Schools staying open during lockdown

[JulieGS]

Is anyone else worried about sending our children to school during lockdown?

The NEU has launched a petition calling for schools to be closed - you can find it here:

actionnetwork.org/forms/close-schools-and-colleges-now

Here’s hoping he switched to NAS because now is really not the time to not be a union member.

@echt what's hard to understand? It means he doesn't want schools to close because he found it impossible to teach deprived children online who already don't have much interest in learning. Parents too busy working all hours to ensure schoolwork is done, shoddy internet or no internet at all at home. He wants to continue teaching face to face and is not happy with his union for calling for closures and so has resigned his membership

You said none of this your post. Which is why I asked.

Kind of thing.

It means he doesn't want schools to close because he found it impossible to teach deprived children online who already don't have much interest in learning. Parents too busy working all hours to ensure schoolwork is done, shoddy internet or no internet at all at home

None of this is to do with unions, it's down to government.

He wants to continue teaching face to face and is not happy with his union for calling for closures and so has resigned his membership

Unions can't close schools.

Yes I still think schools should shut, and wouldn't be surprised if it still happens either this year or next.
I do have primary aged children.
We should of had the same lockdown that we had I'm March/April.
Things will spiral out of control again, because of the lack of support on this( proof on every thread on Mumsnet!!!)

@Fawnfour

Yes I still think schools should shut, and wouldn't be surprised if it still happens either this year or next. I do have primary aged children. We should of had the same lockdown that we had I'm March/April. Things will spiral out of control again, because of the lack of support on this( proof on every thread on Mumsnet!!!)

But even after schools shut last time it all went wrong again so why do you think shutting schools will stop that happening again?

We should of had makes it hard to fully respect someone's arguments.

@PickAChew

We should of had makes it hard to fully respect someone's arguments.

Doesn’t it just

But even after schools shut last time it all went wrong again so why do you think shutting schools will stop that happening again?

It wasn’t shutting schools that made it go wrong, opening them without proper mitigation measures is where it went wrong.

It’s reasonable to assume that if schools closed for this lockdown and then reopened with no changes, the same thing would happen again.

We should be changing things in schools to make them safer, especially if we don’t want this lockdown to drag on.

@noblegiraffe

But even after schools shut last time it all went wrong again so why do you think shutting schools will stop that happening again?

It wasn’t shutting schools that made it go wrong, opening them without proper mitigation measures is where it went wrong.

It’s reasonable to assume that if schools closed for this lockdown and then reopened with no changes, the same thing would happen again.

We should be changing things in schools to make them safer, especially if we don’t want this lockdown to drag on.

This will drag on anyway! It's a virus. Even if you have blended learning and social distancing it will still spread. People are not complying out of school. If they're only in 2 days a week there will be more opportunities for non compliance. It will still spread.

Yes make schools safer if it makes you feel better but if you think that this will ensure this is over and done with any quicker you're very naive.

My son’s bubble is on the brink of bursting. We’re 99.9% sure he’ll be home from tomorrow onwards. He is a NIGHTMARE to home educate. Ill either come out the other side of this pleasantly surprised or in a body bag.

Yes make schools safer if it makes you feel better

Er, it’s not about making me feel better, it’s about making schools safer. Why would you not want to protect teachers?

And this lockdown will be extended if infection rates don’t come down so looking at addressing the infection rates in secondary schools should be a priority.

Visors for all school staff, temperature testing for kids before each lesson (very quick and easy) and clinically vulnerable staff furloughed - I’d like to see all of this in schools.

CV staff couldn't be furloughed; who would teach their classes, cook the lunches, complete the admin, act as a designated safeguarding lead, run the school, etc...?

@noblegiraffe

Yes make schools safer if it makes you feel better

Er, it’s not about making me feel better, it’s about making schools safer. Why would you not want to protect teachers?

And this lockdown will be extended if infection rates don’t come down so looking at addressing the infection rates in secondary schools should be a priority.

