university students, the ones who were getting blamed for catching it at pubs and parties.

The latest data for number of cases per 100,000 in each year group looks alarming, even more so when you realise that the latest column is an underestimate. The figures for Y11 in particular are horrendous, and this is a crucial exam year group.

Attendance data for secondary schools is going down each week - 82% according to the latest data (excluding those on half term).

On 22nd October an estimated 557,000 pupils were off school, either isolating, or with covid (this includes primaries, I can't see the data for just secondaries).

On 22nd October, 55% of secondary schools had at least 1 pupil self-isolating due to contact with a case in school.

There is, as far as a I can see, no discussion from those in charge about what to do about this. Schools are a priority, except when it comes to talking about them. Data is hidden, covered up or just ignored. People use arguments about primary schools (parents need to work!) to apply to all ages of pupil.

Secondary schools were set up with 'bubbles'. Risk assessments were based on premise that bubbles would be mixing, and would be sent home if there were cases. This was abandoned a few weeks into term when the DfE elbowed PHE out of the way and took over the the decisions about who would be sent home. Now only 'close contacts' are sent home rather than whole bubbles, which makes no sense in the context of what we know about covid transmission in poorly ventilated spaces with no social distancing. Kids who were told that they could mix 'because they were in a bubble' are now wondering why they're in a bubble but not in a bubble in any meaningful sense.

If, when it comes to any upcoming lockdown, the message is 'schools will stay open' and there is no distinguishing between primary and secondary, and no discussion about how this trend in secondary can be addressed, then be aware that any lockdown isn't going to solve the problem because it's spreading in secondary schools.

PS: I don't want schools to close but they shouldn't stay open as they are because the data shows there's a real problem with as they are. I do want a discussion about specifically secondary so talk about primary elsewhere. If you find the data scary then that's a problem with the situation, not me posting it. I don't want any anecdotes about how your school hasn't had any cases unless you put the word 'yet' at the end of it. If your school has masks everywhere that's great for your school, but the government says their use should be avoided in classrooms and their use in corridors is only mandated in lockdown areas. Schools are not all open in Europe.

Some suggestions: masks, ventilation, review of who is being sent home, regular testing (especially if there are cases), review of fines for pupils who would be safer at home, review of working conditions for ECV teachers, it to be made clear that if a school sends your child home they are legally required to isolate.

I'm guessing that during this time private schools have mainly been continuing as normal due to paying for tests and smaller classes...

Absolutely. My year 11 class of 32 would be far better off as 16 in with me learning new stuff this week, then working at home developing and testing those skills next week whilst I teach the other 16. We've said this for months. But that's not the will of the government.

Private schools only reopened September.

I thought private schools opened like the others to certain classes in June?

Anyway would be interesting to know the extent of pupils sent home / disruption compared to the state sector

But that's not the will of the government

It was their plan though. before serious disruption. How serious does it have to get?

The plan has changed so many times that it's hard to keep up...
They don't want to go back on the "schools in no matter what" rhetoric. They want schools to close themselves due to lack of staffing so they can say "well it was the naughty lazy teachers, not us". It's a power play.

Private schools had a lot more one on one by zoom. They have much smaller classes. Luckily ds has only 20 in his yr 11 class. Albeit state school.

A few girls were sent home, as day students at dd school. There was one positive case.
They do have tests reserved for boarders not for day pupils who are sent home.
But, I can only speak for one school, I don't have a clue what is happening elsewhere.
Mine is very lucky to be where she is, because the social aspect is much better than if she was not boarding.
I fully support schools closing if it's the right thing to do, even though I know my dd mh would suffer.

@OverTheRainbow88

My children have laptops, and an educated mother with time to teach them. Plus support from their schools.

That’s a very unique position to be in.

I'm the same.

I don't think that should be unique. Look at what % of the population is uni level educated. This should imply that this position is not unique.

Well I have a degree but a ds who does not engage with online learning well so makes no difference. At the of 15 they dont want their parents help.

Yes, that was an incredibly bad faith use of the word 'unique'.

I know everyone wants to batter me for pointing this kind of thing but but you're not restricted to helping your kids between 9 and 3.30. An hour or so each evening and a saturday morning would work. Pretending it's impossible to support your kids if you work is a bit silly to say the least.

Someone earlier mentioned desktop truancy which I took to highlight the fact that some kids attend school and are present at their desk but do fuck all work and actively resist any attempts at being educated. Clearly some kids are not going to engage with home learning because a significant proportion don't engage with learning at the best of times when in school.

My son is allegedly going to be a low achiever and have x, y and z negative health outcomes because of the fact I'm a lone parent. In reality it's been proved eons ago that if the mother of said child is either a) degree educated or b) earns 40k or above the supposed disadvantages disappear.

I'm finding the completely accepted abdication for any parental responsibility for the educational outcomes of teenagers baffling. I'm both a parent of a teen and a teacher of teenagers and it's pretty clear to me that he/we get out what we put in and teachers do their best with those who are willing to put in. Some seem to think we can magically stuff exam passing knowledge and skills into the heads of disinterested kids.

We are teachers not magicians.

@TheHoneyBadger
I'm not going to batter you as I was musing along the same lines. My son is 15. Yes, he won't "engage" with me the same way as he does with his teachers, but I don't actually want to be his teacher. I am responsible for him learning. Not drip feeding knowledge into his head. The 2 are very separate.

