Do you think schools will be closed a week early so we be with parents/grandparents for Christmas?

[Dontbakeinatent]

Hi,

Just that really.

I hear that the government are putting together a plan so that we can be together at Christmas.

This is the only thing I can think of that would be effectve.

Thoughts?

@Artesia

That assumes a degree of common sense- that people would use the week to isolate rather than start their Xmas break early, or be out and about doing last minute shopping/ enjoying festive fun. Sadly, I don’t have much faith in people to do the former.

completely agree.

I hope not my dd would be devastated. She loves school. We are not going to see anyone anyway so it makes no difference to our plans either way. I'm quite looking forward not having to drive around visiting people for 3 days.

I hope not.

The last week of school is normally parties, watching Xmas movies, and generally not doing much work. In terms of education/learning, it wouldn't matter as much. Even the scientists said a few weeks back that missing 1-2 weeks of schooling now, wouldn't be detrimental. That's not me saying it, that's the professionals who know what they are talking about.

A five week break in the middle of winter no thanks, they’ve missed enough.
If people are keen to they can take them out and SI

Obviously meant to read we can in the title 🤦

Have to say, I'm quite surprised by the responses so far. I would think opinions would be more varied, but it seems most think it's a bad idea.

I don't know where I stand on it really. Would love to be able to spend Christmas with family, but yes, our dc have already missed so much education and a week is a long time and of course it wouldn't help those who had to work all the way up to and during Christmas.

Just wondering what this "plan" could be then.

Or was that lockdown 2?

I think the university plan is a good one but it makes more sense for that age group.

we are in wales and yesterday one of the teachers told my friends DD in year 9 that they wont be in school for last week of term as we will all be in another 2 week lockdown that will be lifted on xmas eve!!

If an extra week were inevitable I'd rather have the extra week at the other end of the holidays so we don't have to absorb the additional risk seeded by those who feel they are ready to throw caution to the wind this Christmas when the kids return to school.

@Char2015

The last week of school is normally parties, watching Xmas movies, and generally not doing much work. In terms of education/learning, it wouldn't matter as much. Even the scientists said a few weeks back that missing 1-2 weeks of schooling now, wouldn't be detrimental. That's not me saying it, that's the professionals who know what they are talking about.

It would be detrimental to the parents who would have to take unpaid leave to cover it though.

Ds is currently off shielding. We hope the restrictions are lifted so he can go back to school in December. I would be pissed off if he then lost another week so people could go on a jolly

@Char2015

The last week of school is normally parties, watching Xmas movies, and generally not doing much work. In terms of education/learning, it wouldn't matter as much. Even the scientists said a few weeks back that missing 1-2 weeks of schooling now, wouldn't be detrimental. That's not me saying it, that's the professionals who know what they are talking about.

But if a school took that approach then they wokld just move the parties and DVDs forward a week anyway!

If lockdown is lifted by then I doubt all these dc at home would just stay there. There’d be loads of mixing anyway.

If people really want to stay home and SI though the option is there.

The last week of school is normally parties, watching Xmas movies, and generally not doing much work

Maybe if you have an infants age child. At my DC's secondary they teach curriculum up to the 2nd last day (they do do non-academic stuff on the last day but it's only a half day).

Based on how the families around here are currently going on, the extra week would be entirely filled with playdates and hanging out with other families (not to mention all the parents who would need to use shared or group childcare in order to work), so can't see it would be of much help to keeping grannies safe.

I do hope not.

My secondary age children have missed more than enough academic work.

@Char2015

The last week of school is normally parties, watching Xmas movies, and generally not doing much work. In terms of education/learning, it wouldn't matter as much. Even the scientists said a few weeks back that missing 1-2 weeks of schooling now, wouldn't be detrimental. That's not me saying it, that's the professionals who know what they are talking about.

That's fine if they were only missing 1-2 weeks but add that to the amount of time some already have missed. If the schools were to shut 1-2 weeks early here that would be 4-5 weeks education my eldest would have missed between august and December - almost a whole term. And that's assuming no further periods of self isolation. Don't see how that could not impact his education, in important school years.

I hope not. My DC's schools were pretty hands-off during the first lockdown and there's lots to catch up on. Plus plenty of classes and indeed entire schools (DC2's included) have had further lengthy interruptions due to COVID outbreaks in school. Perhaps they could make attendance optional.

Fully isolating your child is not just like having an extra week to do what you fancy. It's really no fun. DC2 really struggled being stuck at home for a fortnight, and we're in the lucky position of her being old enough to leave for an hour so I could nip to the shops or go for a run. I can't see many parents of KS1 kids signing up for 2 weeks total family isolation, and would bet that most won't actually isolate properly, in which case why bother?

@Char2015

The last week of school is normally parties, watching Xmas movies, and generally not doing much work. In terms of education/learning, it wouldn't matter as much. Even the scientists said a few weeks back that missing 1-2 weeks of schooling now, wouldn't be detrimental. That's not me saying it, that's the professionals who know what they are talking about.

Not for those trying to catch up on time lost for their A levels or gcses it's not Its not just about primary schools

@CarryOnWalking

I do hope not.

My secondary age children have missed more than enough academic work.

Mine too.

Difficult. I’m not sure. On the one hand it’s probably a good idea to take action to make Christmas ‘safer’. On the other, for plenty of people this isn’t a priority and it’s just more time off school.

Also if people just mix normally during that week, it’s pointless.

I hope not too.

We are my daughter's support and childcare bubble. I would much rather our grandchildren were at school and would put that way above having a "normal" Christmas with them.

I would feel the same way if we weren't seeing them on a regular basis. Our daughter and grandchildren stayed with us for a couple of weeks during lockdown, but went back to their house when a bubble was created for them at school. I was very happy for them as I felt school was more important to them than seeing us all the time.

I hope not. Ds is in yr10, on a 2 week isolation due to a positive in his tutor group (and other classes), and he needs to make up all the lost time.
Why should one day that people don't need to be together impact millions of childrens education when so many parents won't/ can't isolate at the same time

I would rather my kids were in school, minimal education or not. In school they would be having parties, doing festive craft, and enjoying time with their friends. That is just as much a part of Christmas as seeing our very small family.

At home they would be struggling to get attention from two full time working parents who still struggling to get enough work done with change in the school routine etc. They’d also likely only be able to see most of our family from a distance anyway so likely to be fairly meh as far as Christmas goes anyway.

I really hope not. Can’t see it happening myself.