I haven't said I dont?

But safety measures in schools isn't going to reduce it enough that it will mean restrictions are shortened! Look how low the rates got last time and they didn't end restrictions.

I don't believe this lockdown will end on the 2nd regardless.

Yes make schools safer if it makes you feel better

Yes make hospital staff wear PPE if it makes them feel better.
Make bus drivers drive behind a protective transparent shield if it makes them feel better.
Make wearing masks compulsory in shops if it makes shop staff feel better.

It's nothing to do with making people feel better, it's making them safer. Things have been done to make other workplaces safer, so why the reluctance to improve the safety of schools? I'll never understand why teachers are so often disregarded.

Some people here are acting as if they don't think making schools safer places to work and learn in is a good idea.

Safety trumps effective practice in my opinion during this time. It's quicker to bend your back to pick up a heavy box but you bend your knees and take your time as it's safer. Wearing masks in all schools may not be the most effective way to teach, but it's safer.

Update from DfE about removal of face coverings. Have they ever been in a school?!

Oops wrong thread!

I am confused as lots of students and staff are testing positive in DSs secondary school. These are people DS is sharing classroom with yet he is not being sent home and the school seems to be doing their own strange version of track and trace

Polly nextdoor schools are following phe or LA advice in not now sending home bubbles. Sometimes, nobody, not even a close contact, is told and sent home to isolate. Partly, schools are worried about attendance and partly, it's to cover up just how extensive the spread really is in schools. Those testing positive, I'm talking about staff here, are told not to tell anyone else.

@RingPiece, that is worrying for a lot of parents who are vulnerable. DS is saying 50% of his classmates off or being kept off now. He is in Y10.

It is possible, Pollynextdoor that his classmates are off as someone in their family has tested positive and so are isolating but do not actually have covid themselves. I'm not too sure about secondaries, I only know what's happening in primaries - I used to teach and am in contact with lots of ex colleagues in various schools.

Obviously children chat through social media and can share this info. Staff, however are specifically asked not to share any info they have on children's reasons for not being in school, and also if they have tested positive themselves.

This is awful for vulnerable children, their families and school staff. A teacher (primary) who tested positive was asked not to let her TA know . TA has a vulnerable dh at home who has been shielding since March. The teacher did in fact let her know but there were children in the class who also had been shielding last term; their families were none the wiser.

@Fawnfour

Yes I still think schools should shut, and wouldn't be surprised if it still happens either this year or next. I do have primary aged children. We should of had the same lockdown that we had I'm March/April. Things will spiral out of control again, because of the lack of support on this( proof on every thread on Mumsnet!!!)

No way

#FuckYourLockdown

It seems to me that there is a lot of obfuscation about the infection rate in schools. We (staff) have been basically threatened with action under our staff code of conduct if we discuss our cases with anyone at all on SM.
I'm not sure where one would stand legally if one wanted to let others know of our own medical condition - surely that's up to us??
Anyone know?

My DC's primary have told DS and his classmates that should anyone test positive, only the children sitting near them will be asked to isolate. Is this new guidance? I'd assumed it would be the whole class in a primary school?

We (staff) have been basically threatened with action under our staff code of conduct if we discuss our cases with anyone at all on SM.

This is what I've heard to be happening in a few schools. But, not just on SM, you're not allowed to tell people if you test positive - in person, phone call, via email. And not just people in the school community, any people, for worry that this news will spread. I'm sure no other sector is stipulating this to its staff. It's very worrying.

Beebityboo at the start of term, whole classes WERE sent home to isolate, then a couple of weeks into September, this changed. Some schools are still doing this, but many now don't. So, there's no way of really knowing if there's been a case or cases in a primary school. You don't know the reason why children are off and the theory behind only asking close contacts to isolate is quite frankly ridiculous when, in primary, there is no such thing as one or two close contacts. In a cramped, stuffy, ill-ventilated classroom, everyone is a close contact after having spent every minute of every day together.