Is a change beginning to happen regarding schools?

[Covidfears]

I’ve been noticing more articles lately in the mainstream press about the difficulties in schools (which will come as no surprise to most people). There’s also been some research which has basically confirmed that schools are driving infections. So, along with it looking like this lockdown has been a waste of time (due to schools being kept open to continue the spread) and people in power calling for Hull schools to be closed do we think that schools will be closing early for Christmas?

Is there any chance that blended learning or rotas will be coming in after the Christmas holidays?

We are a vulnerable family with children in primary school and the risk that sending them every day with no safety measures poses to our family is causing me huge amounts of stress.

Are you not bothered about disruption to education gino?

Smile

Infections are on way down that’s the whole point

They are rising in the one age group who rarely suffer from it so why close 🤷‍♀️

other age groups are seeing drops

Not in my area. Over 60s saw a rise last week, alongside secondary age pupils.

And if kids pass it to teachers (who it seems could be at more risk of infection than frontline NHS workers looking at the data), then schools will need to close due to lack of staff (already happening).

Piggy

Of course that’s why I want them open! But they’d be less disruption if schools did accurate tracking

In dds year they’re have been a constant stream of 4/5 cases at any point in any year group -she’s year 10, secondary with diff class as she does options so moves around all day every day. She currently has 100% attendance. With each confirmed case only about 10 kids sent home in each year of 160. If your child’s been in and out of school then you should be challenging the school as they’re not doing enough

If dd is in 3/10 lessons with Xxxx then she has to sit with xxxx in all those lessons to reduce contacts

In dds year they’re have been a constant stream of 4/5 cases at any point in any year group

And you think this sounds like good infection control?

My child hasn't : I never said they had gino.

Sounds like your DD is just lucky tbh.

My schools has not had many cases. it is very large though so with contact tracing , one case in year 11 saw 70 students sent home.

In my opinion of a whole class isolates the remote earning is far better and more focused than the situation I ahve had where I ahve had 11 pupils in class and 11 at home.

In my sixth form classes, there is nearly always one student off SI. Education is being massively disrupted.

You seemed to miss the point by only going on about whether they got ill or not.

My DS has not had to isolate yet . I just think he ahs been in luck so far.

It sounds as if what Gino is saying is ‘my DD’s school is riddled with covid but she hasn’t been affected yet so it’s all good’.

10 students in a (very small!) year group of 160 is quite a high proportion.

I agree with noble. It actually sounds like your DD's schol has a covid problem!

All thise kids in Ginos school whi have had to isolate for 2 weeks at short notice... and all those classes where teaching wont be optimal. But as long as Gino is okay ...

"In dds year they’re have been a constant stream of 4/5 cases at any point in any year group -she’s year 10, secondary with diff class as she does options so moves around all day every day. She currently has 100% attendance. With each confirmed case only about 10 kids sent home in each year of 160. If your child’s been in and out of school then you should be challenging the school as they’re not doing enough"

Do you not care about the disruption to other children's education. You've been lucky. Lots of others haven't. Even in your school there has been a constant stream of cases. Lots of families are affected.

Of course that’s why I want them open! But they’d be less disruption if schools did accurate tracking

Please read my post outlining the situation in my school and tell me how this is a preferable situation.

You say you’re a teacher - are you currently working in a state school?

I don't think they should shut all schools. It's massively disruptive for both children and parents and employers and the economy. Only shut those where infections are out of control.

There's other options than to shurt all the sxhools thiugh. Blended learning, all nobles lisy..

Only shut those where infections are out of control.

And maybe have a good think about how there can be schools where infections are out of control when they are supposed to be safe and what can be done to prevent other schools suffering the same fate.

They are rising in the one age group who rarely suffer from it so why close 🤷‍♀️

Er - really? Where have you been?

That age group lives with older people, who can die from the disease, and pass it on to them. Children don't live on their own, you know.

@IloveJKRowling

They are rising in the one age group who rarely suffer from it so why close 🤷‍♀️

Er - really? Where have you been?

