Out of school activities/classes/lessons/groups cannot happen.

[beckypv]

Guidance has just been released that says clearly that any form of activity, unless solely for the purpose of childcare to enable parents to work, cannot happen in England during this lockdown. I’ve seen so many discussions about various groups/ classes / sports / activities trying to work around / find loopholes to the message ‘stay at home’. At least this is pretty clear.

www.gov.uk/guidance/education-and-childcare-settings-new-national-restrictions-from-5-november-2020#ooss

Sad for the children missing out on their activities

I've just been thinking what are we going to do with our evenings. Most of the time kids are happy to relax but my youngest likes 'doing stuff' plus I worry my eldest would just spend his whole evening on the computer every night. It's so hard to get him enthusiastic enough to even go outside to the play park literally on the doorstep.

The following wording is of concern to me:

Where schools are offering extra-curricular activities (that is, before and after school clubs) they should only do so where it is reasonably necessary to support parents to work, search for work, or undertake training or education, or where the provision is being used for the purposes of respite care.

My children do loads of sports activities before, after and during lunchtime, all run by their school in year group bubbles. It is ridiculous for this to be cancelled.

Yup. Kids play football before 3pm in your PE lesson and it's all fine and dandy. Play it after 3pm and we're all DOOMED!!!

It's not like they can even have an after school playdate at the park either as technically we're not supposed to and don't want to get into trouble or be judged for it.

Meanwhile, my local homeware shop is keeping open because it sells a few plants outside and is therefore a garden centre...

@Ohfrigginghellers

It's not like they can even have an after school playdate at the park either as technically we're not supposed to and don't want to get into trouble or be judged for it.

Playgrounds are open, just be sensible.

Oh god it’s only for one month —allegedly—

Soon it will be dark after school. So with all sports facilities closed no one is going to get enough exercise.

I think it is sad for the children too. But if we are going to put the whole country through all these restrictions, I guess they need to do it properly. I imagine half the things that are being shut; activities/some shops etc won’t really effect the spread, but I guess it’s just an effort of being quite drastic to try and reset people’s minds to April when everyone was more careful. If life feels too normal, people forget about the problems.
The whole doing things in school, versus out of school debate is just about limiting contacts. Yes, they will play football at school, and yes they may have 5 contacts..... but if they then play again out if school they will have 5 more contacts. Those additional contacts are all adding to the risk. Kids being at school is a massive amount of contact for them in general, so limiting all other contacts out of school is surely a sensible option. I’m sure ideally they’d shut the schools to reduce spread but the implications of that are so wide, they are shutting other things instead.
I’m just grateful it’s term time, so for most of the day the kids are getting to be sociable and active. This would be more of a struggle if it was holiday time.

It's sensible. It's for only 4 weeks. Children are still socialising in their bubbles at school and getting lots of exercise running about in the playground. Children can also still exercise outside of school if needed but not in groups.
My children do dancing and scouts, all of these groups are made up of children from lots of different schools and year groups - it would be crazy to allow them to continue during lockdown as the whole point of lockdown is to avoid mixing and spreading the virus at much as possible.

It's not like they can even have an after school playdate at the park either as technically we're not supposed to and don't want to get into trouble or be judged for it.

They can play with friends at school every day. Lockdown is only 4 weeks and it is for a very good reason.

PeonyandDahlia I completely agree with you

Yup. Kids play football before 3pm in your PE lesson and it's all fine and dandy. Play it after 3pm and we're all DOOMED!!!

That's because they are in a bubble at school. Football clubs are usually made up of children from different year groups in schools and they play against different clubs again with children from different schools/bubbies. I dare say there are a few clubs where everyone is from the same school but mostly they aren't.
Lockdown is only for 4 weeks and is to try and reduce down the rates of infection. If they don't bring it down they will have to try further restrictions which may well include closing schools.

I have assumed it's a risk factor thing - so there's a certain amount of risk to children being allowed to remain at school, but the decision is that this is a necessary risk. However, if a child goes to a sports group, that risk is then amplified as a child could then pass it on to children at different schools so one child could lead to outbreaks at multiple schools.

I don't really understand why sports groups at schools can't continue, if they remain within their bubbles. Admittedly, I guess it depends on the school - ours is bubbling by year group so sports groups could continue while if you're bubbling by class or something, it might be trickier.

Sorry but I'm pleased they've clarified this!

Surely it's better to have everything closed for a shorter time rather than dragging it out?

I think we can sacrifice some things for children's education and mental well being ie seeing their friends at school. But think it's ridiculous if restaurants bars etc are shut so that kids can carry on completely as normal!

@PeonyandDahlia I am not talking about out of school activities where they are mixing with children from other schools. I am talking about sporting activities in schools. My children do tennis, gymnastics and swimming at their school, all in their year group bubbles. But this is classed as “extra curricular” as they do it before and after school and during lunchtime. It is ridiculous for it to be cancelled. There is no extra risk.

@PeonyandDahlia lots of schools do football after school as a club. So they can play it during the day within PE classes but not after school with the same kids in their year group bubbles?!!!

There is the SAS or something HIIT workout online if you are concerned about exercise.

What else to do if all clubs closed? Need to find an alternative or do nothing.

And yes this house gutted as well.

I fully expected for my kid’s out of school football, rugby and cricket training to be cancelled as they mix with children from other schools but not activities run by their school, at their school and in their year group bubbles.

Just to be clear the government have said it is not “just for four weeks”...it depends on the numbers. Given what we know about lockdowns globally it will most likely be extended. People really need to stop with the “it’s only for four weeks” thing they did it last time when “it was only for a month” then “it was only for two months” etc ...we know now how long national lockdowns go on for, whether it’s right or not is one thing but “it’s only for a month” should not be used as justification for anything since it’s likely to be a lot longer than that!

My son also does sports clubs at his school in his year group bubble. I guess any form of extra activity - even within the bubble, and even when trying to be Covid safe, does have an element of contact risk, and therefore it is additional risk that is not necessary. Unlike the contacts in the school day which are also risky but are deemed unavoidable whilst keeping schools open.

What does 'out of school' mean? Does that only relate to football with a separate bubble at the local club of does it also mean football club at school within their bubble??

Lots of providers of these activities are hanging on by a thread. Prepare for many not to re-open

Kids can only play with their friends at school if they have friends at school. For many years my sons theatre group was his only source of friends & his music helped him get through the day.