Secondary schools are stuffed, GOVERNMENT ADMITS

[noblegiraffe]

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55265098

Mass testing for secondary school pupils in worst affected areas.

Our borough has three pop up sites, by 11am two had run out of tests, the other said you had to book online and they would only test if you had symptoms, even though it's specifically been set up for asymptomatic so all in all the usual shit show.

Well there's a surprise.

I wonder how many people will bother trying again after being turned away the first time.

It’s good that it will drop. But it could drop further if the period of incubation was waited out. But you have reassured me somewhat, I was dreading January hit.

Noble, it gets better, on Monday it will be open between 9-3.....so the exact time that all kids with no symptoms will be in school

I was dreading January hit.

I'm dreading the Christmas hit. Those kids being sent out into the wider population to mix indoors.

Obviously that will raise community infection rates which means Jan will be terrible anyway, but for the wider population. I guess the mixing will be blamed without the specific impact of kids being examined.

Jeez Uncomfortable it's like the people organising it don't actually want kidston to be tested.

Our borough has three pop up sites, by 11am two had run out of tests, the other said you had to book online and they would only test if you had symptoms, even though it's specifically been set up for asymptomatic so all in all the usual shit show.

Oh FFS. what a surprise. Thanks for the info. It’s crazy isn’t it?!

Haha Noble, whatever would make you think that

That DfE nonsense Mrshoho posted above popped up on my Facebook this afternoon too.

It has hundreds of comments broadly split between
"well I would send my children but they're self isolating as the bubble has burst"
and
"insert rude comment here"

Just had a peep.

Yes, they've had their arses handed to them on a plate.

Oooo have you got a link - could do with a laugh!

@Zandathepanda

The year 13s round here often use their cars (semi rural) to get to school particularly now sixth formers have to be out of school in ‘frees’. However in our school in the Yr 11,12 and 13 who have had it most

My local school has a large sixth form. It's rural so most DC get buses. In a normal year the sixth formers start to get cars as soon as they are 17, however this year there have been limitations on driving lessons and long waits for tests so they are stuck with buses. All 6th formers have been asked to leave the premises when not in lessons (which could be a big chunk of the time) But most of them can't as they rely on the bus. So the 6th form common room is rammed.

@noblegiraffe
I thought the winky emoji gave away that I was being satirical.

I know, TheSun, I said I knew it was a rhetorical question! But some people might not find it self-explanatory.

Has anyone one else's school introduced online teaching next week? DS's secondary school has done this. They did poll the parents to gauge reactions. Almost 600 replies with 91 % agreeing with having the last week online. They already had to send home year 8 and 9 at the end of this week as a third of their teachers are off so they can't safely run classes. All the agencies they normally use for temp staff have no staff to send them.so they decided to move online. Hopefully the head won't be prosecuted! Apparently the government has said they may prosecute schools that go online for the last week

I don't see any prosecution succeeding where they don't have enough staff and there are no supply staff.

What's the alternative? Two teachers supervising the entire school? Ridiculous - if it's not safe to open, there is no case.

@noblegiraffe

way you worded it that I felt was unhelpful!

Sorry! Solidarity, as always, with my primary colleagues! I’m very grateful that I’m not expected to clean toilets or mop up sick.

or more personal than that if you work in a special school - removing excement from the floor and walls, their clothes, your clothes and your hair.

But some people might not find it self-explanatory

Probably for me. But it did help - if teachers aren’t worried about January I’ll take comfort from that. We’ve done well so far

And the utmost respect to my special school colleagues, you really are a cut above. I couldn't do your job either.

if teachers aren’t worried about January

Really don't take from my posts that I'm not worried about January. I said I thought infection rates would be lower in secondary students in January but higher in the general population. That will bring its own challenges.

This all seems to depend o how zealous the local Regional schools Commissioner is bumbling.

@IloveJKRowling

I don't see any prosecution succeeding where they don't have enough staff and there are no supply staff.

What's the alternative? Two teachers supervising the entire school? Ridiculous - if it's not safe to open, there is no case.

Well I hope so. The head seems to have taken the best decision possible in a very difficult situation. Also the online teaching is miles better than in the Spring, they have sorted out a lot of technical problems and have raised money for a lot of Chromebooks for students.

The school is open for those who can't or don't log in , though the students going in have to have headphones as they will also be doing online lessons but just logging in from school.

Jeez, that sounds so sensible bumblingbovine49

My DS secondary school was offering online lessons as of Monday but have since withdrawn this due to the threat from DfE

I wish secondaries would do this en masse next week.

That would make it clear that it's a structural issue not the odd school here and there.

All schools should have gone on line, it's ridiculous, they will be doing mostly silly stuff next week so what's the point?

At least secondary should have gone on line. And a week after Xmas.