Secondary schools are stuffed, GOVERNMENT ADMITS

[noblegiraffe]

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

Mass testing for secondary school pupils in worst affected areas.

[quote motherrunner]**@starrynight19* I think @middleager* is Walsall (?) although I maybe mistaken, if so I’m Im the next area.

And yes, it’s been awful for a while.[/quote]
Correct. My other DC at school in Birmingham, which also has major issues.

Greenwich closing all schools from tomorrow.

To me it seems reassuring that some schools are just taking the initiative to close as case numbers are out of control - despite what the government are telling them

6 isolations is horrific @middleager it makes me wonder how many isolations will become acceptable. The thing is it’s their mental health deteriorating each and every time they get sent home
My dd2 had her class sent home whilst she was isolating due to me having covid. When they were all doing it together I honestly saw a massive improvement in her. They all attended online lessons or face timed each other doing the work set. She wasn’t at all as isolated as she was previously. I really worry about these kids facing this over and over again

Be interesting to see the DfE response to a whole council closing down. Is Greenwich one of the mass testing boroughs?

This is exactly what happened before en masse school closures. Why oh why have the DfE not listened. Just pretending it is ok in a few schools means the majority will just close. Total joke. We will be going the route of Germany, Denmark et al.

Considering we are one week before Christmas I've spent more time working this weekend than most, all sorting out provision for next week. We now have every year group with cases and will be at less than 50% of students in. I'm already delivering work to at least 20 families tomorrow as we still don't have enough 4g dongles (we give all students a Chromebook).

Good job so many kids are off really as we have around 30% of staff isolating, including our head as his wife and one of their kids has tested positive (she is a doctor).

On a personal note though, I can't wait for antibody testing. I've been for 4 tests since the end of September as I am having periods of feeling shockingly exhausted and breathless, but all negative. GP can't get me an antibody one apparently but something has to be wrong; my oxygen sats dip and HR rises for maybe 6 hours then return to normal (joys of being in a science department and having some toys to play with!)

starrynight19 that's a good point.

Planned isolations, with groups working together online from home, would have been so much better than this in/out of school which so many children have been through.

Teachers could have planned resources to facilitate this as well.

The problem of children without tech and broadband access would remain though, unless the were permitted to use on site facilities.

The Sun is disgraceful and I wouldn't line my cat's litter tray with it let alone read it. I'm going to complain about that article.

3 educational settings between myself and the dc, where I am has the most disadvantaged students, most have smart phones at the very least, some we were able to supply with tech, do something to sort WiFi issues. The point is, the numbers we had to support were small.

In this day and age we should be able to move fluidly between on line at home and at school.

Rod Liddle’s previous work include the attached, and getting a police caution for assaulting his pregnant partner. Oh and buckets of racism.

@middleager

We received an email tonight. My y10 son is now in his sixth period of SI due to cases in school. He also caught Covid there previously. It is destroying life.

Bloody hell. How has he even been in school long enough to need to isolate? Clearly they should have closed his whole year group for a proper circuit break.

Planned isolations, with groups working together online from home, would have been so much better than this in/out of school which so many children have been through.

@christinarossetti19 absolutely

@starrynight19

6 isolations is horrific *@middleager* it makes me wonder how many isolations will become acceptable. The thing is it’s their mental health deteriorating each and every time they get sent home My dd2 had her class sent home whilst she was isolating due to me having covid. When they were all doing it together I honestly saw a massive improvement in her. They all attended online lessons or face timed each other doing the work set. She wasn’t at all as isolated as she was previously. I really worry about these kids facing this over and over again

It scares me how many might be deemed acceptable.

We've had six with the stock letter, but at what point will this be deemed a crisis?

The impact on mental and physical health is devastating.

noble
A couple of times he's been in a few days only, then it's back again.

inews.co.uk/news/education/school-children-parents-take-out-early-avoid-self-isolation-covid-rules-christmas-791723?utm_source=%3Fito%3Dsocial_itw_theipaper

So will dfe threaten legal the council will legal action like they done with other schools for closing?

Why are Germany and Denmark remote learning.

Taking schools out local public health control and removing powers from the heads awful.
Can teachers sue head for working in unsafe environments?

www.independent.co.uk/news/health/greenwich-council-schools-close-covid-infection-rate-london-b1772510.html

Good article with THIS PHOTO 🤦‍♀️

Why would anyone need to take a kid out of a school that looked like that?

That's an utterly laughable image isn't it, noble.

Our primary school had the children sitting much less than one meter apart.
It Couldn't be helped as the classrooms are not designed for SD.
Nothing like that photo :(
I'm
Not criticizing schools. They have done the best they could and worked so hard.

@Whyarewehardofthinking

Considering we are one week before Christmas I've spent more time working this weekend than most, all sorting out provision for next week. We now have every year group with cases and will be at less than 50% of students in. I'm already delivering work to at least 20 families tomorrow as we still don't have enough 4g dongles (we give all students a Chromebook).

Good job so many kids are off really as we have around 30% of staff isolating, including our head as his wife and one of their kids has tested positive (she is a doctor).

On a personal note though, I can't wait for antibody testing. I've been for 4 tests since the end of September as I am having periods of feeling shockingly exhausted and breathless, but all negative. GP can't get me an antibody one apparently but something has to be wrong; my oxygen sats dip and HR rises for maybe 6 hours then return to normal (joys of being in a science department and having some toys to play with!)

Have they tested for anaemia?

And vitamin d and b/folate deficiency. If not it may be an idea to rule out

@MrsHamlet

That's an utterly laughable image isn't it, noble.

I started a thread with some more accurate images.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/coronavirus/4105765-Why-is-covid-ripping-through-secondary-schools

@BungleandGeorge Yes, I've had every test apart from an antibody one. Having discussed it with colleagues who have have definitely had covid and now have waves of breathing issues I think it must be that. The stairs are work are killing me (and I use to fly up and down no problem!)

On my subject network there is little support for the DfE. Education has been a shit show from March - their leadership, u-turns, smoke and mirrors exercises on laptops and catch up tutoring have been truly dreadful