That age group lives with older people, who can die from the disease, and pass it on to them. Children don't live on their own, you know.

Absolutely. And mix with school staff who also go home to families.

@Greektome

I don't think they should shut all schools. It's massively disruptive for both children and parents and employers and the economy. Only shut those where infections are out of control.

Just on the economy side Working parents of primary age children make up ~8% of the workforce. It's not actually that much. Out of the 3.5m working parents 500k are teachers. Leaving "the economy" with 3m workers scattered across many industries (maybe except mining :)).

Is this really the biggest concern? Could there have been no better way to protect them? Maybe eat out,... + better furlough measures? Or alternative childcare provisions organized in very small groups?

(Sec school children can be home alone mostly, and this is not 100% accurate, but to prove a point)

I'm not saying 3m people don't matter, but I get irritated when economy comes up in these threads. Almost everyone wants quality EDUCATION on these threads in these trying time as well. People saying education and meaning childcare piss me off.
Why don't people question the crony money being spent on nothing? Why is it okay for teachers and kids to risk their health (both short and long) without any PPE, so that the economy can keep going? The economy is not only based on these 3m people.

How can people not see the farcical nature of sending only close contacts home? Of not wearing masks all the time, everywhere? Of freezing conditions in schools (for the sake ventilation, but 10 cm open windows is not good enough....)?

@Ginogineli I totally disagree and I am not a secondary teacher. My eldest DC has isolated 3 times. The time when the whole year isolated was MUCH BETTER as the teachers were teaching remotely to a whole group. On the other hand, as one of only a few kids isolating it has been a very piecemeal experience and she's missed a lot. This is not the teachers' fault. It's just so difficult to do it whilst also teaching the group in front of you.

At our secondary school the children are required to wear masks at all times.
They have been back at school for 3 months now (Scotland).
They have had only 1 outbreak so far, with close contacts in 1 year group only being sent home.
I worry about my DC bringing Covid home. But I also worry about her education, and very much want the exams to go ahead. She missed her GCSE level exams last year, and is at risk of missing her A'level type exams this year (Scottish system). She also needs to go to school from a happiness and developmental perspective.
I mention the economy because that is another reason for the schools to stay open. It's just 1 of several reasons.
I don't think that all schools should be shut down because a few schools are having serious problems. But it may make sense for those schools to be shut, with as full as possible online teaching.
Children here are being loaned digital devices, so that they can be taught online if necessary.
I am very much against exams being cancelled again. It was a mistake to cancel them last time.

I’m a teacher currently with fever/chills, headache and a cough. Waiting on my test to arrive. If it arrives after 3pm today, does anyone know if I can post it tomorrow? Are the posties collecting the mail on Sundays now? Thanks

Why do people always assume the argument is for all schools to just close?

www.gov.uk/government/news/royal-mail-to-collect-covid-19-test-kits-7-days-a-week

Some of them are, ano

If teachers could simultaneously teach a class in front of them and online, some parents still wouldn't be happy.

"What did you do today Sarah in class?"
Tried to stay warm, teacher spent a lot of time on the computer/their tablet, we had some work on the whiteboard (interactive or not)"
"What do you mean they spent a lot of time on the computer/tablet?"
"Dunno, probably on FB"
"And what was the rest of you doing?"
"Nothing much" (Usual stock answer to their everyday)

Loads of AIBU that the teacher ignored my dc because they were so busy sorting out their Black Fridays deals?

I don't blame teachers if they don't want to go down that potential shitstorm. When those kids fail/don't do as predicted in their exams, this would be used massively by the government why none of this is their fault.

@Greektome
At our secondary school the children are required to wear masks at all times.

THIS!! if only we could do this in England.

Our school asked me in Sept what it would take for me to send my son in and I said as a min, masks all the time. They said no.
Spoke to them+lea yesterday. Same question, same answer. Almost 3 months in, despite the data.
LEA person had no idea of the local data or trends. She actually said it has not been proven to be airborne and PHE says wash your hands a lot.