I understand that many parents are overwhelmed by the idea that they need to teach their kids, but if there was a framework/help + their willingness, they could easily do it.

yes TheSun but if there is just complete super strange denial that their child's engagement and their parenting are in anyway connected then???

Personally, as a parent, I HATE homework. I'm meant to enforce and push something that 9 times out of 10 I can't even see the point of beyond him avoiding a detention.

To me a pandemic is a legitimate reason to have to up my game as a parent in terms of my input into my child's progress and education. Yes there are less fortunate pupils who may be missing out on that input but that's not an excuse to sit back and feign helplessness over my own child's progress.

re:HW
I gave up around y7. He didn't do it: he'll get a detention. in school. none of my business. I'm not sacrificing our home life for the sake of something that even i think (as you) is pointless. :)

Yes last year I reached a point where unless it was maths (where at that time he was under target because he hadn't had a teacher with half decent english let alone maths teaching skills for 2 years) I gave up on the battle.

No acknowledgement at all that some kids would rather do an after school detention than homework. So?

I also hate being forced to set homework every 2 weeks. I more than cover everything we're doing in class therefore a tick box home work setting exercise that creates more work for them and me and does nothing to meaningfully add to learning is bollocks (excuse my french).

I'd far rather say think about x, find out about y, come prepared for a discussion on x and y and praise those who had gone and done that and who therefore played a bit part in the start of the next lesson.

I'm just a minion teacher though so ignore me ;)

Problems are, in our experience with 2 out of 3 teens down with Covid - they aren't displaying the typical symptoms to warrant a test. They both lost their taste and smell but only after a week or so. In the meantime they can be spreading it to many people as lots of teens are not getting tested.
Secondly the DfE want schools to appear safer Covid environments than they are and schools seem to be minimising Covid transmission figures lulling parents into a false sense of security which I am sure is what they have been advised to do. Not blaming the schools.
Plus getting reluctant teens to self isolate when asked to is an argument many parents don't seem to want to have.

Many parents don't seem to want to have arguments with their teens. They want to be friends. At all costs. And many people find it really hard to be confrontational, but not emotionally attacked.
I am a very (too) laid back parent, but there are a few things where I just told him that I am not his friend and it's my responsibility (eg that he learns stuff). He can hate it, moan, throw a tantrum, but i will not budge. Given that I am only like this about 3 things he knows he has to take me seriously. (and yet it is still slightly nightmare-ish sometimes.... ) In every other aspect I am his friend more than mum, fine.

Yes I'm of the pick your battles type but those battles I've deemed important I don't budge on. Getting him to get maths done over lockdown was outright war at times but it got done. I prioritised English and Maths and wouldn't budge on that getting done but did leave some subjects that he wasn't going to be doing from September because he had dropped them when making his options.

On the news feed today

Thousands call for Government to shut schools ahead of second lockdown
More than 150,000 teachers and support staff have backed a campaign calling for the Government to close schools and colleges with the introduction of new national restrictions.

More than 20,000 people have written to their MP and lobbied them on social media, according to the National Education Union.

Kevin Courtney, joint general secretary of the NEU, said: "The response to our call this weekend for school closures shows that our concern is widely shared. The Government is failing our communities as well as our schools and colleges and that is why we are seeking an amendment to Parliament's lockdown bill.

"We have seen a fifty-fold increase in infections in secondary schools alone since September. Schools, clearly, are an engine for virus transmission."

Julie McCulloch, director of policy at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: "The situation with Covid infection rates is clearly very precarious and there may need to be further restrictions which affect schools.

"But it is important that we don't see this as an all-or-nothing situation. A first step, if it is needed, could be to introduce a rota system in secondary schools with pupils rotating between remote education and attendance in school.

"The priority, alongside keeping pupils and staff as safe as possible, must be to keep as much direct teaching going as we can to minimise further disruption to these young people."

Why not a call to make the schools safer and get more funding rather than a call to close them down again?

Why not a call to make the schools safer and get more funding rather than a call to close them down again

The government has had all pandemic to do this and they didn't.

Nor have they offered more funding while insisting on schools remaining open now.

SAGE did want secondaries to close, Johnson said no. Not following the science, but ignoring the science for political reasons.

inews.co.uk/news/politics/scientists-urged-government-to-close-secondary-schools-744795

It always turns out well when they ignore SAGE

SAGE did want secondaries to close, Johnson said no.

It is not for SAGE to want anything. That is not their role, they are not elected they are just advisors. All SAGE should do is say they science indicates this or tgat’, the decisions are up to government based not just on that science but on broader issues affecting the country.

"It is not for SAGE to want anything. That is not their role, they are not elected they are just advisors"

Interesting then that gove was quite happy to say the regional approach was due to the advice their received at the time, when it has been made clear that advisers advise ( on science presumably not balancing it with economics) and ministers decide....

In any event it is clear that the scientific advice from sage was to close secondaries due to the high Infection rate in them. The government seems to have decided to do nothing about it. How big does the problem need to get before they take action this time?

I don't mean closing btw I mean any form of action to monitor or limit infections in schools

Fine. SAGE said that the science indicated that secondary schools should close and Johnson decided not to follow the science for political reasons.

Johnson also declined to follow the science and have an earlier lockdown and the situation is now worse than the reasonable worst case scenario that was modelled.

I’m not sure a Classics grad is really equipped to be making these decisions.