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Original poster

State schools must stay open but private schools can close early

217 replies

Lumene · 12/12/2020 09:39

This seems really wrong to me. Kids I know at private school has their last day yesterday, so a clear run until Christmas. But the government is forcing state schools to stay open, meaning parents have a legal obligation to send their kids in.

This means if you pay you can safely see your family at Christmas but if you don’t then you can’t unless you break the law and face a fine.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lumene · 12/12/2020 17:59

State schools have funding agreements that legally contract them to open for 195 days. Their per pupil funding is calculated on that basis. Independent schools are not bound by such contractual arrangements and can therefore choose when they close.

The government has h the e power to change this under extreme circumstances such as a pandemic. Instead they seem to be threatening schools who are trying to make decisions that they judge will keep their children and staff safe given the Christmas bubble arrangements. Which the government also had the power to introduce or could have changed.

OP posts:
donkeysliveaverylongtime · 12/12/2020 18:01

Also OP that poster assumed that I don't and am some ignorant state school pleb.

It is possible to be inside the private school sector and see the huge injustice of the treatment of state schools by the DfE who are trying to massage attendance figures in a panic.

Original poster
Lumene · 12/12/2020 18:02

Also agree with this, there is much more of a mixture than you would think:

Sweeping statements like ‘MPs kids are all at private schools’ is just silly.

OP posts:
Kaliorphic · 12/12/2020 18:03

And to the poster who responded ‘so send your kids to private school then.’ Are you seriously suggesting that everyone concerned with how state schools are operating should just send their child to a private school, problem solved?

No. But considering the gap between state and private school, why would you seek to widen that gap by advocating for early closure?

Zoflorabore · 12/12/2020 18:03

I posted about this on another thread a few days ago. My dd is in year 5 at a state primary school. We all received the option of breaking up for Christmas a week early so yesterday Friday 11th instead of next Friday, 18th.

The thought behind it was if anyone developed covid next week then they would have to self isolate over Christmas.

Over half of the school have finished early, including my Dd.

We don’t live in an area with many independent schools but I know that they have much longer holidays in general. It’s nothing new.

Original poster
Lumene · 12/12/2020 18:04

And this, definitely:

It is possible to be inside the private school sector and see the huge injustice of the treatment of state schools by the DfE who are trying to massage attendance figures in a panic.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lumene · 12/12/2020 18:05

No. But considering the gap between state and private school, why would you seek to widen that gap by advocating for early closure?

If private schools are ahead but close early what is your argument that closing early causes a gap?

OP posts:
donkeysliveaverylongtime · 12/12/2020 18:05

No. But considering the gap between state and private school, why would you seek to widen that gap by advocating for early closure?

FFS it's the week before Christmas and online learning would have been provided.

That gap does not exist between all private schools and all state schools.

The school in Hertfordshire planned to have vulnerable and keyworker children in.

Kaliorphic · 12/12/2020 18:14

If private schools are ahead but close early what is your argument that closing early causes a gap?

Private schools have smaller classes and longer hours. Therefore they are able to close early. They always close early and have longer holidays. State school are already behind private schools. They don't put the extra term time hours in. They have bigger more disruptive classes. They don't have the volume of homework that private schools do. Closing state schools early makes the situation even worse. I don't want my kids to lose a week of school just so you can go see granny at Christmas.

Kaliorphic · 12/12/2020 18:15

FFS it's the week before Christmas and online learning would have been provided.

Not for all schools. My kids school had very limited online schooling. They've already missed months and month of education. No more.

LilyPond2 · 12/12/2020 18:22

Haven't RTFT, but completely agree with OP. No prizes for guessing which type of school the kids of most government ministers and their cronies are likely to attend.

donkeysliveaverylongtime · 12/12/2020 18:23

I am specifically talking about the school which was threatened with a high court injunction kali

Kaliorphic · 12/12/2020 18:27

I am specifically talking about the school which was threatened with a high court injunction kali

The op is about all state schools.

TheRubyRedshoes · 12/12/2020 18:28

Yep it's just normal for them but totally sensible in current situation still.

I'm so frustrated it can't understand why at the bare minimum... It wasn't in line week before and after Xmas?

starrynight19 · 12/12/2020 18:29

50 cases in the school that has been told they are not to go to online learning next week. They haven’t asked to close.
They have four staff out and one in hospital. Surely that in itself dictates that school has reasonable grounds to be permitted to go online.

BunsyGirl · 12/12/2020 18:29

8 out of 9 state secondary schools in Basildon have closed a week early.

megletthesecond · 12/12/2020 18:30

They always have longer holidays.
Pity our government hasn't had the balls to allow state school pupils to finish early. We all know which schools and teachers will struggle come mid January and it won't be the independent schools.

donkeysliveaverylongtime · 12/12/2020 18:31

Yes kali but your comment quoted me.

MrsSpenserGregson · 12/12/2020 18:31

@Isthatitnow

I work in a private school. We are now breaking up a day later than all,other local schools. So you don’t know everything, OP.
Yes, same thing in the private school I work in. We cannot close earlier than planned because if we did, we would have to offer a pro-rata fee refund!
donkeysliveaverylongtime · 12/12/2020 18:31

That's not necessarily true meg. In my town all the big outbreaks have been in the three private schools.

Kaliorphic · 12/12/2020 18:32

8 out of 9 state secondary schools in Basildon have closed a week early.

That's because the rates of covid in Basildon are one of the highest in the country. It's the best option out of a really shit situation.

Happymum12345 · 12/12/2020 18:32

My dd’s school finished for Christmas yesterday-same as every year.

Kaliorphic · 12/12/2020 18:33

Yes kali but your comment quoted me.

Yes. In response to you quoting me.

GeneticTest · 12/12/2020 18:35

@wondersun why isn’t that real?

I’m married to an MP. My kids are at state schools.

I know several MP families personally. All their kids are at state schools. Of course some MPs send their kids to private schools- from all parties. But most of their kids are at state schools.

catspyjamas123 · 12/12/2020 18:59

The issue is freedom, isn’t it? Parents should have the freedom to protect our children by not sending them into Covid-riddled school buildings. But there is no freedom. We are warned we may be “reported” and schools are told they may be sued. The teachers are not being lazy but they would like to protect themselves, their families and their pupils. I can’t see what the Government is trying to achieve? Infections have rocketed thanks to the schools. Meanwhile private schools (e.g. Eton) have the option to close if they think it best.

As for Gaffin’ Gavin, he hasn’t put a foot right all year. How is he still in a job?